Traditional Irish and folk music is going through a resurgence not seen since the 1960s, when young artists rediscovered the great Irish folk canon and reinvented it for new generations.
That movement was led by artists like the Clancy Brohers and Tommy Makem, the Chieftains, and Planxty.
Over the last decade or so, a similar movement has taken place, with new generations of young artists rediscovering not just the music, but the instrumentation used to produce it, new generations of traditional singers, bodhran players, pipers and other instrumental progressives.
On Monday's Arena, two of the finest from each of those generations came into the radio centre to perform together for the very first time. Founding member of Planxty, Donal Lunny, and one of the greatest voices of the new generation, Lisa O'Neill - listen above.
Donal, best known as an outstanding bouzouki player and guitarist, it is also an extraordinary bodhran player, and demonstrated some of the techniques he uses on new generations of the instrument itself.
Lisa O’Neill, who has enjoyed extraordinary acclaim for her searing voice, her interpretations of old tunes, and her original writing, joined forces with Donal to create a unique musical moment, playing for the first time together on RTÉ Arena.
Lisa O'Neill will be supporting Donal’s new band, Ushers Island on Sunday, July 16th, at An Grianán Theatre, in Letterkenny, as part of the Earagail Arts Festival - find out more here, and listen to more from RTÉ Arena here.
