Over the first two weeks of March 2026, and to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge, Emer O’Flaherty’s début album, ‘Go dtí seo’, will be heard live in venues in Nenagh, Listowel, Baile Bhuirne, Galway and Ennis.
Described by Irish Music magazine as music to dwell on, drink deeply from… Emer O’Flaherty is a major new Irish songwriting talent.
Emer is a bilingual singer/songwriter/composer and musician (piano, flute, whistles and concertina) from Ennis, who has been performing for close on twenty years. She has performed solo shows at Edinburgh and Prague Fringe Festivals, and most recently Celtic Connections in Glasgow (January 2026). She has won numerous awards for both traditional and non-traditional singing at Oireachtas na Gaeilge.
With Paddy Mulcahy and Angelo Heart she won both the national and international Pan Celtic contests for newly composed songs with the song ‘Taibhse’. It went on to become a part of a national touring theatre production and feature in the RTÉ / BBC series ‘Cosán an Cheoil’. Writing and performing in Gaeilge is very important to Emer, as she feels that the most powerful way to show the beauty and intricacies of a language is through art which makes the listener pause, and absorb the words.
‘Go dtí seo’ is her first release and features Edel Vaughan (voice, flute, whistle), Therese McInerney (fiddle), Gráinne Cotter (fiddle), Philip Fogarty (accordion), Paddy Mulcahy (bass) and Angelo Heart (drums) and is available from www.emeroflaherty.com and https://emeroflahertymusic.bandcamp.com The ten tracks represent her musical exploration up to now, hence the title, from her roots in sean nós (‘Cúirt Bhaile Nua’ and ‘Amhrán na Leabhar’) with all other tracks self-penned.
Her writing heavily features a love of nature and a sense of place – ‘Grian Dhubh’ celebrating the magic of murmurations, ‘Ag gearradh romham’ tells of a bird that has to rise earlier to ensure that his song can be heard before the traffic, and ‘Stáisiún Traenach’, the story of a person who observes passengers in a train station. The album also features two slow airs ‘Neilí Bheag’ and ‘Suantraí’ a child’s lullaby.
‘Go dtí seo’ and previously unheard repertoire can be heard in Conradh na Gaeilge, Nenagh (March 5th); St. John’s Theatre, Listowel (March 6th); An tIonad Cultúrtha, Baile Bhuirne (March 7th); Town Hall Theatre Studio, Gaillimh (March 12th) and in glór, Ennis (March 13th).
Emer O’Flaherty (piano, flute, composer, singer)
Emer O’Flaherty is a singer/songwriter/musician (piano, flute, whistles and concertina) from Ennis in County Clare. Emer and fellow musicians will perform repertoire from her début album ‘Go dtí seo’, a collection of instrumental and newly composed Gaeilge songs which have combine traditional with elements of jazz. She has also created new arrangements of sean-nós songs honouring her roots in the Conamara Gaeltacht.
Her song ‘Taibhse’ won the International Pan Celtic Song Contest, representing Ireland, and she has amassed many singing awards at an tOireachtas over the years. Since 2022 she has been a member of the Dúchas agus Dóchas collective, celebrating the Gaeilge songs of County Clare. Over 2022 and 2023 she wrote a collection of poetry ‘Teach-House’ and accompanying musical score and it was performed in museum and library spaces. She also has written ‘Réaltbhuíonta – Constellations’ a collection of music (for chamber quartet) and stories based on Greek mythology which celebrated the night sky of Ennis and which premiered on December 21st, 2024. Most recently she performed at Celtic Connections in Glasgow. She is currently working on her second album.
Philip Fogarty (accordion, piano, singer)
Philip Fogarty is a composer, performer and sound artist. He has toured his work with live ensembles in various configurations both in Ireland and abroad. The recipient of numerous commissions and awards, his practice ranges from his roots in Irish traditional to rock, electronica and contemporary, and embraces forms from conventional live performance to audience-interactive participatory formats and multimedia. His primary instruments, alongside vocals, are button accordion and piano. Recent projects include interactive works Pulse Music (2024, Cavan Arts), I Claim Sanctuary (2022, Music for Galway/Irish National Opera/Galway 2020) and Three Dream Echo (2020, Galway City Council).
He is a member of the organisations MUI, VAI and Interface Inagh, has studied under the renowned sean-nós singer Lillis Ó Laoire and holds a PhD in ethnomusicology. Since 2022 he has participated and toured in the Clare music heritage project ‘Dúchas agus Dóchas’ under the auspices of Diarmuid de Faoite, and was artist-in-residence in Áras Éanna on Inis Oírr in February 2025.
