Treaty: Songs

Treaty: Songs

Saturday, 11 December 2021, 8.00pm

Lisa O’Neill, Gemma Dunleavy, John Spillane, Karan Casey, Maija Sofia, Duke Special, Jonathan Nangle & Crash Ensemble, Adrian Crowley, Ailbhe Reddy, and The Darkling Air.

Special guest Christy Moore

December 1921 saw Irish representatives gather to debate the Anglo-Irish Treaty at the Kevin Barry Rooms at Earlsfort Terrace, now NCH. The treaty that would lead to the Irish Civil War and prove a defining moment in the history of the Irish state. These representatives from all corners of the country, gathered and stood on the brink. This new project sees some of our leading song-writers create portraits of a generation in a moment of suspended animation.

Over the years Lisa O'Neill has quietly built a reputation for herself on the Irish and international scenes and now has a growing following with her unique folk sound, strong song-writing and distinctive voice.

Gemma Dunleavy is a singer, songwriter and producer, whose stunning debut EP Up De Flats celebrates her community of Sheriff St, a strong running theme throughout her work. Dunleavy has developed her sound by experimenting with instruments connected to that of her heritage, like the harp and flute and amalgamated this with her love for pop and club music.

John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet and dreamer. Rooted in people, place and story, his music transports the listener, and his live performances captivate audiences around the world.

Singing songs charged with a sense of social responsibility in a career spanning over 25 years Karan Casey has released eleven albums as well as contributing to numerous other artists’ projects – appearing on more than 50 albums in total.

In 2018 Karan co-founded FairPlé which is a feminist organisation aimed at achieving fairness and gender balance for female performers in Irish traditional and folk musics.

Maija Sofia is a musician and writer from rural Galway of mixed Irish, Finnish and Turkish-Cypriot heritage. Her critically acclaimed debut album 'Bath Time' was widely lauded as 'the arrival of a unique new voice' (The Sunday Times) and was shortlisted for the Choice Award.

By nature, Duke Special (aka Belfast's Peter Wilson) is a curious person. He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death, 78RPM records and most recently, gardening! All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career.

Jonathan Nangle is a composer whose work explores many diverse fields ranging from notated acoustic and electro-acoustic composition, through live and spatially distributed electronics, to video, field recording, interactive sound installation and electronic improvisation.

Crash Ensemble is Ireland’s leading new music ensemble; a group of world-class musicians who play the most adventurous, ground-breaking music of today.

Adrian Crowley is a songwriter, singer, composer and writer based in Dublin. Crowley has been nominated three times for the Choice Music Prize with his album, “Season Of The Sparks”, winning the prestigious award in 2010. He tours extensively throughout Europe and the USA with appearances including shows at La Philharmonie de Paris, End Of The Road Festival, and The Lincoln Centre in New York. Crowley collaborated with Irish director Niall Mc Cann on 2018 feature film The Science of Ghosts which premiered at Dublin International Film Festival. His ninth studio album, The Watchful Eye of the Stars was released in April 2021.

An artist who finds strength in sensitivity and embraces the full power of a moment, Ailbhe Reddy has a talent for crafting intensely moving alt-folk tunes. On her debut album Personal History, the Irish artist blurs the boundaries between personal and universal experiences to strike emotional chords with her relatable lyricism and uniquely tender vocals.

The Darkling Air is Rachel McCarthy and Michael Keeney. They are based in Bangor, County Down on the southern edge of Belfast Lough. The music involves voice, piano and guitar and is often wreathed in string arrangements. Their work is a channel for melody, song, classical and traditional forms plus a questing, modern aspect.

Christy Moore has played an integral role in the evolution of music on this island. Aside from his long and productive solo career, he is a founding member of the iconic bands Planxty and Moving Hearts. His songs have travelled around the world with the Irish diaspora and wherever they are played they instil an invaluable sense of home and belonging.

Presented by NCH
This production is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.

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Published by Journal of Music on 6 December 2021

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