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)

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

Nóirín Ní Riain's Life Story

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, specializing in religious, traditional Irish, and international religious music.

Performing Around the World

Nóirín has performed in many places 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 famous artists like Sinéad O'Connor and American composer John Cage. She sang with the sons of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Markus and Simon. Nóirín also performed with Paul Winter at special concerts in New York. She sang the main role in a play called Anima by Hildegard von Bingen with the Scola Gregoriana of Notre Dame University. She has sung in India as a representative for the Irish government and even performed in Sarajevo during a time of war.

Family and Mentors

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

A big influence on her was Pilib Ó Laoghaire, a singer and teacher from Cork. He taught her traditional Irish sean-nós singing. He also encouraged her to become a singer instead of studying law. At UCC, she learned from other important music teachers, Aloys Fleischmann and Seán Ó Riada.

Music and Spirituality

When Nóirín was a child, she often visited Glenstal Abbey in Murroe. There, she would listen to the chants of the Benedictine monks. Later, she performed and recorded several albums with them. These included a series of three albums: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, Vox Populi, and Vox de Nube.

Nóirín has a special degree called a PhD in theology from Mary Immaculate College (University of Limerick). Her studies focused on how sounds, especially vocal sounds, can be a way to experience religion from a Christian point of view.

On 29 July 2017, Nóirín became an ordained minister. This means she can perform ceremonies like weddings, naming ceremonies for babies, and divorce ceremonies.

Nóirín Ní Riain's 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 (an audio book)
• 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)

Nóirín Ní Riain & Sons

Nóirín has also made albums 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