Edel Vaughan (flute, whistle, singer)
Since her last successful album ‘Spreagtha’, Edel has been very busy touring extensively at home and abroad on a solo basis and with the renowned ‘Kilfenora Céilí Band’. Edel has been the lead vocalist with the Band since 2016. Having recorded successfully with the band on their latest CD ‘Both Sides Now’ with Edel singing the title track. Also with the Band, Edel was an integral part of the project commissioned for the official launch of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2017 called ‘Clare my Heart my Home.
She fostered a love of historically themed songs rooted in our colourful history. Her 2016 album was a celebration of one hundred years of the events surrounding the Rising. Some of the songs on her album ‘Chapter 22’, celebrate and commemorate one hundred years of the struggle for Independence. As a solo performer over the years she has performed with many musicians, composers, performers, from The ‘Clare Memory Orchestra’ to Brú Ború in Cashel. From China to Crusheen and many places in between. Christened the ‘Daughter of Clare’ Edel has truly kept her roots in Clare, teaching traditional song with Comhaltas and teaching Gaeilge in the prestigious St. Flannan’s College. Recently, she has performed with the Irish Chamber Orchestra on a project supported by the decade of centenaries, a narrative of the story of our Free State, entitled ‘Breith’, produced by Tim Collins.
Gráinne Cotter (fiddle, piano, singer)
Gráinne’s soulful, melancholy vocal and effortlessly elegant writing have Jazz & Blues roots. Gráinne gathers influence from the rugged beauty of her much-loved home of County Clare and fuses it with her vibrant life experience & romances of her adoptive home of Galway. Feeling modern butstill drawing from Gráinne’s 1950’s jazz influences, Gráinne’s ability to blend together genres is still very much her gift.
Etain McCooey (oboe, whistles, singer)
Etain McCooey is an oboist, cor anglais and tin whistle player living in Doolin, Co. Clare. Etain has developed a uniquely ‘Irish’ oboe style by combining her classical oboe training with her knowledge of Irish whistle style and technique. She plays with the Irish Memory Orchestra and world music trio ‘Jaskane’ and has performed in South Korea, Denmark, Moscow and London as well as throughout Ireland. She has played with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and with many well known musicians including Martin Hayes, Máirtín O’Connor and Liz Carroll. Etain was commissioned to compose music for the Hidden History TV series and continues to compose new music for the trio ‘Jaskane’. She holds a First Class honours MA in Community Music from the University of Limerick.
Thar na chéad choicíse de mhí na Márta, 2026, agus chun Seachtain na Gaeilge a cheiliúradh, is féidir an chéad albam le Emer O’Flaherty a chloisteáil beo in ionaid san Aonach, i Lios Tuathail, i mBaile Bhuirne, i nGaillimh agus in Inis.
Is amhránaí dátheangach, ceoltóir (pianó, fliúit, feadóga agus consairtín) cumadóir amhrán agus ceol í Emer O’Flaherty. As Inis i gContae an Chláir di agus í ag seinm ceoil go proifisiúnta le fiche bliain anuas. Tá seónna aonair léirithe aici i bhféilte amhail na Féilte Imeall i nDún Éideann agus i bPrág, agus ag Celtic Connections i nGlaschú le déanaí (Eanair, 2026). Tá go leor duaiseanna d’amhránaíocht traidisiúnta agus amhránaíocht nach amhránaíocht traidisiúnta í ag Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Le Paddy Mulcahy agus Angelo Heart, bhuaigh sí na comórtais náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta d’amhráin nuachumtha ag an bhFéile Phan Cheilteach lena hamhrán ‘Taibhse’. D’éirigh leis an amhrán sin a bheith i léiriú náisiúnta drámaíochta agus a bheith mar chuid den gclár ceoil ‘Cosán an Cheoil’ a bhí ar RTÉ agus BBC. Tá scríbhneoireacht/cumadóireacht agus léirithe i nGaeilge an-tábhachtach d’Emer, mar dar léi is é an bealach is cumhachtaí chun áilleacht teanga a chur in iúl ná trí ealaíon a bhfuil sé mar thoradh air ná go bhfuil ar éisteoir sos a ghlacadh chun éisteacht leis na scéalta.
