Fianna Éireann – New Work Composed by Peadar Ó Riada

Fianna Éireann, a new piece of music composed by Peadar Ó Riada will be performed in public for the first time at 8:30pm Saturday 24 March in the Ionad Cultúrtha an Dr. Ó Loinsigh, Baile Mhúirne, Co. Cork. This new work has been commissioned by Oireachtas na Gaeilge with support from the Arts Council and will be launched by President Micheal D. Higgins.

It has been Peadar’s life ambition to present the story of Fionn Mac Cumhail and his warriors, the Fianna, set in the third century, to the public in musical form. The Fianna spent their time in warfare, hunting and on adventures in the other world.
Inspired by the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic, Peadar asked Professor Pádraig Ó Fiannachta to write an epic based on the Fianna cycle. Pádraig Ó Fiannachta drew all of the Fianna stories together in his epic poem Fianna Éireann and Peadar has written a musical score which suits the open metre of this poetry. Na Reacairí, a band of some of the best musicians in Ireland will accompany Peadar on this special occasion (Mick O’Brien, Steve Cooney, Aidan Connolly, Tommy Hayes, Oisín Morrisson). Peadar Ó Riada spoke about his work as follows:

‘With the help of God and this little band of musicians around me, we will present the story of Fianna Éireann to the people. Here you will find everything we Irish understand about truth and lies, heroism and cowardice, good and evil, what makes a good person and a bad person. In this day and age, where science is the new religion, there is no direction or morality woven through contemporary life. This is a step towards our ancestral cultural home – perhaps!’
There are still some tickets (€20) available for this unique, beautiful event by calling Ionad Cultúrtha an Dr. Ó Loinsigh on 026 45733. Pádraig Ó Héalaí will deliver a lecture about Fr. Pádraig Ó Fiannachta, ‘An Fear, a Dhúchas agus a Ghaisce’ at 6:00pm at the same venue.