Question of Taste: Doireann Ní Ghlacáin

Thu, 06 Aug, 2020 - 09:36

Des O’Driscoll

Doireann Ní Ghlacáin hails from Clontarf in Dublin. She will present Fleadh 2020 nightly over the next four nights on TG4 at 9.30pm.

From her maternal family in Cúil Aodha, Doireann says she inherited a love for the Irish language, from her Father’s family a love for the fiddle. A native Irish speaker and a decent fiddle player, she has been involved in traditional music broadcasting over the past few years on TG4. She is currently completing a PhD in NUIG on oral poetry in the Irish language and has recently released her debut album, The Housekeepers.

Best recent book you've read and what you liked about it:

Eddie Lenihan’s Meeting The Other Crowd is a fantastic compilation of fairy stories collected from all over Clare. I’m fascinated with all things history and folklore, and this book is pure escapism. Would highly recommend!

Best recent film:

I recently watched Arracht as part of the Galway Film Fleadh on-line, an Irish-language film about the Famine. Honestly a must-see. One of those films that stays with you after watching it, and some unreal homegrown Irish talent featured.

Best recent show/gig you’ve seen (pre Covid!):

The last gig I saw before Covid was Des Bishop’s comedy show about his mother's death. There were guffaws and tears.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

I’m just back from my ‘laethanta stay-here-a‘ in Donegal. I had two songs on repeat the whole weekend, ‘The Road to Donegal’ and ‘Níl Cailín Óg Níos Deise’, both sung by my very talented friend Cathal Ó Curráin and accompanied by the legends Caitlín Nic Gabhann and Ciarán Ó Maonaigh.

My grandfather came from a small farm on the edge of a cliff in west Donegal and we still own the land where all my ancestors weathered the famine. It’s a very evocative and special place for me, and I think these songs give me a sense of home.

First ever piece of music that really moved you:

The great Dublin fiddle player Tommy Potts really marks my love affair with the fiddle. I spent hours as a teenager learning his tunes, and I’m still fascinated by them. I’ve heard all his tracks hundreds of times, but there’s still something new to pick out every time.

The best gig or show you've ever seen (if you had to pick one!):

I don’t think I’ll ever forget seeing Frankie Gavin perform in Liberty Hall as part of the Ace and Deuce of piping when I was about 15. Closely followed by an album launch he did some 10 years later with the legend that was Alec Finn a few weeks before he died. It was amazing to see an iconic duet like them live finally! The feeling in the auditorium was electric and the music was second to none.

Tell us about your TV viewing:

I'm not one to binge-watch, I have to really be engaged in what I’m looking at. My favourite ever series was called Cuimhní ón mBlascaod, a series of interviews by the last surviving inhabitants of the Blasket islands off the west coast of Kerry. It was honestly some of the funniest TV I’ve ever watched, and I think now more than ever we can learn a lot from the Islanders' attitude to life.

Radio listening and/or podcast:

The Two Johnnies podcast is my ultimate audio experience. I also love An Saol ó Dheas, on Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Crowley's Music Centre: An iconic Cork shop

You're curating your dream festival – which three artists are on the bill, living or dead?

Dolores O'Riordan, Darach Ó Catháin, Willie Clancy.

Your best/most famous celebrity encounter:

I was at Brendan Gleason’s 60th and I suppose he’s very famous. He’s also very sound, and I often played a few tunes with him around Dublin when I was 19 or 20.

You can portal back to any cultural event or music era – where, when, and why?

I’d honestly loved to have gone to an original Planxty gig. The 70s and 80s generally seems to be where I gravitate to most when I’m listening to music, it seemed to be a wild time in Ireland so I’m sure I’d have great craic too.