Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin

Eibhlís is a sean-nós singer, early Irish harpist, composer, arranger and music educator. Uniquely, she researches, reconstructs and performs the much-neglected, seminal repertory of 17th- and 18th-century Irish harp songs (normally now only heard as instrumental melodies). Alongside this, she also creates settings of traditional Irish songs for voice and early Irish harp. She performs these repertoires to her own accompaniment on a replica of a historical Irish harp, using historical harping techniques. Eibhlís was born in Fermoy, Co. Cork, and grew up there, and in Ballyduff Upper, Co Waterford. She now lives in Co. Wicklow. She is a music graduate of University College Cork, and also holds a Licentiate in Piano Teaching from Trinity College London and a first-class honours MA in Women’s Studies (UCD). For her sean-nós singing (Waterford Déise style), Eibhlís has won first prizes at the Oireachtas and the Fleadhanna (the two most important traditional singing competitions in Ireland). Eibhlís’s understanding of the Irish language, her knowledge and love of traditional songs and singing, and her expertise in early Irish harping makes her a unique resource for those interested in exploring evocative old Irish harp songs by Carolan and others. Eibhlís’s first sean-nós and harp CD, An Buachaillín Bán was recently released.