Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta from An Árd Mhóir in Conamara are brilliant exponents of the sean-nós tradition for which their area is renowned. During Covid, they began exploring new musical directions, gaining fans near and far. This week, they’re performing at Clifden Arts Festival in a new composition by Bill Whelan. Music is in their veins as JUDY MURPHY learns.

Fate is a funny thing. When Sligo-born Mary Nic Giolla Choillín was fresh out of primary training college in Dublin she applied for a job in Galway.

But rather than ending up where she thought she would – in Barna – her position was in Carna. That was thirty years ago and Barna’s loss was Carna’s gain – or even more specifically the place where she settled and had her family, An Árd Mhóir.

While Mary hadn’t known anything about the area previously, it became her home. She married local man Dara Ó Flatharta and embraced the and music and language of this Gaeltacht region.

Trained in classical music, she brought her own talents to a family steeped in the sean-nós tradition. Now, the next generation is carrying the legacy forward, most notably Séamus (24) and Caoimhe (21) who are performing at this year’s Clifden Arts Festival in a new composition by Bill Whelan.

Séamus, on vocals and whistle and Caoimhe on vocals and fiddle, previously joined the ConTempo quartet for the world premiere of Stolen Hearts in Galway City in July when it was performed in St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church for the Galway International Arts Festival. Now it’s getting its Conamara premiere.

Chatting to them in Clifden’s Station House Hotel, the two credit their parents, neighbours and teachers from An Árd Mhóir and Carna with giving them the grá and talent for music, song and dance.

Their two older brothers, Conall and Rónán, are also fine musicians. Conall had his first lessons aged eight, and Séamus and Caoimhe have been listening to the older lads since their earlierst years, with Caoimhe being especially young.

“She was learning stuff way beyond her years,” says Séamus of his younger sister who played at her first Fleadh aged just four.

“I was very lucky in that sense,” she agrees.

Mary and Dara drove their children to concerts and competitions far and wide, they recall.

“They drove us all around the country and never complained,” says Séamus of their parents’ rounds of Feiseanna, Fleadhanna and other events.

Pictured: The Uí Fhlatharta siblings, Caoimhe and Séamus, who were reared in the sean-nós tradition, have multiple All-Ireland titles and play a variety of instruments. PHOTO: IAIN MCDONALD.