Arts Week with Judy Murphy

Singer-songwriter Imelda May and the groundbreaking bilingual production Tionscadal Taylor Swift: Sreang Dhofheicthe are the  headline acts of this year’s Tonnta, which takes place in the city from next Thursday, January 29, to Sunday, February 1.

The Irish-language and bilingual festival will include 24 events across 15 venues, ranging from music, art, wellness, storytelling, workshops, late-night events, and family experiences. All are through Irish or bilingual and 14 of them are free.

Created by Gaillimh le Gaeilge, Tonnta celebrates Irish as a living, creative and welcoming part of Galway life.

Imelda May’s show, Raised on Songs & Stories will be at An Dubhlann / the Black Box next Friday, January 30, at 8pm, offering fans a chance to experience her music in its purest form. Blending soulful, acoustic versions of her songs with her poetry and warm, spontaneous storytelling, she’s inviting audiences into a space where “anything can happen”,

This tour accompanies her six-part TV series, Amhráin na nGael, which explores Ireland’s musical roots, the beauty of Irish and the heritage that inspires her work.

Tionscadal Taylor Swift: Sreang Dhofheicthe, an electrifying bilingual reimagining of Taylor Swift’s 2020 albums, folklore and evermore, will be at the Town Hall Theatre on Saturday, January 31, at 8pm. Performed by Róisín Seoighe x IMLÉ with special guest Jessie Dingle, featuring translations by Róisín and Gabriel Rosenstock, and evocative visuals by Margaret Lonergan, this version, in partnership with IMRAM, merges song, poetry, and art.

West Belfast group Huartan will be in Druid’s Mick Lally Theatre next Friday, January 30, at 10pm, followed by a DJ set from Trad Rave. Irish music and electronica are fused in the show from Huartan as they breathe new life into traditional words and melodies. Their bold sound has won them Gradaim Nós Newcomer of the Year, NI Music Prize Live Act of the Year 2024, victory in Hot Press’s inaugural Amhrán na Laoch competition, and a recent shortlisting for the BBC’s Introducing NI Artist of the Year.

Closing the night, Trad Rave – featuring DJ PCP (Colm Óg Ólbhill) and Djackulate (Jack Dempsey) – will bring DJ techniques to traditional music, transforming it for festival and nightclub dancefloors.

The Mick Lally will be transformed in honour of Naomh Bríd, with a blend of sound, light, movement and community, celebrating renewal and fire.

Pictured: Imelda May will be at The Black Box next Friday, January 30, at 8pm, with Raised on Songs and Stories.