scoil scairte previous guides | spIral 3

Manchán Magan

Manchán Magan writes regularly for The Irish Times, presents The Almanac of Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 and has presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4 & RTÉ. His book Thirty-Two Words for Field explores the insights the Irish language offers into the landscape, psyche and heritage of Ireland. www.manchan.com

Billy Mag Fhloinn

Billy Mag Fhloinn is a native of Limerick, and lives in the heart of Corca Dhuibhne, on the Dingle Peninsula in western Ireland. He holds a PhD in Irish Folklore, and a B.A. in archaeology, from University  College Dublin. As well as working as a university lecturer, he is also a wedding and funeral celebrant, musician, and artist. https://tradition.ie/welcome/

Emma Dabiri

Emma is an Irish-Nigerian broadcaster, historian and bestselling author. Her work focuses on race as seen through the prism of class, capitalism and colonialism. She is the author of two highly acclaimed books and has fronted numerous documentaries, including Hair Power: Me and My Afro (2020) for Channel 4 which won the Cannes Lion Silver award for entertainment. Emma is a teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London.

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

A renowned artist with a proven record of performance, recording and innovation, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is a multi-award winning traditional singer, musician and broadcaster from Corca Dhuibhne, West Kerry. Muireann is a leading exponent of the sean nós style, and loves to engage with audiences to share her love of the Irish song tradition.

Cian Ó Cíobháin 

Cian Ó Cíobháin grew up in the Corca Dhuibhne / West Kerry Gaeltacht in an Irish-speaking household. A music fanatic, he was drawn to the club scene, where he DJs and promoted famous Galway club nights such as 110th Street and Boogaloo and has lived in the city for almost three decades. He has been presenting alternative music radio show 'An Taobh Tuathail' (The Other Side) on RTÉ RnaG since 1999 and continues to champion new, underground music, both national and international, on his show five nights a week. https://cianociobhain.com/

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh 

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is a fiddle player and sean-nós singer from the Gaeltacht of Gaoth Dobhair in County Donegal. She is passionate about preserving the traditional music from her area. She is also a composer and has been commissioned to compose music for various projects over the years. She is a founding member of the renowned traditional music group, Altan. www.mairead.ie www.altan.ie

Brian Crosby

Brian Crosby is a piano player, performer and film score composer. He was a founding member of Bell X1 and creator of The Cake Sale. In 2008, Brian moved to Berlin where he converted an old factory in Kreuzberg to a modular studio complex where he collaborated with fellow studio residents Dustin O’Halloran, Hildur Guõnadóttir and the late Jóhann Jóhannsson on numerous Film and TV scores. His latest album Imbrium, a spacious collection of pared back piano recordings was described by The Sunday Times as “nine unadorned piano instrumentals capture the stillness of life suspended, each piece as delicate and moving as it is restrained”. www.briancrosby.coml.

Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin

Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin is from Lios Tuathail. Born in London, he was brought home, placed into a Gael-prefab at the back of the resource centre. Since then - he has wrestles constantly with the language of his region - Gaelainn Corca Dhuibhne, Sliabh Luachra Hiberno-English, Feale Drive Gammon, or the London Béarla of his cousins. While living in Galway he started to perform for the first time in the Slam Poetry scene, and went on to win All Ireland Slam in 2011. He published a collection of poetry 'Beatha Dhónaill Dhuibh' in 2016.  He has since undergone a lot of research on the folklore of the Blasket Island, sifting through 8000 pages of hand written material of Mícheál Ó Gaoithín and engaging in field research in Corca Dhuibhne relating to the elusive writer and artist son of Peig Sayers. He is currently gigging the five provinces of Ireland and releasing music for his hip hop project (Súil Amháin) - West Munster lyricism full of kaleidoscopic allusions to folklore, cryptic references to contemporary Gaeltacht society, grammar bending puns and flows influenced by the likes of GZA, Lord Infamous, Labhrás Mac Síthigh and Mo Chara. He teaches Irish language courses with Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne in Ballyferriter in the summer, and is co-organiser and judge for the yearly Irish language Liú Lúnasa poetry slam in the Cultúrlann on the Falls Road, the very place he took part in an Irish language writing workshop facilitated by Mícheál Ó Conghaile and Gearóid Mac Lochlainn at the age of 19. https://suilamhain.bandcamp.com/

Sarah Babiker

Sarah constantly craves embarking on yet another true journey of discovery, the kind which “consists not in visiting new landscapes, but in seeing through new eyes.” Her articles and talks invite you to join her as she strives to unearth the origins of the stories which nourish, defend and orient us. Sarah presented a TEDx talk in Trinity college in February 2019, entitled The Clash of Civilizations or the Clash of Narratives? In her article The Blue that Shines Through, she reveals a connection between the Irish term daoine gorma, and Arabic words referring to darker skin tones. A historical exploration of these expressions convinces her that such language has potential to elevate cross-cultural conversations and lead global discourse into the light.

Áine Uí Laoithe 

Áine Uí Laoithe is from Dùn Chaoin, i nGaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne in Kerry. She is steeped in the tradition of sean nòs singing & trad music, which she inherited from her people who were born & reared on the Great Blasket Island. Áine won Fleadh Ceoil ná hÉireann in 1983 & recorded a CD with her cousin & friend Eilin Ní Chearna “Mná an Oileáin” in the late 90s. The two have performed at folk festivals & play regularly at the folk concerts in St. James’ Church Dingle, sharing their tradition with visitors to Corca Dhuibhne. While Áine is retired from the newsroom of RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta, she is now working part time with Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne, passing on the tradition of sean nós singing to the future generation.

Eilín Ní Chearna

I was born in Muiríoch Baile na nGall, one of five, to parents who moved from the Great Blasket Islands to the mainland in 1950. The background to their decision to leave the Island is recounted in the book Hungry for Home by Cole Morton. Irish was my first language both at home and in school until I was about 12. I am a traditional singer and musician and worked in Radio na Gaeltachta for almost 40 years, until I retired last August, 2021. I have shared a stage with many great musicians and traveled Europe. I also recorded a CD “Mná an Oileáin” with Aine Uí Laoithe and contributed to the CD “Mighty Session”. Since retiring I divide my time between my family and grandchildren and joining in the occasional traditional session.

Siobhán O’Kelly 

Siobhán O’Kelly trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Theatre work includes All My Sons, Of Mice and Men, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fiach, Flare Path, Lipstick a Fairytale of Iran, Cogadh na Saoirse, Private Ear/Public Eye and Twelfth Night. She has appeared in TV shows like Eastenders, Jack Taylor, Call The Midwife, Casualty, An Klondike, London Irish, Raw, Inspector George Gently, Paddywhackery and Na Cloigne.  Her film credits include High Rise, Arracht, Sophie At The Races, Treasure Island and The Daisy Chain. In 2015 Siobhan won Best Actress at the European Independent Film Festival for her role in Sophie At The Races and in 2016 was nominated for an IFTA for her work on the TV series An Klondike. Having lived in London for many, many years Siobhan is delighted to be back in Ireland reconnecting with its people and language.