Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin with Saltaire

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin graced our Feile last year after winning his RTE folk award for best singer. He was accompanied by Saltaire who also played their own show at the festival. This year they are coming together for a double bill. Saltaire will open proceedings with their own set and will then be joined by Eoghan for his show.

Eoghan is a Dublin-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. His musical roots are in sean-nós singing – the style of his father – and he grew up listening to the likes of Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Seán ‘ac Dhonncha, Colm Ó Caoidheáin and other greats from the tradition. He is also influenced by folk singers from the English language tradition such as Liam Weldon, Luke Kelly, Anne Briggs, Margaret Barry, and Thomas McCarthy.

Eoghan is a member of the band Skipper’s Alley. He has worked with Mary Ann Kennedy from Scotland, and Ruth Keggin from the Isle of Man on their Aon Teanga: Un Chengey album (2015). He has performed with folk/electronica band Jiggy, and has featured on both their albums, Translate (2017) and Hypernova (2020). He also collaborates with Clare fiddle and viola player Ultan O’Brien, their debut album Solas an Lae won best album at the RTÉ Folk Awards in 2021.

Over the past few years Eoghan has come into his own as a solo artist and songwriter. His songs – written in both English and Irish – build on his sean-nós singing foundations but combine hard-hitting lyrics with other musical influences to create a rich, contemporary sound. His debut solo album, ‘The Deepest Breath’ was released in November 2022.

Reviews for The Deepest Breath:
The Irish Times: ★★★★
Songlines: ★★★★
Hot Press: 9/10

“(Eoghan has) a creative streak on par with some of this country’s greatest ever songwriters. The lyrics of The Deepest Breath are proof and testament to that. Incredibly powerful words which not unlike the great Liam Weldon, are words that belong to and represent the working people. Words of hope for the overlooked and hard done by.” – Myles O’Reilly

“Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin has a wondrously sonorous voice” – Irish News

“…once you hear his voice, you’re unlikely to forget it” – Folk Radio UK

Saltaire:
Saltaire is a contemporary folk trio consisting of singer/cellist Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz, guitarist Ian Kinsella and bodhrбn/bouzouki player Conor Lyons. Together they create a rich tapestry of sound and storytelling, through a fusion of styles. They have garnered airplay across regional and national radio stations in Ireland, the UK, and the US, and have played to sold out audiences in venues such as Whelan’s, The Duncairn, The Cobblestone Backroom, the Button Factory, to name a few. Most recently they played at the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival to a packed crowd at Collins Barracks.