NEWS
June 2026Gaol nan Gael
funded by Colmcille & Foras na Gaeilge
A collaboration with master uilleann piper Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, piper/singer/composer & ‘greatest living Scots tradition bearer’
Allan MacDonald and leading Irish harper Laoise Kelly.
Bhí am iontach againn in Albain, buíochas mór le gach duine a thug tacaíocht dúinn.
Tá an dara leath dár dturas i ndeisceart na hÉireann.
The second half of our trip is in South Gaeltachtaí of Ireland.
Beidh na ticéid le fáil ag an doras.
Ceiliúradh ar an gceangal teanga, ceoil agus cultúir idir Gaeil na hÉireann agus na hAlban
June 2026Bumblebees Buzzin again
Blast from the past!
We’ve been invited on more than a few occasions to perform together again, and so we said we’d give it a go. Our first meet up is in Doolin in July and there are some more dates TBA in Autumn.
Oct 2025Feather & Flock - Eagles - The Lyric Feature wins Gold at IMRO Radio Award.
Ecologist and programme maker Anja Murray in collaboration with folk musician and member of Ye Vagabonds Brían MacGloinn, created a new six part series on our wild birds for RTÉ lyric fm.
“Mythology, music and ecology are all covered. Presenter Brían Mac Gloinn curates and plays songs for each bird. There are also special guests such as Seán Ronayne and Lisa O'Neill.”
I am delighted to have contributed some harp to this programme, and deserved congratulations to Brían and Anja on a wonderful series.
You can listen back from this link
July 2025Paddy Cafferky Harp Maker
All us ‘Paddy harpers’ hearts are broken with the loss of the great harp maker Paddy Cafferky.
Paddy’s beautiful harps provided us with lifetimes of travelling the world and meeting amazing people.
The music that has come from Paddy’s harps has given entertainment and healing. May they long continue to sing on.
Suaimhneas siorraí da anam usuail 🕊💔
May 2025
ITMA in Paris
In association with ITMA and Culture Ireland, the Centre Culturel Irlandais presented two sold out concerts with a stellar line-up at Cité de la Musique - Philharmonie de Paris as part of their weekend dedicated to the legends of Irish trad music.
It was really special to be a part of this Irish celebration in Paris. And a wonderful opportunity to play with singers Lisa O’Neill and Ríoghnach Connolly and with musicians including Andy Irvine, Matt Molloy, Brían & Diarmuid MacGlionn, Cormac Begley, Liam O’Connor and amazing dancers Edwina Guckian and Stephanie Keane.
Had a blast too playing 11 minutes of polkas for Edwina’s new (old!) ‘Running the Goat’ set from Newfoundland with Brían MacGlionn, Ríoghnach Connolly and Brenda Castles.
May 2025
Matt Molloy
What an honour to play with the legend that is Matt Molloy at our National Concert Hall as part of Irish Traditional Music Archive series ‘Drawing from the Well’.
May 2025Vigo, Galicia
with SonDeSeu & Mary MacMaster
A wonderful experience with the amazing folk orquestra
and getting to play the great Rodrigo Romani’s arrangement of Brendan Ring’s jigs, very cool! In
May 2025Celebrating Paul Durcan’s Poetry
@ the Heinrich Böll weekend on Achill, with
Dermot Bolger, Geraldine Mitchell, Michael O’Loughlin, Sheila McHugh, Hans-Christian Oeser, Laoise Kelly & Diarmuid Gielty.
A very special occasion honouring the great Paul Durcan. You can watch it back on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBxAPJyNf4&t=231s
Bealtaine Eve 2025 Sclimpíní - Edwina Guckian
In May 2025, to celebrate Bealtaine, Edwina collaborated with Mikel Murfi to craft a captivating script and story for Sclimpíní, accompanied by musicians Ultan O’Brien, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, and renowned harpist Laoise Kelly, alongside a group of extraordinary local young dancers. Sclimpíní took place on two magical evenings, with the most amazing sunsets, where audiences were brought to a secret location, and sat on hay bales under a hawthorn tree, while the dance and music unfolded around around them.
It was magic to be a part of this production. And there’s a new tune from it too who’s origins came from the stream behind the Fairy fort!
March 2025 Hothouse Flowers
@ Cork Opera House
Fantastic night at the Opera House getting to play support to
Hothouse Flowers and hear the lads blow the
roof off the place!!
Delighted Caoilte could play few tunes with me.
And then deadly altogether to have the jam at the end.
Feb 2025
Cuan an Cheoil:
Laoise Kelly & Tola Custy
Beo ón stiúideo Cuan le Liam Ó Maonlaí
Éist ar ais anseo | Listen/Watch back below link
Feb 2025 Corner House
The best pub in Cork!
Always love visiting and playing there.
Thanks to Fearghal and everyone there for great hospitality and atmosphere.
Feb 2025Brigid’s Day Celebration
Bridget in Europe - Intercultural Festival
I played at this lovely event last year in Newport.
It celebrates the 5 Kilbrides in Mayo. ‘Kilbride’ comes from Cill Bhríde or Saint Bridget’s church. There are more than 35 Kilbrides in Ireland.
We learned about the influence of Brigid in northern Europe, focused on Italy, as this is organised by Bridget Anne Ryan from Tipperary who now lives in Florence. There is a Santa Brigida church just outside Florence.
