Anita Phelan

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Anita Phelan

Anita Phelan (born 18 August 1982) is a musician of mixed Icelandic and Irish origin, and member of British folk band Draioicht na hOiche.

Officially known as Anita Guðmundsdóttir, she adopted the artistic pseudonym Anita Phelan, after the anglicized version of her mother's maiden name Ní Fáolain.

Draioicht na hOiche (correct Irish spelling Draíocht na hOíche), meaning 'Magic of the Night' was formed on May 1, 2002, as a successor of the previously University-supported group The Leprechauns. In the beginning of April 2002, Desmond FitzMaurice and his old friend Elisabeth McCarran whom he knew from the UCL sessions and musical festivals, decided to begin a new project separatedly from the University College of London cultural program. In a week Linda Andrews joined DNO after seeing the three musicians (together with Mic Mahoney) perform at Cavendish Square in London. Linda soon brought her best friend Guinevere Hughes and Mic contacted Harry Staunton, who in his turn recommended Sean Power as the best piper he knew. In the end of May 2002, the two final members of the troupe joined too, Ellen Butler from Glasgow and Anita Guðmundsdóttir, of mixed Icelandic and Irish descent, expanding the number of band members to nine, and Mary Vaughan joining last in the end of 2004.

Being a skilled harper, fiddler and performer of traditional Irish folk music, Anita Phelan participated in a number of shows with DNO, including the Ghostwood series of shows throughout the British Isles. Additionally, she pursued her specific artistic interests and in March 2003 she completed A Fairy's Gift, an instrumental solo album of harp etudes and folk songs, under the pseudonym Airy Fairy.

Anita Phelan was married in September 2005. Soon after the event, she followed Draioicht na hOiche on the Far Beyond Tour across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Currently she is participating in the band's West European Christmas tour in promotion of their new album, Tree of Life.