Guests/Aoíanna

Ardú Based in Úibh Ráthach the duo Ardú have made their mark on the traditional scene in the area over the past few years. Fiddler Peter Mullarkey, who has done trojan work collecting music and songs for the Binneas Project, is joined by gifted singer and box player Róisín Ní Chonaill. Bíonn éileamh i gcónaí ag seisiúin cheoil i gceantar Úibh Ráthaigh ar Ardú - Peter Mullarkey ar an bhfidil agus a leath-bhádóir RóisínNí Chonail ag gábháill don bhosca agus ag canadh. Is bailitheoir é Peter atá ag obair ar chnuasach de cheol agus amhráin Úibh Ráthaigh don togra Binneas.
Pat Boran was born in Portlaoise in 1963 and currently lives in Dublin where, since 2005, he runs the Dedalus Press. He has published four individual collections, the first of which won the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 1989, and a New and Selected Poems (2007). He has also published fiction for children and adults and his non-fiction titles include the popular writers' handbook The Portable Creative Writing Workshop (1999/2005). Until recently presenter of The Poetry Programme on RTÉ Radio 1 in 2007 Pat Boran was elected to the membership of Aosdána and is the 2008 recipient of the O'Shaughnessy Poetry Award.


Máire Breatnach Ceoltóir agus amhránaí den scoth san iliomad ghné den gceol. A musician of exceptional calibre in a number of music related disciplines. Traditional music and musicology have featured largely in her life and have been a source of great inspiration in her work. Having obtained B.A., B.Mus. and M.A. degrees at U.C.D., she lectured there and in the College of Music, D.I.T. before embarking on a freelance career. Máire has composed and recorded four solo albums: ‘Angels'Candles’,’The Voyage of Bran’, ‘Celtic Lovers & Dreams’ and ‘Visions in Irish Song - Aislingí Ceoil’.
Cé-Samba?! is a community based group of enthusiastic percussionists. They play a mixture of funk, blues, latin, jazz, rock and world grooves...
Mary Daly trained in fused glass at Kensington/Chelsea College, London. Since then she has worked on commissioned pieces for both private and commercial use. She has also exhibited at various events throughout the country.
Celia de Fréine. As Contae an Dúin ó dhúchas Celia de
Fréine agus caitheann sí seal den bhliain imBaile Átha Cliath agus seal i gConamara. I measc na ngradam liteartha atá buaite aici tá Duais Patrick Kavanagh (1994) agus Gradam Litríochta Chló Iar-Chonnachta (2004). Tá trí leabhar filíochta i gcló aici ‘Faoi Chabáistí is Ríonacha’ (Cló Iar- Chonnachta, 2001), ‘Fiacha Fola’ (Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2004) agus ‘Scarecrows at Newtownards’ (Scotus Press, 2005).

Kathleen Dineen The Macroom born soprano’s day job is at the Schola Cantorum Basilienis in Switzerland where she teaches voice and medieval music, two enthusiams of her student days in UCC. Since forming her vocal trio White Raven in 2001 she has combined her childhood love of Irish traditional song with medieval and renaissance music. The result of this union has been Irish song in a sort of 15th century fauxbourdon style. Her performances have been received enthusiastically by audiences and critics in venues throughout Europe.
The Killarney KDYS Circus School with The Fanzini Brothers, Rondaldo and Guido - two Irish speaking Italian Kerrymen brothers teamed up to become the Fanzini Brothers and the world is a happier and insaner place since! The KDYS troupe will present circus skills; juggling, plate spinning and diablo.
Na Fomhóraigh. All is well amongst the members of Na
Fomhóraigh, a visiting band of giant Celtic warrior drummers, until one starts showing off the Horn of Tara she found near Lia Fáil. A fearsome battle ensues,with nothing less than the heritage of Tara up for grabs. Supported by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Arts Council, with a script by Darach Ó Scolaí and intricate Celtic artwork by Ariel Killick.		 .
Nicola Gwillym & Favio Linares. Favio Linares is from
Venezuela, South America (wait until you see his hips move!) and has been infuenced by Latin Music and Dance from a very young age. Nicola Gwillym from Welsh descent has been involved with salsa dance since her travels in Latin America five years ago, she loves it and believes anyone can learn.
Michael Herrmann has worked as a professional photographer for the last twenty years. He studied photography at the Academy of Fine Art in Leipzig. Having travelled most of the countries in Europe, Michael now lives in the beautiful South West Kerry region, where he works as a freelance photographer.
Michael Holohan was born in Dublin and studied music at
University College Dublin, the Dublin College of Music,
Queen’s University Belfast and in France. He has won numerous awards for his compositions as well as Arts Council travel awards to attend masterclasses with Messiaen, Xenakis, Boulez and Berio. He was elected to Aosdána, Ireland’s state sponsored academy of creative artists, in 1999.
Pippa Kearon teaches Digital Photography to students at
Tech Amergin. Texture is of particular fascination to her but she loves to capture the landscape at different times of the year and also people who she comes into contact with. She is a published photographer and her most recent work was a collaboration with puppeteer Sean O’Laoghaire where her photographs illustrate a written story which was published by Cork Libraries.
Steve Larkin is a fiddle player from Wexford. He plays regularly with a wide range of musicians both at home and abroad. He has recorded with Johnny Connolly, Mick Kinsella, Donal Siggins and Eoin Dillon among others. He has worked on a number of film and television productions, including ‘Billy Connolly’s Tour of Scotland, Ireland and Wales’ and ‘Concerto Chaitlin Maude’.

