SUMMER SCHOOL OF EARLY IRISH HARP
ÁINE NÍ DHROIGHNEÁIN
is from An Spidéal, Co. Galway, an area steeped in Irish language, tradition and culture. She began singing amhrán ar an sean-nós (‘old-style song’) from an early age, being taught local songs from local singers such as Pat Phádraig Tom, Máire Pheitir Uí Dhroighneáin and Peaitsí ó Ceannabháin. At the age of nine, she was asked to sing for the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, during her visit to the area.
She has appeared at many traditional music festivals at home and abroad, including Feile Cois Cuain in Louisburgh, Mayo and at the Pan-Celtic Festival in Lorient, France.
In recognition of her standing in the sean-nós singing community, Áine was appointed Sean-Nós Singer in Residence at the National University of Ireland at Galway 2004-2005. Her activities included giving weekly classes in the art of sean-nós, and singing at university events and functions. She was invited to sing at Cambridge University during her tenure, and has since been invited to appear at many prestigious NUI Galway events, most recently in October 2012, when she sang alongiside Prof. Lillis O Laoire and Máire Ní Mhaoilchiaráin as part of the university’s concerts programme.
Áine has performed with other artists, including Máirtín O'Connor, Steve Cooney and The Keane sisters in Dublin and in Belfast in 2010, and has recorded songs on several different albums: Subharó, NUIG, and Cuimhní Nollag i nGar is i gCéin, GOAL. She can also be heard singing the famous sean nos song, Amhrán Mhuighnise, in the film version of Irish playwright, Máirtín ó Cadhain's play, Cré na Cille.
She took part in a televised national singing contest in Ireland in 2006, where she sang a variety of songs and styles, but her traditional renditions got her most acclaim. She finished second and raised €75,000 for charity in the process.