FUAIM Concert: Caitlín Nic Gabhann, 4th March 1.10pm, Aula Maxima

4 Mar 2022

Caitlín Nic Gabhann is a concertina player, performer, teacher, composer and percussive dancer. Having toured for years as a dancer with Riverdance, the 3-time All-Ireland concertina champion has been a regular performer at festivals and concert halls from North America to Asia over the last 15 years. Caitlín’s life’s work to date is recognised with her appointment as UCC Traditional Artist in Residence for 2022.

Raised in a house full of music in Ashbourne, Co.Meath, Caitlín learned most of her music, style and rhythm from her father Antóin Mac Gabhann. Her mother Bernie is immersed in the Clare set-dancing culture and she passed a love of this on to her children, with Caitlín being her dance partner at ceilís from a young age. This experience has heavily influenced Caitlín’s approach to style and rhythm.

Caitlín’s compositions have been performed in the Cork Opera House and The National Concert Hall, Dublin. The best-known of these are the waltz, Sunday’s Well, and the reel, The Leeside Sessions, both composed whilst studying in the Department of Music at University College Cork. The tunes feature on her debut album, ‘Caitlín,’ which was named CD of the Year by TradConnect.com and was labelled the 'top Irish traditional album of 2012' by The Wall Street Journal.

Whilst dancing with Riverdance Caitlín performed in Egypt with the pyramids as the backdrop while sharing the bill with Mariah Carey. As a solo dancer, she was the main performer in the Celtic Christmas Sojourn in Boston and 'Ceiliúradh' in the Royal Albert Hall, London as a guest of President Michael D. Higgins. She has performed with the RTÉ Vanburgh Quartet, Paddy Keenan, Liam Ó Maonlaí and for presidents and royalty around the world. She also teaches concertina annually at summer and winter schools in Ireland, Europe and USA.

Today, Caitlín is married to fiddle player and documentary maker Ciarán Ó Maonaigh and they have 3-year-old twins Rosie and Frankie. From their home in the Donegal Gaeltacht she runs IrishConcertinaLessons.com a complete online resource for concertina learning, with Starter, Improver and Advanced courses, which currently has subscribers in 32 countries. She is also director of the Wild Atlantic Concertina Week, a week of music and local culture in Gaoth Dobhair that attracts international attendants annually.

Caitlín is a first-class honours graduate of both University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin. She is also involved as musician and dancer with The High Seas, Caitlín & Ciarán, Cruinniú, NicGaviskey, Birkin Tree and The Irish Concertina Ensemble.

For her first FUAIM performance as UCC Traditional Artist in Residence, Caitlín will be joined by Ciarán Ó Maonaigh on fiddle and they will perform traditional music, some of Caitlín's compositions and some of Caitlín's dances also.