Aonghas MacNeacail Is fada aithne in Éirinn ar Aonghas MacNeacail, atá ar dhuine de fhilí móra na tíre sin, ón gcéad chuairt a dhein sé sna seachtóidí luatha. Tá moladh fairsing faighte ag laoidh an donais oig, an leabhar is déanaí uaidh. A frequent visitor to Ireland since his first tour on the Cuairt Filiochta in the early 1970s, Aonghas Macneacail, whose various awards include Scottish Writer of the Year 1997 and the National Mod Bardic Crown 2004, is a much travelled representative of Gaelic Scotland, coming to Féile naGréine fresh froma trip to Newfoundland. His latest collection, laoidh an donais oig/hymn to a young demon” was published by Polygon last year. “ ... runic, timeless savouring of finely distilled flavour” (Glasgow Herald) “ ... sings with anger, celebration and tenderness.” (The Scotsman)

Peter Marinker is a co-founder with John Calder of The
Godot Company. He has appeared in 8 films and in many of
the worlds most famous theatres in plays ranging from Beckett
to Shakspeare. He is especially famous for his audio, book
recordings including novels by John Grisham, Tom Clancy
and Joseph O’Connor.
  Agustin Maruri has given concerts and masterclasses all over the world. He has recorded twenty-three CD’s and has had music composed especially for him by more than a dozen international composers. He has previously performed in Ireland at the RDS and for RTE, as well as giving masterclasses at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
  Meshu Mokitimi is Lesotho's most prominent artist. His career as a painter spans over fifty years and his work has earned him international recognition. Meshu spent eleven years of his life incarcerated for his political beliefs, when he and other political activists were fighting against the 'colour bar' in Lesotho. When in prison he spent his time drawing and turned his cell into a studio and a sanctuary of peace.
  Mick O’Brien was born into a musical family, Mick started learning the pipes at nine years of age. His first teachers at the Piper's Club in Thomas Street were Leon Rowsome, Mick Tuohy and Seán Seery. Mick O'Brien is now widely regarded as one of Ireland's great musicians. His solo album 'The May Morning Dew', released in 1996, was received with great critical acclaim all over the world. He is in constant demand both as a solo performer, with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, with the Norwegian groups Vamp, Hanne Krogh and Secret Garden, and as a recording artist who has appeared on many albums over the last two decades. Mick lives in Dublin and is a school teacher.
 

Donal O’Kelly is a writer and actor. He set up his company in 2000 to present and tour his own work. All Donal O’Kelly Productions have toured extensively at home and abroad since. A “lightfoot” touring technique means that productions can be presented in a broad range of venues and festivals. He is a member of Aosdana.
  Bernard O’Donoghue one of Ireland’s most distinguished poets, was born in Cullen, Co. Cork in 1945. He is a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, where he teaches Medieval English. Winner of the 1995 Whitbread award for poetry, his Selected Poems was recently published by Faber. His poetry is largely rooted in his native Cork.
  Christine Primrose Gael ó iartharOileáin Leodhais na hAlban. Guth ainglí aici, agus réimse diamhrach amhrán. A native Gaelic speaker, Christine comes from Carloway on the west side of the Island of Lewis and has been singing for as long as she can remember. She has toured extensively in Northern America and Canada, Australia and Europe conducting workshops and doing concerts, as well as taking part in the prestigious Smithsonian Folklife Music Festival in Washington, USA. She is currently teaching Gaelic song at the Gaelic College on the Isle of Skye.
  Catherine Rhatigan Originally from Sligo and now based in Switzerland Catherine is a founder member of the group 'A Tale of theGael'. In addition to playing Irish harp, she has also researched the history of the instrument. In 1998 she was awarded an Arts Council Bursary to promote a theatre piece written by her called 'Of Harps, Harpers and Big Houses'. The piece was performed in Ireland and the U. S. by A Tale of the Gael, and features several ancient pieces written for the harp. As a founder member of History Ireland Performance Company, she has also penned several other pieces featuring elements of Irish history through music, song and dance.
  Helen Richmond is an experienced landscape painter who has exhibited regularly with the Hallward Gallery in Dublin for 15 years and has an imaginative connection with the South Kerry area where she has lived since 1990. She is a challenging and encouraging tutor. The workshop will be outdoors
(depending on the weather).
  Catherine Young has been Dancer in Residence with Kerry County Council since 2005, working in collaboration with Siamsa Tíre among others. She spent eight years in the U.S. training and performing in theatre and dance, performing in San Francisco with "Pure Dance Company," "City College Repertory Dance Company" and with the American Conservatory Theatre. She has trained extensively in Modern
Contemporary dance, Jazz, Afro-Haitian, West African, Hiphop in the U.S., Europe and Africa. Catherine holds a Masters Degree in Contemporary Dance and is currently on faculty teaching dance at I.T. Tralee. She is also a certified Yoga teacher.