| Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
(born 1978) is a musician and singer from County Kerry, Ireland. She is the lead singer from the traditional music group Danú. Her name is pronounced MWI-ren Nick OWL-eve.
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MUIREANN NIC AMHLAOIBH TICKETS
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Biography
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh grew up on
Inis Oirr, the smallest of the
Aran Islands, and
Cape Clear, another small island off the coast of County Cork. Both of these communities are
Gaeltachts (Irish speaking areas), and Muireann's first language is
Irish. This was to affect her later career, due to her early exposure to Irish language song, especially in the
Sean nós tradition. She began playing
piano and
fiddle at an early age, before progressing to the
whistle and eventually the
flute. Muireann's early musical experiences also included accompanying her father, respected traditional Irish fiddle player
Feargal Mac Amhlaoibh, to sessions. When Muireann moved to the
West Kerry Gaeltacht, she joined the national folk theatre of Ireland,
Siamsa Tíre. During the six years she spent with them, she participated in several of their major performances. While in Kerry her singing developed, learning and gaining influence from local singers such as the
Begley family,
Áine Ní Laoithe and
Eilín Ní Chearna. She spent four years in
Dublin attending the
Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology earning a
diploma in fine art. She then studied at the
University of Limerick and was awarded an MA in Traditional Music Performance.
Recording
Muireann's first recordings were on a CD of Irish traditional music and song performed by Geantraí, a group of musicians who performed a show of the same name in the Skellig hotel in
Dingle. She also recorded on a number of CDs including
The Crooked Road
by William Coulter,
Cello
by Barry Phillips, and several compilation CDs. As part of the requirements for her MA in traditional music performance, Muireann produced a solo album of tunes and songs, entitled
Réalt na Maidine/Morning Star
. A limited edition of this album was distributed, mainly locally in Dingle, although copies were also sold in the
United States and
Europe.
Muireann's joining of traditional Irish supergroup Danú in 2003 marked a new departure in her musical career.
Ciarán O Gealbháin, Danú's former lead singer, left the band in 2003, and Muireann took over as singer and whistle player, occasionally joining band member Tom Doorley in playing the flute. She recorded her first album with Danú in 2003, called
The Road Less Travelled
(The American release of the album spelled the title Traveled). The addition of Nic Amhlaoibh to the band lineup was hailed as a success. Danú recorded an album of solos in 2004, entitled
Up In The Air
, and Muireann played and sang on three tracks. 2005 saw the band release the album
When All is Said and Done
. Muireann participated in the project
Hands Across the Water
. This was a collaboration album with participation from dozens of high profile traditional and folk musicians and singers, with the proceeds of album sales going to victims of the
tsunami in southeast Asia. Muireann released her first major solo CD in 2006, entitled
Daybreak/Fáinne an Lae
. It featured musicians such as Oisín Mc Auley and Éamonn Doorley from Danú, Gerry O Beirne, and
John Doyle from
Solas.
Muireann's television appearances include
The Highland Sessions
, a
BBC Four television series featuring Irish and Scottish Gaelic music. Other television work work includes
The Late Late Show
,
Amuigh Faoin Spéir
by Éamonn de Buitléir,
The History of Irish Dance
,
Léargas
, and
An Ghaeilge Bheo
. Radio work includes
Rattlebag
and
The Late Session with Aine Hensey
on
RTE, and
An Saol ó Dheas
on
Radio na Gaeltachta.
In 2008, Muireann recorded
Dual
in both Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic with
Julie Fowlis, Éamonn Doorley (of
Danú) and Ross Martin to highlight the many similarities and differences between both Irish and Scottish Gaelic cultures.
Dual was released in October 2008.
Discography
Albums
- Morning Star/Réalt na Maidine (2002)
- Daybreak/Fáinne an Lae (2006)
- Dual (2008 - with Julie Fowlis)
With Danú
- The Road Less Travelled (2003)
- Up In The Air (2004)
- When All Is Said and Done (2005)
- One Night Stand (DVD) (2005)