There was music, children singing, poetry, some harp and so more to learn about Bridget…
- Photo on poster from Bridget in the Harry Clarke window, Newport church.
Annual event in another Mayo Kilbride next year.
Jan 2025Trad Fest
Sold out #tradfest show @theroundtowerclondalkin Amazing to play beside the 7th century round tower in Clondalkin for such a wonderful audience. Thank you Tommy & Claire @RalphMcGarry South Dublin Tourism, Cathal - class on sound, and me ole pal @CatherineMartin who’s arm I delighted in twisting to sing a song. Thanks Claudine & everyone who make @tradfest_dublin happen & for inviting me back.
Then spent yest in the best company, the great #RosaleenLinehan- what a howl! And she plays the harp!
Nov 2024Lovely opportunity to play with Tóla Custy at the new Galway Trad Fest.
They even allowed women into the Galway Mechanics Institute!!!! (where the gig was)
Nov 2024Music Generation Laois
Music Generation Laois is a really successful development for young musicians in the area. They provide year round tuition and some more intensive weekend workshops for trad players and rock music.
Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn and myself gave some workshops and also gave a short recital.
Nov 2024
Return to London Town
Great to be back at Karen Ryan’s Festival in London meeting old music friends and having the craic on stage with Josephine Marsh.
Great harpers at the workshop too, good to hear for the harping future.
Oct 2024
Sardenia, wow, so beautiful. I was last there with the Bumblebees in 1998!
Congrats to the wonderful harpist Raoul Moretti for organising the Festival Internazionale Arpe del Monde, for the invitation and for providing the re-connection with other harping friends Ben Crieghton Griffiths & Cheyenne Brown.
We had lovely concerts, sometimes in unusual venues, the old closed sulfur mine, and a lovely Art Gallery. We got to travel a little up the west coast and of course we had lot of amazing fresh seafood. Magic.
Lovely to meet Sardenian friends who play Irish music and hosted the Bumblebees back in 1998.
Sep 2024Culture Night at Glór Ennis
So great to meet my harp teacher Kim Fleming at our Culture Night gig at Glór in Ennis with Tóla Custy
Sep 2024Congrats
to the new Dooagh Folk Festival team on this exciting new festival for the island.
Delighted to be playing a solo slot in Gielty’s on the Saturday.
Two wonderful gigs this month with Tola Custy on InishBofin and Baltimore Fiddle Fair.
Next gig is at Stiúideo Cuan An Spidéal, Galway on 26th June 2024.
Tickets here
Really excited to be performing in Malahide Castle at Dublin’s Templebar TRADFEST 5pm 27th January 2024
Sep 2023Matt Molloy
A wonderful opportunity to play with the one and only Matt Molloy in Westport House today.
I would stand in the snow listening to Matt’s music so to be able play a few tunes with him is an honour.
Drawing from the Well
In the December episode of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s ‘Drawing from the Well’ Mayo harper Laoise Kelly explores the music of 'Hugh Higgins: A Harper in the Era of Enlightenment'. A Mayo native, Hugh played at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792 and was documented by the young Edward Bunting, tasked to take down the airs from the harpers.
Drawing from the Well
In the December episode of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s ‘Drawing from the Well’ Mayo harper Laoise Kelly explores the music of 'Hugh Higgins: A Harper in the Era of Enlightenment'. A Mayo native, Hugh played at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792 and was documented by the young Edward Bunting, tasked to take down the airs from the harpers.
TradFest Templebar
Am very excited to have a solo concert as part of the upcoming Templebar TRADFEST in the awesome Dublin Castle Hall.
I played in the magnificent Dublin Castle hall last year but there was no audience so I cant wait to play for real live people in this special building yahoo!
Sarah Makem inducted into the Hall of Fame at RTÉ Folk awards
Stephanie Makem collecting on behalf of the family and performing one of Sarah’s songs. Listen back [jump to clip 1:00:50]
The Bunting Collection
Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn & Laoise Kelly explore music rarely heard from the Edward Bunting manuscripts along with context of Belfast in the 1790s by Stephen Rea, and with special guest singer Stephanie Makem
Steve Cooney, Cumadóir na Bliana 2021 | Gradam Ceoil TG4
Rod McVey, Laoise Kelly, Dermot Byrne, Ódhrán Ó Casaide, Caoilte Ó Cuanaigh agus Steve ag seinnt dhá phíosa a chum sé in ómós do chairde leis. 'Mairseáil an Chláirínigh' & 'Planxty Páraic Mac Giolla Easpaig' (in ómós do Tony MacMahon agus do Pháraic Mac Giolla Easpaig).
Laoise Kelly
performs in The Black Abbey as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival Secret Music Series 2021
Fling Mhaigh Eo or the Mayo Fling, a new tune commissioned by TG4 for Mayo Day 2021. A special thank you to the one and only Matt Molloy for learning my new tune! The second tune is called the Humours of Westport. Up Mayo!
Other Voices
TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2020 Awardees Announced
Laoise was thrilled to be announced as the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Ceoltóir na Bliana 2020 Musician of the Year on 12th November 2019 during a special live TG4 Nuacht event in Westport Town Hall amongst friends and family.
