Iarla Ó Lionáird and Steve Cooney in Concert
Iarla Ó Lionáird has carved a long and unique career in music both internationally and in Ireland. From his iconic early recording of the vision song “Aisling Gheal” as a young boy to his ground breaking recordings with Dublin's Crash Ensemble and New York’s Alarm Will Sound, he has shown a breadth of artistic ambition that sets him apart in the Irish Music fraternity.
Born and bred in Cúil Aodha, in the West Cork Gaeltacht, with Seán Ó Riada as neighbour and an indisputable early influence. Twice Grammy nominated, Ó Lionáird has worked with a stellar cast of composers internationally including Donnacha Dennehy, Dan Trueman, Nico Muhly, Gavin Bryars and David Lang and he has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Sinéad O'Connor. His unique singing style has carried him to stages and concert halls all over the world, from New York's Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and beyond. His voice has graced the silver screen also, with film credits extending from "The Gangs of New York" to "Hotel Rwanda" and most recently as featured singer in the film “Brooklyn” starring Saoirse Ronan. He is the vocalist with the critically acclaimed Irish/American supergroup "The Gloaming, who have just completed another 10 night sold-out run at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
Steve Cooney moved from Australia to his ancestral home of Ireland in 1981, where he has built a reputation as a truly gifted guitar player. He first joined Stockton’s Wing, and after moving to Dingle, he then teamed up with accordionist Séamus Begley and that duo has become one of the seminal groupings in Irish traditional music. Since moving to Ireland in the 1980s, Cooney has played on over 60 albums with Irish artists, including Altan, The Chieftains, Clannad and Andy Irvine. He also composed his own material and is one of the most sought-after producer/arrangers working in traditional music