Nóirín Ní Riain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nóirín Ní Riain
Nóirín Ní Riain performs in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Nora Mary Antoinette Ryan (Irish: Nóra Máire Antoinette Ní Riain)
Origin	Caherconlish, County Limerick, Ireland
Genres	Irish Traditional Folk Celtic Gregorian Chant
Instruments	Vocals, surpeti, shruti box, Irish whistle, piano
Years active	1977 – present
Labels	Daisy Discs (Ireland) Gael Linn (Ireland) Sounds True Inc. (United States)
Associated acts	size2shoes Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin

Nóirín Ní Riain (born June 12, 1951) is a famous Irish singer, writer, and teacher. She is an expert in Gregorian Chant, which is a type of old religious singing. Nóirín is best known for her spiritual songs. She also sings Celtic music, traditional Irish songs called sean-nós, and Indian songs. She plays instruments like the Indian harmonium (surpeti), shruti box, and the Irish whistle. Nóirín has been an Artist-in-Residence for Wexford and Laois. She performs with her sons, Eoin and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, as a group called A.M.E.N. She also teaches workshops about how sound can be a spiritual experience.

Nóirín's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Nóirín Ní Riain was born in Caherconlish, a town in County Limerick, Ireland. She started taking singing lessons when she was just seven years old. Later, she studied music at University College Cork (UCC). For her advanced studies, she focused on religious music. She became a skilled performer, singing religious, traditional Irish, and international religious music.

Worldwide Performances

Nóirín has performed all over the world. Some important events include:

• The International Peace Gathering in Costa Rica in 1989, where she introduced the XIV Dalai Lama.
• The United Nations summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
• The European Cultural Month in Kraków, Poland, in 1992.
• The UN Earth Summit in Copenhagen in 1995.
• The 40th Eurovision Song Contest 1995.
• The World Women Summit in Beijing in 1995.

She has also performed with other famous artists. These include Sinéad O'Connor, American composer John Cage, and the sons of Karlheinz Stockhausen (Markus and Simon). She sang with Paul Winter at special concerts in New York. Nóirín also performed in India as a representative for the Irish government. She even sang in Sarajevo during a time of war.

Family and Influences

Nóirín was married to the pianist and composer Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.

A big influence on her was Pilib Ó Laoghaire (1910–1976). He was a singer and teacher in Cork. He encouraged her to become a singer instead of studying law. He also taught her traditional Irish sean-nós style. At UCC, she learned from Aloys Fleischmann and Seán Ó Riada.

As a child, Nóirín often visited Glenstal Abbey in Murroe. She loved listening to the chants of the Benedictine monks there. Later, she performed and recorded several albums with them. This included a series of three albums: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, Vox Populi, and Vox de Nube.

Later Studies and Ministry

Nóirín earned a PhD in theology from Mary Immaculate College (University of Limerick). Her studies focused on how sounds, especially vocal sounds, can lead to religious experiences from a Christian viewpoint.

In 2017, she became an ordained minister in the One Spirit Inter Faith Seminary Foundation. This means she can lead wedding, naming, and divorce ceremonies.

Music Albums

Solo Albums

Nóirín Ní Riain has released many albums on her own. Here are some of them:

• 1978 – Seinn Aililiú
• 1980 – Caoineadh na Maighdine
• 1982 – Darkest Midnight
• 1988 – Stór Amhrán
• 1989 – Vox de Nube
• 1990 – Nóirín Ní Riain with The Monks of Glenstal Abbey
• 1993 – Soundings
• 1996 – River of Stars
• 1996 – Celtic Soul
• 1997 – Gregorian Chant Experience
• 2004 – Mystical Ireland
• 2004 – Biscantorat: Sound of the Spirit from Glenstal Abbey (CD)
• 2004 – Biscantorat: Sound of the Spirit from Glenstal Abbey (DVD)

Ní Riain & Sons

Nóirín has also made music with her sons, Eoin and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin. They perform together under the name 'Amen'. Her sons are also known for their Irish pop band, size2shoes.

• 2007 – Amen
• 2008 – Celtic Joy (This was the US release of the 'Amen' album)
• 2013 – Hearth Sound, Ancient Songs from Ireland and the World

Guest Appearances and Collaborations

Nóirín has worked with many other artists and appeared on their albums.

• 1977 – Óró Damhnaigh with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin
• 1984 – James Last at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
• 1992 – Solstice Live with Paul Winter
• 1994 – Sieben Psalmen, Meditation in Wort und Klang with Markus & Simon Stockhausen
• 1996 – Lumen with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin
• 1997 – Illumination with Richard Souther
• 1997 – Agnes Browne (soundtrack for the film by Anjelica Huston)
• 2001 – In deiner Nähe, Close to you with Markus Stockhausen
• 2008 – Sanctuary (a charity album with various artists)

Albums Produced

Nóirín has also helped produce albums for other artists.

• 2007 – In Praise of Mary for The Cistercian Nuns of St. Mary's Abbey Glencairn