Brenda Castles recently completed a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and is fresh from a solo performance at Tradfest in Dublin.

Meath Beo series 2022 to open at Slane Castle

Meath Beo is returning, hosting live traditional Irish music events in historic buildings. A special return performance at Slane Castle on Sunday 29th May will feature two headline artists, Brenda Castles on concertina and Éanna Ó Cróinín on uilleann pipes. Both Brenda and Éanna released new music albums during the pandemic.

Their solo performances will be complemented by an interval act of live step dancing from Bernie Murphy Mhic Gabhann with Bernadette Nic Gabhann on fiddle.

Brenda Castles has several All-Ireland Fleadh titles to her name both in solo and group competitions and was a finalist in one of the early Young Traditional Musician of the Year competitions.

In 2016, Brenda released her first solo album of traditional Irish music on concertina, 'Indeedin You Needn't Bother' to critical acclaim and her latest album, ‘The Light Side of the Tune’ is just out.

She performs both as a solo artist and with the Green Fields of America. She has recently completed a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and is fresh from a solo performance at Tradfest in Dublin.

Éanna Ó Cróinín from the rich cultural Ráth Chairn Gaeltacht started learning music at a very young age on the whistle and progressed to uilleann pipes at the age of 10. He learned his craft as a piper with NPU in Dublin under the tutelage of Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh, Mick O’Brien, Seán óg Potts, Robbie Hannon and others.

Éanna has won many national competitions on the pipes at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Oireachtas na Gaeilge, and the coveted Bonn Óir Sheáin Uí Riada. In 2012, he launched his debut album Ceol Ársa na bPíob (the ancient music of the pipes).

In 2019, he published a body of research on uilleann piping and pipers in County Meath as part of a book on the musical heritage of Meath entitled 'Traditional Music and Song in County Meath' – Ferguson & Mac Gabhann 2019.

In 2021, he launched his second album, 'Píobaireacht na Mí - The Meath Piping Tradition' based on the repertoire of the piper Hugh Newman (1850-1939) of Moyaugher.

The Slane Castle performance commences at 6pm sharp, finishing at 8pm (Doors 5.30pm). All details of tickets are on www.meathbeo.com . Pre ticket sales is highly recommended. All updates will also be on Meathbeo social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.