Open 10:30–5:00, Tuesday – Saturday
Join us for another informal session of traditional irish music performed by concertina player Gormlaith Maynes and Jennifer Leahy on harp in the Lower Gallery as we reach the end of one year and move into the new.
About
Gormlaith began playing the concertina at the age of 10 with tutor Micheál Ó Raghallaigh. She later took up fiddle and harp at the age of 15.
Gormlaith competed in Fleadhanna Cheoil throughout her childhood, receiving many county and provincial titles.
In 2018, Gormlaith completed a Master of Arts in Traditional Irish Music Performance from University of Limerick. Here she learned from master tutors Padraig Rynne, Noel Hill, Tony O’ Connell, Tommy Fitzharris and Cormac Begley. She also studied harp under the guidance of Fiana Ní Chonaill.As part of Gormlaith’s composition module, Gormlaith composed, arranged and performed a 20-minute suite of music based on her hometown of Drogheda called ‘The Tholsel Suite’.
Following this Gormlaith spent two years on the East Coast of Canada taking up the position of Co-ordinator for Celtic & Traditional Music at Holland College and Irish Language Lecturer at the University of Prince Edward Island.
During her time there she formed a quarter of the trad band Inn Echo, performing across Canada and at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Drogheda in 2019.
Inn Echo release their debut album in 2019 and EP ‘Winter’s End’ in 2020. https://innecho.bandcamp.com/
Gormlaith also founded a Comhaltas branch CCÉ Oilean Rua in (2019) to help promote traditional Irish music on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Check out the following link of Gormlaith’s and Jennifer’s performance in the Upper Gallery last Saturday 3rd December and have a little sneak of what to expect!
Gormlaith & Jennifer – Highlanes Gallery Saturday 3rd December 2022