Is é ‘Go dtí seo’ a chéad albam ar a bhfuil Edel Vaughan (guth, feadóg mhór agus feadóg stáin), Therese McInerney (fidil), Gráinne Cotter (fidil), Philip Fogarty (bosca ceoil), Paddy Mulcahy (dord) agus Angelo Heart (drumaí) agus é ar fáil ar www.emeroflahertycom agus https://emeroflahertymusic.bandcamp.com Séard atá sna deich bpíosa ar an albam ná an t-aistear ceoil atá déanta aici go dtí seo (is as sin a thagann an teideal), óna fréamhacha in amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós (‘Cúirt Bhaile Nua’ agus ‘Amhrán na Leabhar’) le gach píosa eile ar an albam cumtha ag Emer. Tá grá don nádúr agus ‘sense of place’ lárnach ina cuid saothar: Déanann ‘Grian Dhubh’ ceiliúradh ar an draíocht a bhaineann le healtaí (murmurations) agus tugann ‘Ag gearradh romham’ scéal d’éan a bhfuil air éirí níos luaithe ar maidin mar gheall air nach bhfuil sé in ann é fhéin a chloisteáil ag canadh de bharr fuaim na tráchta. Insíonn ‘Stáisiún Traenach’ scéal de dhuine atá ag breathnú ar phaisinéirí i stáisiún traenach. Tá foinn mhalla ‘Neilí Bheag’ agus ‘Suantraí’ ar an albam chomh maith.
Is féidir ‘Go dtí seo’ a chloisteáil beo, chomh maith le saothar nua sna hionaid seo a leanas: Conradh na Gaeilge, An tAonach (5 Márta); Amharclann St. John, Lios Tuathail (6 Márta); An tIonad Cultúrtha, Baile Bhuirne (7 Márta); Amharclann Halla an Bhaile, Gaillimh (12 Márta) agus i nglór, Inis (13 Márta).
Emer O’Flaherty (pianó, fliúit, cumadóir, amhránaí).
Is amhránaí / cumadóir amhrán agus ceoil / ceoltóir (pianó, fliúit, feadóga agus consairtín) í Emer, agus is as Contae an Chláir ó dhúchas di. Seinnfidh Emer agus ceoltóirí repertoire óna halbam ‘Go dtí seo’, bailiúchán de cheol uirlise agus amhráin nuachumtha Ghaeilge, saothar a chomhnascann ceol traidisiúnta agus snagcheol. Chomh maith leis sin tá cóirithe nua d’amhráin ar an sean-nós cruthaithe aici; dílis dá fréamhacha i nGaeltacht Chonamara. Idir 2022 agus 2025 bhí sí ina ball den gcomharghrúpa ‘Dúchas agus Dóchas’, a rinne ceiliúradh ar amhráin Ghaeilge an Chláir. Thar 2022 agus 2023 scríobh sí bailiúchán filíochta darb ainm ‘Teach-House’ agus scór ceoil mar thionlacan leis. Léiríodh in iarsmalanna agus i leabharlanna éagsúla é. Tá staidéar ceoil ‘Réaltbhuíonta – Constellations’ scríofa aici (do chamber quartet), na scéalta bunaithe ar mhiotaseolaíocht na Gréige chun spéir na hInse ar an 21 Nollaig a cheiliúradh, an oíche chéanna is a léiríodh den chéad uair é. Le déanaí bhí sí ar stáitse ag Celtic Connections i nGlaschú (Eanair, 2026). Tá sí ag obair ar a dara albam faoi láthair.
Philip Fogarty (bosca ceoil, pianó agus amhránaí)
Is cumadóir ceoil, taibheoir agus ealaíontóir fuaime é Philip Fogarty. Chuaigh sé ar camchuairt lena shaothar le ensembles éagsúla in Éirinn agus thar lear. Bronnadh an-chuid coimisiúnaithe agus duaiseanna air, agus ina chuid saothar cloistear a fhréamhacha sa cheol traidisiúnta, rac-cheol, ceol leictreonach agus nua-aimseartha. Ina chuid saothar áirítear gnáthléirithe beo, léirithe ina bhfuil an lucht féachana gníomhach agus léirithe ilmheánacha. Chomh maith le bheith ina amhránaí, is iad a príomhuirlisí ná an bosca ceoil agus an pianó. Sna tionscadail a raibh sé ag obair le déanaí tá saothar idirghníomh amhail Pulse Music (2020, An Cabhán), I Claim Sanctuary (2022, Music for Galway / Compántas Náisiúnta Ceoldrámaíochta Éireann / Galway 2020 agus Three Dream Echo (2020, Comhairle Chathrach na Gaillimhe). Is ball de Musicians Union of Ireland, Visual Artists Ireland agus Interface Inagh é, agus staidéar faoi stiúir an amhránaí ar an sean-nós Lillis Ó Laoire. Tá PhD san eitni-cheoleolaíocht aige. Ó 2022 ar aghaidh bhí sé mar bhall den gcomharghrúpa ‘Dúchas agus Dóchas’ faoi stiúir Dhiarmuid de Faoite, agus bhí sé mar ealaíontóir cónaithe in Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr i mí Feabhra, 2025.
