Asha Ari

Dublin-native Asha Ari embodies the essence of cultural fusion, drawing from her Ghanaian and Irish roots to create a musical journey that transcends borders. Her enchanting blend of Pop, Soul, and R&B has captivated audiences across Ireland and beyond.

Growing up in Blanchardstown, Asha's musical journey began in her teens, where she quickly made her mark on the vibrant Dublin music scene. Her passion for music led her to release a string of singles and an EP titled 'Freedom,' which garnered widespread acclaim.

Asha's talent extends beyond the studio; her live performances are a testament to her magnetic stage presence and boundless energy. From commanding the main stage at Forest Fest to captivating audiences in London and Toulouse, she leaves an indelible impression wherever she performs.

Her music not only entertains but also resonates on a deeper level, touching on themes of self-love, empowerment, and embracing one's true identity. As a bi-racial artist, Asha draws from her personal experiences to craft lyrics that speak to the soul, fostering a sense of connection and unity among her listeners.

With her songs receiving airplay on numerous radio stations both at home and abroad, Asha Ari is poised to make a lasting impact on the global music scene. Through her music, she continues to break down barriers and build bridges, spreading positivity and love with every note she sings.

Niamh Bury

Ever since releasing her first single with Claddagh Records in July 2023, Dubliner Niamh Bury has been hailed as one of Irish folk’s most exciting new talents; a particularly prestigious coup during a time when the genre is garnering so much attention around the world. Her debut album Yellow Roses is out on Friday 29th March on Claddagh Records.

With influences as wide-ranging as Laura Marling, Fiona Apple and Paul Simon, to name a few, Niamh Bury’s music will resonate with fans of artists like Big Thief, Ye Vagabonds and Billie Marten.

Niamh has collaborated and shared the stage with acts like Dermot Kennedy, Ye Vagabonds, Martin Hayes, Myles O’Reilly, Niamh Regan and Cinder Well.

She has performed at St. Patrick’s Festival, Body & Soul, Quiet Lights, and Dún Laoghaire Folk Festival, captivating audiences with uniquely stirring vocals, adept lyricism, and striking interpretations of old songs.

Niamh is one of the chief organisers of the iconic traditional singing session The Night Before Larry Got Stretched, which famously takes place in The Cobblestone Pub on the last Sunday of every month and whose founders include members of Lankum.

Tony Curtis

Tony Curtis was born in Dublin in 1955. He was educated at Essex University and Trinity College Dublin. An award-winning poet, Curtis has published twelve warmly received collections. Some of his most recent titles are Folk (Arc Publications 201I); Pony with drawings and paintings by David Lilburn (Occasional Press 2013); Approximately in the Key of C (Arc Publications 2015) and This Flight Tonight with drawings by David Lilburn (Occasional Press 2019. Between the Tides: twenty-four poems about twenty-four fascinating women poets, with photographs by Liam Blake (Real Ireland Press 2021).

Curtis has received The Irish National Poetry Prize and The Varuna Exchange Fellowship to Australia. In 2018, Curtis was awarded The Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Poetry Prize from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. A renowned performer, Curtis has read his poetry all over the world to great acclaim. He is a member of Aosdána.

Trudie Gorman

Trudie Gorman is a poet, essayist and activist based in Dublin. Her debut poetry collection Trust the Damage was shortlisted for the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2023. In 2022 she was awarded a residency with Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and in 2023 she was a Dublin Fringe Festival Artist in Residence. Trudie was selected for Poetry Ireland Versify Series in 2019 and was also shortlisted for the Creative Future Writing Award 2019. Trudie was a Resident Artist at Dublin Fringe Festival for 2023. Her writing has been published in Poetry Ireland Review, Banshee, Poetry NI, Two Metre Review, Unapologetic Magazine, and The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working-Class Voices.

Hazel Hogan

Hazel Hogan is a poet, writer, and facilitator from Dublin. Hazel has ten years’ experience of performing poetryHer poem ‘Grangegorman’ was on the recommended list to be studied as part of the Junior Cert syllabus. She has given workshops to children, adults, and community groups across Ireland. Hazel set up the Ukrainian Creative Hub alongside the the Museum of Literature Ireland. Most recently she has worked with institutions such as Poetry as Commemoration, IMMA, Poetry Ireland, the Docas Centre and Ballyfermot Partnership to offer workshops to community groups and has worked as a Writer in Residence in several different organisations. Hazel studies English and Creative Writing in UCD. Hazel is on the Board of Directors for Fighting Words.

