Music Network brings together three extraordinary artists for an unforgettable evening of folk and traditional music.

This newly curated lineup features, acclaimed fiddle and viola player Nollaig Casey, one of Ireland’s fast-rising stars of the folk world, guitarist and singer Niall McCabe, and the incomparable multi-instrumentalist Mike McGoldrick.

Nollaig Casey is one of Ireland’s most gifted and versatile musicians, known for her distinctive sound and instantly recognisable playing style. She has worked with a host of renowned artists including Enya, Van Morrison, Sinéad O’Connor, Mary Black, Christy Moore and Sharon Shannon. As a member of groundbreaking bands Coolfin and Planxty, her influence on Irish music is enduring.

Niall McCabe, with his self-effacing humor and captivating stories of growing up on a remote Irish island, brings an effortless charm to his performances. His natural, distinct voice is earning him a growing and loyal fanbase across Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America.

Former BBC Folk Awards Musician of the Year Mike McGoldrick is a gifted composer and a master of the wooden flute, low whistles and uilleann pipes. A sought-after contributor for many artists, he has collaborated with Mark Knopfler since 2009 and is a core member of the Transatlantic Sessions.

This tour will feature the world premieres of two new Music Network commissions: a song commission by McCabe and an instrumental commission by Casey and McGoldrick.

Don’t miss what promises to be an exciting evening of music filled with masterful performances, captivating stories and song.

Nollaig Casey – fiddle/viola
Niall McCabe – vocals/guitar
Mike McGoldrick – flute/uilleann pipes/whistles

About the Musicians
Nollaig Casey is one of Ireland’s most gifted and versatile musicians with a distinctive sound and a unique and instantly recognisable playing style. She has recorded and worked with Enya, Van Morrison, Sinéad O’Connor, Nanci Griffith, Ricky Skaggs, Rod Stewart, Dónal Lunny, Mary Black, Andy Irvine, Moving Hearts, The Indigo Girls, Spandau Ballet, Christy Moore, Liam O’Flynn, Sharon Shannon, Maura O’Connell, Dick Gaughan and her sister, the innovative and influential harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh, among many others. Nollaig was also a member of the ground breaking bands Coolfin and Planxty.

Her two duo albums, Lead The Knave and Causeway with legendary guitarist Arty McGlynn, a solo album The Music of What Happened and a quartet album Heartstring Sessions with her sister Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Arty McGlynn and Chris Newman have all received widespread praise.

Nollaig’s unique ability to play both classical and traditional music with equal proficiency has inspired a number of composers to write orchestral pieces for her. In 2003, she performed in front of millions as soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a work by Shaun Davey commissioned by the Special Olympics held in Dublin. In 1999, she gave the first performance in New York of a concerto for Violin and Irish Fiddle by Evan Chambers and in 2006 made her Carnegie Hall début as soloist in the same concerto.

Also a prolific composer, her composition Twins on a Swing was the signature tune for the RTÉ / TG4 TV series Sult for several years. She enjoys an unrivalled popularity among composers of film music with an Irish influence and has been the featured soloist on over twenty feature films – including the acclaimed Dancing at Lughnasa and Waking Ned.

“Nollaig’s performance was stunning for its sheer musical artistry” The Irish Times

With self-effacing humour and stories told of growing up on a remote Irish island, Niall McCabe possesses an effortless charm which both captivates and liberates his audience. Like the wild Atlantic landscape of his home, his songs feel timeless and natural yet belie the dense shaping of a dynamic creative force. Deft, intricate guitar work brings a lightness to the weight of island isolation yet the sound, soul and stories of Niall’s life and experiences breathe a deep cultured sense of discernment through his vocals. His natural, distinct voice is earning him a growing and loyal fanbase, discovering his music as he travels extensively across Ireland, UK, Europe and North America.

As well as becoming an accomplished finger style guitar player, Niall has lent his unique voice to Irish trad fusion band Beoga touring Ireland, Europe and the USA while also playing support for Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance and Johnny Swim. More recently he has opened for Chris Isaak on his UK Tour for sold out audiences at Eventim Apollo London and Wolverhampton Civic Halls, and for Mary Black at her sold out Olympia how. Niall’s latest U.S. tour saw him perform at The City Winery New York and several showcase gigs for the week of Americanafest in Nashville with plans for a follow up North American tour in 2024.

His eagerly anticipated Rituals album was released in February 2023 to critical acclaim and featured as RTÉ Album of the Week while the song “Rituals” topped the RTÉ radio airplay charts for five consecutive weeks.

“An incredible vocal range” GoldenPlec

“A masterpiece, in the true sense of the word” Irish Music Magazine [on Niall McCabe’s Ritual]

Former BBC Folk Awards Musician of the Year Mike McGoldrick is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer. Born in Manchester to Irish parents, he is a master of the wooden flute, low whistles and uilleann pipes, making him a go-to contributor for many artists including Vicente Amigo, Zac Brown Band, Xosé Manuel Budiño, Jerry Douglas, Julie Fowlis, Darrell Scott, Nolwenn Leroy, Tim O’Brien, Dirk Powell and Kate Rusby. Mike has collaborated with Mark Knopfler since 2009 and been a core member of the Transatlantic Sessions since 2007.

Steeped in Irish traditional music, he has, from his ground-breaking 2000 solo album Fused onwards, assimilated a wide range of musical styles into his work including jazz, funk, African and Indian rhythms. In 2005 he released Wired, a natural successor to Fused which was even more captivating, incorporating alternative sounds to create a brilliant fusion at the cutting edge of folk music that positively exploded with energy. The Sunday Herald’s 5-star review described the album as “a treasure-trove of gorgeous tunes, razor-sharp grooves and sublime playing”. In 2018 Mike released ARC, his fifth solo album The Wishing Tree with John Doyle and John McCusker, and Dog in the Fog with Dezi Donnelly, all of which received rave reviews.

Mike has made an immense contribution to the Irish and UK folk scenes through his many solo and collaborative projects including being a founder member of the supergroup Lúnasa and later through his work with Capercaillie. Recently nominated as Best Folk Instrumentalist at the 2024 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, Mike’s reputation as one of the leading musicians of his generation is undeniable. Simply put, he is regarded as one of the greatest flute players of all time.

“Mike is in a class of his own – it’s always a joy to share a stage or a studio with him” Mark Knopfler

“One of the greatest flute players in the world” BBC Music