Reacaireacht sa Chaisleán – Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, Steve Cooney, Dermot Byrne

Join us for a unique evening of storytelling from An Rúraíocht – the Ulster Cycle of mythological tales – the music of Turlough O’Carolan and a sparkling selection of tunes from the Donegal tradition, in the highly appropriate setting of Donegal Castle, the 15th. century seat of the O’Donnell’s.

Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair is an award-winning storyteller, writer, folklore expert and musician from Ardara. She specializes in the telling of stories from the Fionn and The Fianna cycle of folktales (An Fhiannaíocht) and Ulster Cycle of Cú Chulainn and the Red Branch Knights. Eithne’s most recent publication, Caithréim agus Tóir, is a re-telling of the story of the elopement of young lovers, Oisín Mac Fhionn and Niamh Cinn Óir (Arlen House, 2024).

Steve Cooney arrived in Ireland from Australia in the 1980s. He has lived and worked here ever since, becoming a stalwart of the Irish traditional music scene in the process, his contribution to the evolving sound of Stockton’s Wing and his seminal partnership with the late, great Seamus Begley being of particular note. In 2020, he released his acclaimed recording, Ceol Ársa Cláirsí, a selection of compositions by Turlough O’Carolan and other harpists, performed on guitar.

Dermot Byrne is a virtuoso accordion player from Inishowen who has toured the world as a member of Altan. Much influenced by the playing of Johnny Doherty and of the South West Donegal master fiddlers Con Cassidy, James Byrne and Francie and Mickey Dearg Ó Beirne, Dermot is equally renowned for his renditions of tunes from the French Canadian tradition.