Nollaig Casey
Encyclopedia
Nollaig Casey is an Irish fiddle player ,and has an international reputation as one of Ireland's finest fiddle players. By the time she was eleven years old she could play violin, piano, tin whistle
and uilleann pipes. During her teenage years she learned to play in both the classical and traditional musical traditions. She won several All-Ireland titles for fiddle and traditional singing culminating in the award to her in 1972 for the best all-round performer.
where she remained for five years. She performed with the band Planxty
in 1980 and toured with them throughout Europe. Nollaig has recorded and toured with a variety of groups and musicians including, Moving Hearts
, Liam O'Flynn
, Frances Black
' The Clancy Brothers
and Elvis Costello
.
Her television appearances include the BBC TV series "Bringing it All Back Home" and "A River of Sound". Nollaig has also performed as a featured artist in Donal Lunny
's Coolfin band with whom she has recorded and toured extensively. More recently She has performed as a soloist with the phenomenally successful 'Riverdance
' as well as featuring in Shaun Davey
's 'Granuaile' and 'May We Never Have To Say Goodbye' which was the theme song of the Special Olympic World Games 2003 which was hosted by Ireland.
Nollaig also performs regularly with her husband guitarist Arty McGlynn
, her sister harpist Máire Ní Chathasaigh
and guitarist Chris Newman.
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
and uilleann pipes. During her teenage years she learned to play in both the classical and traditional musical traditions. She won several All-Ireland titles for fiddle and traditional singing culminating in the award to her in 1972 for the best all-round performer.
Life
She graduated from University College Cork with a B-Mus degree at the age of nineteen, and started her career with the RTÉ National Symphony OrchestraRTÉ National Symphony Orchestra
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra is the concert music orchestra of Raidió Teilifís Éireann...
where she remained for five years. She performed with the band Planxty
Planxty
Planxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting initially of Christy Moore , Dónal Lunny , Andy Irvine , and Liam O'Flynn...
in 1980 and toured with them throughout Europe. Nollaig has recorded and toured with a variety of groups and musicians including, Moving Hearts
Moving Hearts
Moving Hearts is an Irish folk-rock band formed in 1981. They followed in the footsteps of Horslips in combining Irish traditional music with rock and roll, and also added elements of jazz to their sound.-Career:...
, Liam O'Flynn
Liam O'Flynn
Liam O'Flynn is a master uilleann piper and prominent Irish folk musician. In addition to an impressive solo career and his work with the Irish traditional group Planxty, O'Flynn has recorded with many prominent international musical artists, including Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Enya,...
, Frances Black
Frances Black
Frances Black is an award-winning Irish singer. A pure vocal tone and an energetic stage presence has made Black one of Ireland’s most popular singers...
' The Clancy Brothers
The Clancy Brothers
The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, they were famed for their woolly Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, Tom Clancy, Bobby Clancy...
and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
.
Her television appearances include the BBC TV series "Bringing it All Back Home" and "A River of Sound". Nollaig has also performed as a featured artist in Donal Lunny
Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny is an Irish folk musician. Lunny has been at the forefront of the evolution of traditional Irish music for more than thirty-five years and has participated within the renaissance of traditional Irish music in that time period...
's Coolfin band with whom she has recorded and toured extensively. More recently She has performed as a soloist with the phenomenally successful 'Riverdance
Riverdance
Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
' as well as featuring in Shaun Davey
Shaun Davey
- Early years :Shaun Davey was born in Belfast in 1948. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in the history of Art in 1971. He then took a master's degree at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. In the late 1970s, he made his first recording, "Davey and Morris," with Donal Lunny and others...
's 'Granuaile' and 'May We Never Have To Say Goodbye' which was the theme song of the Special Olympic World Games 2003 which was hosted by Ireland.
Nollaig also performs regularly with her husband guitarist Arty McGlynn
Arty McGlynn
Arty McGlynn is an Irish guitarist born in Omagh, County Tyrone. In addition to his solo work, he has collaborated with different notable groups such as Patrick Street, Planxty, Four Men and a Dog, De Dannan and the Van Morrison Band. He played guitar on the critically acclaimed 1989 Van Morrison...
, her sister harpist Máire Ní Chathasaigh
Máire Ní Chathasaigh
Máire Ní Chathasaigh is an Irish harpist and singer. She began playing at only eleven years old, inspired by her family, many of whom are noted musicians from West Cork. She drew heavily on traditional styles, but also created new techniques of ornamentation...
and guitarist Chris Newman.