Role

:

Composer Performer

 

Iarla Ó Lionáird is a renowned Irish singer and composer who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on the 18th of June, 1964, in Cúil Aodha, County Cork, Ireland, Ó Lionáird grew up in a family of musicians and was exposed to traditional Irish music from a young age. His father, Seán Ó Lionáird, was a well-known sean-nós singer, and his mother, Eithne Ní Uallacháin, was a singer and musician. Ó Lionáird began his musical career as a member of the traditional Irish music group, The Gloaming, in the 1980s. He later joined the Afro Celt Sound System, a group that blended traditional Irish and African music. With the Afro Celt Sound System, Ó Lionáird released several albums, including "Volume 1: Sound Magic" and "Volume 2: Release." In 1999, Ó Lionáird released his first solo album, "I Could Read the Sky," which was based on the book of the same name by Timothy O'Grady. The album was critically acclaimed and won the prestigious BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Best Album. Ó Lionáird continued to release solo albums, including "Seven Steps to Mercy" in 2003 and "Invisible Fields" in 2005. He also collaborated with other musicians, including the composer Donnacha Dennehy, with whom he created the opera "The Hunger" in 2016. One of Ó Lionáird's most notable performances was at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin in 2003. He performed the song "Seacht ndolas na Maighdine Muire" with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, which was broadcast to millions of viewers around the world. In addition to his musical career, Ó Lionáird has also worked as an actor. He appeared in the film "The Secret of Kells" in 2009, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Ó Lionáird has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. In addition to the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award, he has also won the Irish Times Traditional Musician of the Year Award and the Gradam Ceoil TG4 Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite his success, Ó Lionáird remains committed to preserving and promoting traditional Irish music. He continues to perform and record music, and his contributions to the world of classical music have earned him a place among the most respected and influential musicians of his generation.

More....