SEAN-NÓS SINGER IN RESIDENCE

The Centre for Irish Studies at NUI, Galway has announced the appointment of Josie Sheáin Jeaic Mac Donncha as Sean-Nós Singer-in-Residence at the university for the forthcoming year. A three times winner of the prestigious Corn Uí Riada, the premier award for sean-nós singing, Josie is a native of An Aird Thiar, Carna, where the tradition of sean-nós singing is particularly strong. Other notable singers from the area include Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, Seán ’Ac Donncha, Dara Bán, and Josie’s father, Seán Jeaic, whom Seán Ó Riada identified as perhaps the most interesting of all Connemara singers in the 1960s in his groundbreaking radio series Our Musical Heritage. More recent singers from the area include Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, winner of Corn Uí Riada in 2002 and last year’s singer-in-residence at the Centre for Irish Studies.

Lillis Ó Laoire has described Josie Shéain Jeaic as ’a justly recognised master of the sean-nós tradition . His style is generally unhurried and relaxed, while revealing an intense mesmeric involvement with the texts and the music of his songs’. A frequent visitor to the Oireachtas and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Josie has also travelled extensively abroad. He remembers a particularly gruelling visit to England with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann which included twenty-one concerts in as many days and a visit to Libya in 1976, where the touring Irish singers and musicians were scheduled to meet with the country’s leader, Colonel Gadaffi. To the regret of all parties, the meeting had to be cancelled at short notice as Colonel Gadaffi had to attend a prayer retreat.

Josie was also instrumental in establishing Cumann Amhránaíochta Iorras Aithneach, a highly successful singing session which meets on the last Saturday of each month in Cill Chiaráin. 

During the twelve months of his residency, Josie will participate in a series of performances and workshops at the Centre for Irish Studies and at Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim in Carna, and, in association with Pléaráca Chonamara and An Gaelacadamh, at other venues throughout the Connemara Gaeltacht. He will also make a recording of his work for the audio archive at the Centre for Irish Studies.

This project is funded by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta and An Chomhairle Ealaíon in association with the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI, Galway.

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility