November Saileog Ní Cheannabháin Appointed Sean-Nós Singer-in-Residence at NUI Galway

NUI Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies has announced the appointment of Saileog Ní Cheannabháin as Sean-Nós Singer in Residence for 2021.

A sean-nós singer, musician and composer, Saileog learned and played both traditional and classical music from a very young age. Raised in Dublin, in an Irish speaking household steeped in traditional song, Saileog’s father, Peadar Ó Ceannabháin comes from the rich tradition of sean-nós singing in Carna and was one of the first singers to influence Saileog. From a young age, she grew up listening to singers from Iorras Aithneach and cites Seán 'ac Dhonncha, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Dara Bán Mac Donncha agus Josie Sheáin Jeaic 'ac Dhonncha as formative influences on her approach and singing. Her mother Úna Lawlor is a classical violinist and both of her siblings Eoghan and Muireann are also singers and musicians.

In 2012, Saileog released her first album I bhfíor-dheiriú oidhche a collection of songs collected by Séamus Ennis in Iorras Aithneach in the 1940s. Following this, Roithleán was released in 2016.

Welcoming the appointment, Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin from the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway said: “We are delighted to have Saileog Ní Cheannabháin join us as Sean-nós Singer in Residence this year. Saileog is among the generation of singers who look to the rich historical tradition of singing from Connemara and build on that in their own performance and practice, and the appointment represents a fantastic opportunity for our students.”

Saileog will deliver a series of workshops at NUI Galway as well as contributing to the expanding Sean-Nós Archive Collection.  The virtual workshops are free and open to the public and will begin in January 2021. Saileog will perform a concert in the Connemara Gaeltacht as part of her residency next summer.

This project is funded by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta and An Chomhairle Ealaíon in association with the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway.

For more information contact Samantha Williams, NUI Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies, at 091 492051 or samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie.

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