Quiet Lights: Double Bill: Lucia and Maria // Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O'Brien
Violin virtuose duo Lucia Mac Partlin and Maria Ryan, also known as “Lucia and Maria” met while studying in Cork and quickly realized their shared passion for folk music. While they both have been studying Classical Music on the violin from an early age, the pair have also been deeply immersed in the world of Traditional Irish Music, among other genres, and now draw on all of these influences in their music to stunning effect. The duo completed their Masters’ at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden before returning home to record their debut album “Live at the Chapel” at Griffith College Chapel in Cork in 2018. Since then “Lucia and Maria” have toured worldwide, both as a duo and with their contemporary Irish Ensemble “Strung”. They aim to forever push the boundaries of fiddle music and enthrall audiences both nationally and internationally.
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin is a Dublin-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with his musical roots in sean-nós singing. He has recorded and performed with various bands including Skipper's Alley, Aon Teanga:Un Chengey, and Jiggy.
Ultan O’Brien is a fiddle player, violist and composer hailing from County Clare drawing from a rich background in traditional Irish music and improvised music. He plays as a soloist and in collaborative projects with Martin Green (Lau) , Nic Gareiss, Slow Moving Clouds, Skipper’s Alley, Neil Ó Lochlainn’s Cuar, and John Francis Flynn.
Together, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháín and Ultan O’Brien are a formidable duo. Their album ‘Solas an Lae’ (The Light of the Day), recorded at Watercolour Music in Lochaber, was awarded Best Folk Album at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards 2021, and their blend of voice, viola, flute, fiddle and drone mesmerises and ignites any room they play. Eoghan and Ultan have that rare and magical ability to silence any room and charge the heart of every listener. Two of the most articulate Irish musical voices on the scene today, this is not to be missed.