Clare composer and musician Neil Ó Lochlainn, will be joined by a 13-strong musical ensemble at An Taibhdhearc in Galway City on Friday, November 17, for a performance of his latest work Emain Ablach, an imagined Irish mythological tale.

In his work, Neil is dedicated to developing a contemporary musical language inspired by and based on Irish traditional music. Emain Ablach is one of many names used for the ‘otherworld’, the land inhabited by the sídhe, or fairy folk.

In keeping with many early Irish stories, Neil’s music for this piece is structured in three chapters around a hero’s journey to the otherworld, their adventures there and their eventual redemption and return.

Acclaimed poet Aifric Mac Aodha has written a sequence to describe the hero’s exploits. These poems, set to the music, will be narrated by Billy MagFhloinn.

The musical ensemble who will perform the piece features some of Ireland’s leading performers from a variety of backgrounds. They are Neil Ó Lochlainn (double bass and flute) Mark Redmond (uilleann pipes) Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (concertina) Lucia McPartlin and Ultan O Brien (fiddle) Eilís Lavelle (harp) Laura Jurd (trumpet) Colm O’Hara (trombone) Sam Comerford (saxophone) Evi Filippou (vibraphone) Caitríona Frost, Aidan Dunphy and Brendan Doherty ( percussion) with Billy MagFhloinn (narrator).

Emain Ablach is on November 17 at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc, Middle Street, and tickets are available at the box office or from www.antaibhdhearc.com.

Pictured: Neil Ó Lochlainn