Iarla Ó Lionáird

Iarla Ó Lionáird

Iarla Ó Lionáird in Woodstock Gardens, Inistioge, County Kilkenny in July 2011
Background information
Born 18 June 1964
Origin Cúil Aodha, County Cork, Ireland
Genres Irish traditional
Celtic
Experimental
Occupation(s) Singer
Songwriter
Instruments Voice
Years active 1996–present
Labels Realworld Records
Associated acts Afro Celt Sound System
Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin
The Gloaming
Website http://www.iarla.com

Iarla Ó Lionáird (born June 18, 1964) is an Irish singer and producer known for his involvement with the Afro Celt Sound System and The Gloaming. He performs Irish Sean nós singing, and has released four solo albums through Real World Records. He also sings on the Peter Gabriel album OVO.

Early life, career

Ó Lionáird grew up and learned his craft in Cúil Aodha in the West Cork Gaeltacht. One of twelve children, his aunt was the singer Elizabeth Cronin. From his early recording of the vision song "Aisling Gheal" while still a boy, through to his recordings with Tony McMahon and Noel Hill, Ó Lionáird established himself as a exponent of Sean nós.

Signed to Realworld label in the mid-1990s, he would go on to record with Afro Celt Sound System and achieved in this period two Grammy nominations. Ó Lionáird has sung for audiences in Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, Cape Town, Moscow, Rome and Tokyo. His television appearances include Later... with Jools Holland for the BBC and the Late Show with David Letterman in the United States. His music has also appeared on film soundtracks including The Gangs of New York and Hotel Rwanda.

In July 2011 he toured a new work entitled "Grá agus Bás" with the Dublin-based Crash Ensemble. This work was commissioned by Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and composed for Ó Lionáird by the composer Donnacha Dennehy. It received its world premiere in New York in March 2007, and this work was subsequently released on a CD recording entitled, 'Grá Agus Bás' on the American Nonesuch label in May 2011.

Ó Lionáird holds a Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick and is studying for a PhD in Music at Limerick University. He lives in Inistioge in County Kilkenny with his wife Eimear and their three children.

Discography

Solo albums

Albums With The Afro Celt Sound System

Other albums

External links