Tradition Now: Neil Ó Lochlainn’s Immram

Eithne Ní Chatháin, voice
Erin Hennessey, fiddle
Aisling Lyons, harp
Neil Ó Lochlainn, flute, bass

Immram is a suite of poems by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, first published in her collection ‘Feis’ (1991).

In 2020, Neil Ó Lochlainn was commissioned by Paddy Bushe and the Amergin Poetry Festival to set the poems to music and the resulting suite of music was premiered at the festival in 2021. The music combines influences from Irish traditional music and the sean-nós singing tradition, jazz/improvised music, and contemporary classical music to create an innovative, post-genre style of contemporary Irish chamber music.

‘Immram’ roughly translates as ‘Voyage’ and is a genre of story found commonly in mythological Irish writing, describing a protagonist’s sea journey to the otherworld and the adventures that ensue during their voyage. In this work, Ó Lochlainn creates unique musical textures by combining traditional forms with contemporary influences, building a musical world uninhibited by boundaries and genres.

Presented by NCH