Trad Ireland/Traid Éireann have announced that the 2022 TradTalk conference will take place at University College Cork on Saturday 5 November.

The event, which began in 2019 and is organised by musicians Tristan Rosenstock and Oisín Mac Diarmada, brings together traditional artists, musicians, singers and academics to explore current issues in the traditional arts and create new conversations.

Among the panel topics to be discussed this year are: traditional arts and third-level education with Jack Talty (University College Cork), Niall Keegan (University of Limerick) and Tríona Ní Shiocháin (Maynooth University); the traditional arts in Scotland with David Francis, Director of Trad Arts & Culture Scotland (TRACS); contemporary sean-nós singing with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Ceara Conway, Inni-K and Iarla Ó Lionáird; and a discussion titled ‘Advancing the Traditional Arts’ with Liam O’Connor of the Irish Traditional Music Archive, Aibhlín McCrann of Harp Ireland/Cruit Éireann and Gay McKeon of Na Píobairí Uilleann.

During the morning session, Neva Elliott and Toner Quinn will also present an introduction to the new umbrella organisation Music Alliance Ireland/Comhaontas Ceoil na hÉireann, which was launched in April.

At 2pm, there will be a keynote talk by musician and writer Fintan Vallely titled ‘Icarus na nGael? Cautionary and complimentary observations on grandiosity in the Irish music scene’. An abstract for the talk reads:

As our music transubstantiates now from once being just a local rural art, to urban, cross-national commodity, we need to take stock of what it now is and what we are doing. Are we, like the mythic Icarus, though impelled to get off the island, ignoring the modest ambitions of parent voices and flying too close to the sun?

During the day, the late musician and academic Mick Moloney will also be remembered in a panel discussion hosted by Robbie O’Connell and Jimmy Crowley.

Trad Ireland was launched in January 2019, and, as well as the annual TradTalk event, its activities have included a traditional arts residency in Sligo and a 2021 report by Jack Talty titled Navigating the Traditional Arts Sector in Ireland, which analysed the supports available for traditional artists.

Commenting on TradTalk 2022, Mac Diarmada told the Journal of Music:

There is so much vibrancy and creativity happening out there in the traditional arts. A lot of it is spearheaded by organisations but there’s also a huge individual aspect to it. Getting to hear some of these interesting and diverse voices tell their stories at a forum such as TradTalk can hopefully help nourish and inspire our artistic lives.

Rosenstock added:

TradTalk provides a platform to celebrate the extraordinary work within the traditional arts community, to examine current challenges and to collectively chart the next steps needed to ensure the future renewal of our community.

Admission to TradTalk is free. For further information, the full timetable and registration, visit www.trad-ireland.com. 

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