Caitlín Nic Gabhann

Three time All-Ireland champion on concertina, Caitlín Nic Gabhann is a regular performer at festivals and in concert halls from North America all the way to Asia. She is also an accomplished dancer and in 2009, joined Riverdance as a troupe dancer.

Writing tunes since the age of ten, her compositions have been performed in the Cork Opera House and The National Concert Hall, Dublin. She teaches concertina annually at summer and winter schools in Ireland, Europe and USA and has performed with the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet, Paddy Keenan, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Cherish The Ladies, The Kilfenora Ceili Band and for Presidents and Royalty around the world, most recently at ‘Ceiliúradh’ in the Royal Albert Hall, London as a guest of President Michael D. Higgins. Her debut solo CD release, Caitlín was voted the 2012 ‘CD of the Year’ award by tradconnect.com as well as being labelled the ‘top Irish traditional album of 2012’ by The Wall Street Journal.

Raised in a house full of music in Co.Meath, Caitlín learned most of her music from her father Antóin Mac Gabhann, a noted fiddler and fiddle teacher and his playing has greatly influenced her style and rhythm. Her mother Bernie is immersed in the Clare set-dancing culture and she passed a love of this on to her children – Caitlín being her dance partner at ceilís from a young age. Bernie and her brother John Murphy have influenced Caitlín’s dancing greatly, as have Willie Keane, Aidan Vaughan and Tommy Browne. A first class honours graduate of both University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin, Caitlín is currently concentrating on musical collaborations with the award-winning fiddle player and documentary maker, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh. She is also involved as musician and dancer with bands NicGaviskey, Birkin Tree, The Irish Concertina Ensemble and original theatre production Mag Mell– www.magmellshow.com.