Aonghas Mac Neacail
Delighted to return to Féile na Gréine, Borders-based Skyeman Aonghas MacNeacail is a frequent literary visitor to Ireland, on the Cuairt Filíochta and to various festivals. Now a senior figure in Scottish literature, he has been publishing poems in Gaelic and English for over forty years, and winning prizes including the Scottish Writer of the Year award for 'Oideachadh Ceart'. A seasoned and entertaining performer of his own work, he’s read as far afield as Tokyo and Seattle, the Finnish Arctic Circle (meeting Santa Claus) and Tory Island. Unusual venues he’s experienced include the Dag Hammarskjold Memorial Library Auditorium at the UN Building in New York, and the
Capitol in Rome.

Ardú
Traditional music group Ardú, Rosaleen O'Connell (accordion and vocals) and Peter Mullarkey (fiddle) have gained a reputation over the years for their performances
of good, solid traditional music and song and their knowledge of the local Iveragh tradition. Spearheaded by Peter Mullarkey who has collected many songs and tunes for the Binneas project, they have recently been joined by Kevin Larkin (bodhrán) and Finán Casey (guitar and vocals). They return to Féile na Gréine by popular demand and will entertain you with a selection of traditional tunes and ballads from their extensive repertoire at Wednesday’s concert and at the Féile Naomh Eoin bonefire afterwards.

Breandán Ó Beaglaoich is the by now legendary accordionist and singer from Corca Dhuibhne. He is known for his bravura playing of dance tunes as well as the depth and passion of his slow airs. The same qualities are evident in his singing. Is ball é den ngrúpa 'The Boys of the Lough'. Tá aithne foirleathan air mar láithritheoir ceoil ar TG4.
Don ócaid seo beag a cheathrar clainne leis – Bréanainn, Cormac, Cliodhna agus Conchubhar – agus is cinnte go mbrisfidh an dúchas tríd na súile acu, agus rabhartaí ceoil amach trína gcuid méaranna!

Gerda Stevenson, actor/writer/director/singer, has worked for over thirty years in theatre, film, television, radio and opera throughout Britain and abroad. Twice nominated in Best Actress category for the Critics’ Theatre Awards Scotland, her film appearances include Braveheart, and Blue Black Permanent (Bafta Scotland Best Film Actress). Her poetry and prose have been published in many literary magazines, and she received a Scottish Arts Council writer’s bursary in 2008; her stage play Federer Versus Murray was produced this summer at Oran Mor, Glasgow; her many BBC Radio 4 dramatisations include The Heart of Midlothian and Sunset Song.

Leanne O'Sullivan was born in 1983, and comes from the Beara peninsula in West Cork. She received an MA in English from University College, Cork in 2006. The winner of several of Ireland's poetry competitions, including the Seacat/Poetry Ireland, Davoren Hanna and RTE Rattlebag Poetry Slam, she has published two collections, both from Bloodaxe, Waiting for My Clothes (2004) and Cailleach; The Hag of Beara (2009). In 2009 was awarded the Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary Award, nominated by Professor Michael Longley.

Louis Mulcahy is the artist-craftsman behind the celebrated Potadóireacht na Caolóige near Dingle. In 1975, having won first prize for ceramics in the National Crafts Competition he, with his wife Lisbeth, set up what has become the most innovative big art pottery in these islands. His work has achieved far-flung fame and is owned by heads of state and other celebrities throughout the world. Having relied on the potter’s wheel for most of his career, he recently moved to free form pots and figurative sculpture. His work has been characterised by its majestic shapes and lustrous glazes. Recently he took up singing and poetry and has won prizes for both. In 2004 he received an Honorary Degree from the National University of Ireland in recognition of his artistic achievements and contribution to his community.

Nuala Hayes is a well known actor and storyteller, who trained at the Abbey Theatre and was a member of the company for five years. Her interest in Storytelling began 18 years ago, when she founded Two Chairs Company, with musician Ellen Cranitch. She has performed at all the major Storytelling Festivals in Ireland and abroad, including the Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival in 2008 and was Director of the Dublin Festival , Scéalta Shamhna, for 10 years.
She recently gathered stories from older people in Birr Co. Offaly which resulted in a publication 'St. Anthony’s Tongue', with photographic portraits by John Minihan.
As an actor she played Ansty in the New Theatre’s successful adaptation of The Tailor and Ansty by Eric Cross, which she also directed. She played Mary Daul in The Well of the Saints by J.M.Synge, and Lizzie in The End of the Beginning, by Séan O’Casey, with Big Telly Theatre Company. She plays Sibéal Goldstein in TG4’s Drama, Ros na Rún.

Sean Coyne
Sean has a passionate interest in theatre and is a co-founder of Hob Nailed Boots Theatre Company appearing in numerous productions including The Pot of Broth (Yeats), The Shadow of The Glen (Synge), A Pound on Demand (O’Casey), The Husband (Anne Norrington), Bogs Saints and All That (Anne Norrington), I’m Off (Anne Norrington). More recently the company has performed plays especially commissioned by establishments in North West Connemara. Gogarty’s House, the story of Renvyle House Hotel, From Castle to Abbey, the story of Kylemore, The Stations, The Donkey, Gone With The Fairies and Images of Ireland all written and directed by Barbara Knowland. Seán is also co-founder of Tegolin’s Tales Theatre Company. In addition to his role as performer Sean also serves as production/stage/bookings manager, set/lighting/special effects designer and sound technician for both Hob Nailed Boots and Tegolin’s Tales Theatre Company.