Roisin McGrory
Roisin Mc Grory (nee Harrigan) is from Inishowen Co.Donegal. Growing up in Burnfoot, she was exposed to the rich culture and music of Inishowen and Donegal. With her brothers Paul Harrigan (piano accordion and uilleann pipes) and Damien Harrigan (fiddle) Roisin has performed and taught at festivals and events throughout Ireland, Europe and America.
Roisin teaches traditional music in Inishowen and Derry and is a co-funder of the Inishowen Traditional Music Project(ITMP) established in 1999. Influenced by the work of Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí, in Donegal, ITMP was set up to promote and preserve the music of Inishowen. The project holds annual events such as workshops, concerts, collaborations, exchange visits, recitals, talks and has produced two commercial recordings of Inishowen musicians Seamus Grant and Dinny Mc Laughlin.
In September 2016 Roisin released her debut album, ‘The Brae Road’ a collection of music with strong Inishowen and Donegal influences. Along with some new compositions the album is a collection of music drawn from musicians that have influenced Roisin’s playing over the years. The album features musicians Colm O’Caoimh(guitar), Paul Harrigan(accordion & viola), Melanie Houton(fiddle), Eimear Mc Colgan(fiddle), Clodagh Warnock(fiddle) and Joleen Mc Laughlin(harp) and her two daughters Deirdre McGrory(whistle) and Ella Mc Grory(piano).
Roisin has recently appeared at the Imbolc Festival in Derry and at Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair where she also acted as a tutor.
Ella McGrory
Ella McGrory is a fiddle and piano player from Inishowen, Co. Donegal. She is a final year student at the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick studying a BA in Irish Music. Ella has extensive experience in performance, playing across Ireland, the UK and France and in recent years has played at festivals such as Electric Picnic and performed and taught workshops at Festival Interceltique de Lorient. In 2021, Ella and her sister Deirdre released an EP titled ‘Loinnir’ which featured guest musicians such as Steve Cooney and Liam Bradley. In 2015, she won the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil in Piano Accompaniment. She has been the Volunteer Coordinator at Galway International Arts Festival for the past two years. Ella has previously taught music at the Acadamh Ceoil in Derry and Ceolan School of Music in Moville, Co. Donegal. She is currently working at The University Concert Hall, Limerick and has completed internships at The Irish Traditional Music Archives in Dublin and The Playhouse Theatre in Derry. Ella continues to have huge involvement in the Inishowen Traditional Music Project, helping with event hosting, teaching ensemble workshops, performing at various events and helping run the social media pages.
Sarah Ponsonby – Fiddle – Trad Camp
Sarah is a fiddle and piano player from Letterkenny, Co.Donegal. She has a Bachelors Degree in music and recently graduated with a Distinction in a Masters of Research degree in Irish traditional music from Queen’s University Belfast. Coming from a musical family, Sarah has many years of experience in teaching, performing and gigging with musicians, ensembles and orchestras all over Ireland, Northern Ireland and Spain.
In 2020, Sarah and her father, guitarist Ted Ponsonby, released an album titled ‘Brakin’ Trad’ which featured guest musicians like Martin Crossin, Denise Boyle, Joe Murray and Liam Bradley. It is an album of predominantly original music deeply rooted in the Irish traditional style which were composed and arranged by Sarah and Ted.
As part of her final Masters project in 2021, Sarah also released a solo EP of original music which explored the influence of her Western classical training on her composition, arrangement and performance within the context of Irish traditional music. This EP was composed, arranged, performed, recorded and produced by Sarah and both the album and EP are available on all streaming platforms.