Sinead McKenna – Fiddle
One of seven siblings, multi-instrumentalist, and singer Sinéad McKenna from Augher, Co. Tyrone hails from a family steeped in Irish traditional music. Her music clearly signals her North Monaghan roots and draws its inspiration from her granduncles, fiddle players Pete and Pat McKenna. Echoes from master Ulster fiddle exponents Tommy Peoples and Ed Reavy resonate throughout this collection of fiery, raw traditional fiddle music and song.
Sinéad has performed extensively throughout Ireland, Europe, the USA, Dubai, and beyond. Recent highlights in her career include performing alongside a star-studded line-up of artists at the Tommy People’s Tribute Concert in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, at headline events at Belfast Tradfest and at The Pádraig O’Keefe festival.
As an established, young, up-and-coming artist, Sinéad has performed on various TV and radio platforms, including RTÉ, TG4 and on the landmark BBC documentary, “The Northern Fiddler.” She has multiple all-Ireland medals from Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, and also won the prestigious Ed Reavy International Fiddle Competition in 2019.
Since moving to Belfast to study, Sinéad has built a strong following in the traditional music community there, collaborating with the Duncairn Collective, and regular performances on Belfast’s trad trail and Ceol na mBan at Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich. In 2022, she was one of the inaugural recipients of The Belfast City Council’s Gradam Ceoil Bursary Award; this has given her the time and space to perform, collaborate, compose and record with highly respected musicians, resulting in her debut album.
Oisin Duffy – Fiddle
Oisín is a young multi instrumentalist from Moville on the Inis Eoghain peninsula, Co. Donegal. He started learning the fiddle at a young age and quickly became interested in the fiddle music of Donegal. Fellow east Donegal fiddle players Tommy Peoples, Séamus Gibson, Bríd Harper and Roisín McGrory have had profound impacts on Oisín’s musical development as well as some of the older fiddle players of West Donegal – Danny O’Donnell, Frank Cassidy and John Doherty, to name a few.
Some of Oisín’s compositions have recently been recorded by Roisín McGrory featuring Steve Cooney on an album showcasing music from the Inishowen area, Pór.
Oisín has been involved in numerous groups from a young age through the Inishowen Traditional Music Project and has gained exposure through the organisation Cairdeas na bhFidléirí. He has regularly featured at their festivals in recent years as a performer and teacher.
Oisín has now finished his third year studying mechanical engineering at Trinity College Dublin and is actively involved in the Dublin traditional music scene.