Edel Vaughan (feadóg mhór, feadóg stáin agus amhránaí)
Ón am a eisíodh a albam ‘Spreagtha’ bhí an-tóir ar Edel le haghaidh camchuairteanna sa bhaile agus thar lear agus í mar ealaíontóir aonair agus leis an ‘Kilfenora Céilí Band’ a bhfuil clú agus cáil air. Tá Edel mar an phríomhamhránaí leis an ngrúpa ó 2016 ar aghaidh í tar éis taifead a dhéanamh leis an ngrúpa ar an CD ‘Both Sides Now’, Edel mar amhránaí ar an teidealrian. Leis an mbanna céanna, bhí Edel mar bhall tábhachtach den tionscadal a coimisiúnaíodh le haghaidh sheoladh oifigiúil d’Fhleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, 2017 darb ainm ‘Clare, my Heart my Home’. Fuair sí grá d’amhráin stairiúla. Rinne an t-albam a d’eisigh sí in 2016 ceiliúradh ar imeachtaí a bhain le céad bliain ó tharla Éirí Amach na Cásca. Tá cuid de na hamhráin atá le cloisteáil ar ‘Chapter 22’ ag ceiliúradh agus ag comóradh céad bliain na streachailt ar son neamhspleáchas. Mar ealaíontóir aonair, thar na mblianta bhí sí ar stáitse le roinnt mhaith ceoltóirí, cumadóirí, taibheoirí, ón Clare Memory Orchestra go Brú Ború i gCaiseal. Tá Edel dílis dá fréamhacha i gContae an Chláir trí amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós a mhúineadh le Comhaltas agus trí Ghaeilge a mhúineadh i gColáiste Fhlannáin.
Gráinne Cotter (fidil, pianó, amhránaí)
Tá guth corraitheach agus duairc ag Gráinne, agus ina cuid saothar galánta cloistear fréamhacha sa snagcheol agus sna gormacha. Tá an áilleacht gharbh de Chontae an Chláir mar inspioráid do Ghráinne, rudaí a nascann sí lena taithí saoil agus scéalta rómánsacha ó chathair na Gaillimhe, áit a bhfuil cónaí uirthi anois. Le mothú nua-aimseartha ina cuid ceoil, le gnéithe de shnagcheoil na 1950idí, tá láidreacht i meascadh seánraí ag Gráinne.
Etain McCooey, (óbó, feadóga agus amhránaí).
Seinneann Etain an óbó, an cor anglais agus an fheadóg stáin agus í ina cónaí i nDubh Linn i gContae an Chláir. Tá stíl Éireannach ar an óbó forbartha aici tríd an oiliúint chlasaiceach ar an óbó agus an taithí atá aici ar an fheadóg stáin a meascadh le chéile. Seinneann sí leis an Irish Memory Orchestra, agus an tríréad domhanda ‘Jaskane’. Bhí sé ar stáitse sa Chóiré, sa Danmhairg, i Moscow agus i Londain chomh maith leis an tír seo ar fad. Sheinn sí le Ceolfhoireann Coirme RTÉ agus le ceoltóirí aitheanta amhail Martin Hayes, Máirtín O’Connor agus Liz Carroll. Bronnadh coimisiúnú ar Etain chun ceol a chumadh don tsraith teilifíse ‘Hidden History’ agus fós cumann sí ceol don tríréad ceoil ‘Jaskane’. Tá Máistreacht sa Cheol Pobail ó Ollscoil Luimnigh aici, agus céad onóracha bainte amach aici.
Sonraí na léirithe (www.emeroflaherty.com/gigs)
An tAonach, an 5 Márta – Emer O’Flaherty, Philip Fogarty & Etain McCooey;
Lios Tuathail, an 6 Márta – Emer O’Flaherty, Philip Fogarty & Edel Vaughan;
Baile Bhuirne, an 7 Márta – Emer O’Flaherty, Philip Fogarty & Edel Vaughan;
Gaillimh, an 12 Márta – Emer O’Flaherty, Philip Fogarty & Gráinne Cotter;
Glór, Inis, an 13 Márta – Emer O’Flaherty, Philip Fogarty & Gráinne Cotter.