Unearthing the almost-forgotten gems of Irish opera

At Lismore over the next few days, Una Hunt will help to revive pieces that had fallen out of fashion, writes Cathy Desmond.

Una Hunt is on a mission to address neglect. The pianist and historian has steadily mined the archives to unearth forgotten gems of 19th classical music by Irish composers.

Hunt is in the vanguard of a movement shedding some 21st century light on work by composers who were enormously popular on the international scene before changing fashions and shifting ideas of Irishness threw a veil of obscurity over their works.