Indeceltic

Indeceltic is an Irish folk duo. Irish-born Anna, and Maninder from Dehradun in Northern India, met in the foothills of the Himalayas in 2017.  Now settled in Ireland, these singer songwriters take you on a soulful journey from India through Europe to Ireland, performing songs in many languages, on universal themes of love, life and loss.

Jyellowl

JYellowL is a RTÉ Choice Music Prize nominated artist who has been consistently paving the way in Irish hip hop over the past number of years. The achievements speak for themselves, from supporting artists like Burna Boy, De La Soul, Nelly and The Game, to placements among the likes of the official FIFA soundtrack, Normal People and 1.2 million streams on Spotify alone in 2023 - all as an independent artist. His Irish, Jamaican and Nigerian roots have shaped his powerful, distinct sound and the Dublin-London based rapper is known for his effortless flow and music rooted in rap but fused with afrobeat, dancehall, RnB and soul.

Kiruu

Kiruu’s music combines influences from his mixed cultural background of Ireland, the Mediterranean, and East Africa. He released his album "Super Feo Express" in 2019, and the Equinox music video in summer 2022. His interactive and eclectic live show takes different formats, and he collaborates regularly with an array of very groovy musicians based around Dublin and beyond. In 2022 & 2023 he returned to the music scene post covid, playing the festival circuit both years with his band. In April this year he will go into the studio to record tracks from a new EP to be released before summer 2024.

Paula Meehan

Paula Meehan is one of the best-known contemporary Irish poets. Born in 1955 in Dublin where she still lives, she studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and in the MFA programme at Eastern Washington University. Besides seven award-winning poetry collections she has also written plays for both adults and children. She has conducted residencies in universities, in prisons, in the wider community, and her poems and plays have been translated into many languages, including Irish. She has collaborated with musicians, visual artists and dancers. Paula Meehan's poetry collections in print include Dharmakaya and Painting Rain, from Carcanet Press, Manchester and from Wake Forest University Press, North Carolina. Geomantic, a long poem in 81 parts, published in 2016 by Dedalus Press, received a Cholmondelay Award for Poetry. Music for Dogs: Works for Radio, is also available from Dedalus Press. As If By Magic: Selected Poems, was published 1st of October, 2020, by Dedalus Press, and presents a generous offering of her poetry made in the last thirty years, including some of her most popular poems such as My Father Perceived as a Vision of St. Francis and The Statue of the Virgin at Granard Speaks. From 2013 to 2016 Paula Meehan was Ireland Professor of Poetry and her lectures from the Chair, Imaginary Bonnets with Real Bees in Them, is published by UCD Press. A collection of critical essays on her poetry and plays, edited by Jody Allen Randolph, was published by the U.S. journal An Sionnach. Meehan's awards include the Butler Award of the Irish American Cultural Institute, the Laurence O’Shaughnessy Award, the Denis Devlin Award and the Marten Toonder Award.

Sophie Meehan

Sophie Meehan is a poet, filmmaker and comic artist from Dublin 8, now based in Fingal. Her poetry publications include Crannóg, The Honest Ulsterman, the Football Association of Ireland, Under the Radar and on Dublin Bus in association with Poetry Ireland. She co-founded the Working-Class Writing Archive with Dr. Emma Penney. Other recent works include a short film; Young People of Ireland, and a book of drawings; Up/Down.

Maryna Odolska

Maryna Odolska is a Ukrainian singer, who was named the Honored Artist of Ukraine in 2004. Amongst her many achievements, Maryna was awarded first place in the Pop Music category at the All-Ukrainian competition “Chervona Ruta”, along with receiving a special prize at the international competition “Voice of Asia”. Over the years she has received many awards and accolades, and since arriving in Ireland, she has performed regularly, particularly as part of Festival in a Van’s Shared Music Sessions.

Trish Reilly

Trish Reilly is a singer-songwriter who draws inspiration from her Traveller heritage and a strong family musical tradition. From Athlone, Co. Westmeath, she is a relative of the well-known traditional singer John ‘Jacko’ Reilly, who was recorded by Professor Tom Munnelly. A dedicated and vocal supporter of Traveller rights, Reilly has been involved in Traveller activism for over 30 years.

Rhythm Africana

Uganda/Zambia has over 54 tribes - all have their own unique dance! Rhythm Africana will perform a Kiganda Dance from Uganda, Kalela dance/chingande from Zambia and a mix of rumba from Congo.