Iarla Ó Lionáird facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iarla Ó Lionáird
Iarla Ó Lionáird in Woodstock Gardens, Inistioge, County Kilkenny in August 2011
Background information
Origin	Baile Mhúirne, County Cork, Ireland
Genres	Sean-nós Experimental
Occupation(s)	Singer Songwriter
Instruments	Voice
Labels	Real World Records
Associated acts	Afro Celt Sound System Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin The Gloaming

Iarla Ó Lionáird is an Irish singer and music producer. He is famous for singing in the traditional Irish style called sean-nós. This means 'old style' singing. He was part of the group Afro Celt Sound System. Now, he is a member of the Irish-American supergroup The Gloaming. He has released many solo albums with Real World Records. He even appeared in the 2015 movie Brooklyn. In the film, he sang an Irish song called "Casadh an tSúgáin" without any instruments.

Growing Up and Early Music

Iarla Ó Lionáird grew up in Baile Mhúirne. This is a place in County Cork, Ireland, where most people speak Irish. His father was a teacher. His mother and grandmother were also traditional sean-nós singers. A famous singer named Elizabeth Cronin was his great-aunt. She was known for her singing, which was even recorded by Alan Lomax. Iarla was one of twelve children in his family.

Iarla first sang in public when he was five years old. He made his first radio broadcast at age seven. When he was twelve, he recorded a traditional song called "Aisling Gheal". He joined a male choir called Cór Chúil Aodha as a child. He sang with them until his early twenties. Before becoming a full-time singer, Iarla worked as a primary school teacher for seven years.

His Musical Journey

Iarla Ó Lionáird worked with other musicians like Tony MacMahon and Noel Hill. They created a live album of traditional Irish music in 1993. It was called Aislingí Ceoil – Music of Dreams. On this album, Iarla sang three sean-nós songs with piano music.

He wanted to mix his traditional singing with new music styles. He found that ambient music could blend well with his unique voice. He was inspired when he heard Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing on Peter Gabriel's album Passion. This made him think that sean-nós could also fit into this "ambient soundscape."

Iarla wrote to Peter Gabriel, asking to record with his label, Real World Records. Gabriel invited him to a special recording week. This led to Iarla joining the Afro Celt Sound System. He joined them in 1995 when they recorded their first album, Volume 1: Sound Magic. He also sang on Peter Gabriel's album OVO.

Solo Albums and Collaborations

Iarla has released several solo albums with Real World Records. His first solo album, The Seven Steps to Mercy (1997), was produced by Michael Brook. It even included sounds of nature that Iarla recorded himself. This album also has a recording of him singing "Aisling Gheal" from when he was fourteen.

He released Invisible Fields in 2005 and Foxlight in 2011. His 2000 album, I Could Read the Sky, was the soundtrack for a movie of the same name. He also sang on Áilleacht, an album by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin in 2005.

Many composers have written music for Iarla Ó Lionáird. These include Gavin Bryars and Donnacha Dennehy. Bryars wrote a big piece called Anáil Dé (The Breath of God) for Iarla. This piece was based on old Irish prayers and poems. It was first performed in Dublin in 2008.

Iarla also worked closely with Donnacha Dennehy on a piece called Grá agus Bás. This music mixes traditional sean-nós singing with modern sounds. It was first performed in Dublin in 2007. The New York Times called it a "magnificently energetic" work. Iarla sang this piece at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2013.

The Gloaming

Iarla Ó Lionáird is a member of The Gloaming. This is a very popular Irish-American supergroup. The group includes fiddlers Martin Hayes and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, guitarist Dennis Cahill, and pianist Doveman. Their first album came out in 2014. It won the Meteor Choice Music Prize for Irish album of the year.

In 2016, Iarla also performed in an opera called The Hunger. This opera, by Donnacha Dennehy, was about the Great Famine in Ireland.

Other Projects

In 2013, University College Cork asked Iarla Ó Lionáird to be their first Traditional Artist in Residence. In this role, he gave talks and taught sean-nós singing. He also performed for students.

Iarla appeared in the 2015 film Brooklyn. He was not sure about acting at first. But he decided to take the role when he learned that the author of the book, Colm Tóibín, had asked for him. Iarla played a character named Frankie Doran. Frankie was a workingman who sang the traditional song "Casadh an tSúgáin" during a Christmas dinner scene.

In 2015, Iarla hosted a radio show called Vocal Chords. This five-part series explored singing through his own experiences and talks with other singers. Famous singers like Sinéad O'Connor and Christy Moore were part of the show.

Personal Life

Iarla Ó Lionáird earned a Master's degree in ethnomusicology in 2003. Ethnomusicology is the study of music from different cultures. He lives in Inistioge in County Kilkenny, Ireland. He lives there with his wife, Eimear, and their three children.

Discography

Solo albums

• The Seven Steps To Mercy, September 1997
• I Could Read the Sky (soundtrack), June 2000
• Invisible Fields, August 2005
• Foxlight, September 2011

Albums With The Afro Celt Sound System

• Volume 1: Sound Magic (1996)
• Volume 2: Release (1999)
• Volume 3: Further in Time (2001)
• Seed (2003)
• Pod (Remix album) (2004)
• Volume 5: Anatomic (2005)
• Capture: 1995–2010 (2010) (compilation)

Other albums

• Tony MacMahon, Iarla Ó Lionáird & Noel Hill – Aislingi Ceoil / Music Of Dreams (Gael Linn, 1994)
• Donnacha Dennehy – Grá Agus Bás (Nonesuch Records, 2011)
• Cork Gamelan Ensemble – The Three Forges (Diatribe Records, 2015)
• Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin – Áilleacht (2005)