An Cailleach Beara (Photo Áine Gallagher)
Ambient Orbit will broadcast live from Eyeries on the Beara Peninsula for a special programme to mark the summer solstice on Saturday June 21st.
Musicians David Kitt, Elaine Malone and Clara Webster will be responding to environmental field recordings from the site of An Cailleach Beara, translated as The Hag of Beara who is said to be represented in the form of a rock when she was frozen in time while looking out to sea. This broadcast explores the complex myth of An Cailleach Beara: one of the most ancient of mythological beings in Ireland.
In advance of Ambient Orbit, the Culture File Debate (6.30pm - 7pm) will be a panel discussion about An Cailleach Beara (The Hag of Beara) featuring Jennifer Ahern, Gabriella Faith and Emma Verling.
There will limited spaces for members of the public in the Town Hall for both events. If you would like to attend please register your interest for tickets by emailing ambient.orbit@rte.ie
Otherwise, tune in for musical folklore and solstice celebrations, wherever you are, on the longest day of the year between 7 and 9pm on RTÉ lyric fm.
Stream the full Ambient Orbit series here
Elaine Malone is a psych-rock artist & multi-instrumentalist blending elements of shoegaze, folk, and experimental soundscapes. Her critically acclaimed debut album Pyrrhic (Pizza Pizza Records, 2023) showcases her evocative lyricism and dynamic compositions. A key figure in Ireland's DIY music scene, she has performed with Lankum, Protomartyr, and The Mary Wallopers, gracing stages like London’s Roundhouse and the National Concert Hall. Alongside her solo work, she leads the folk-horror, harmonium-led project Mantua and collaborates in motorik group pôt-pot and improvisational trio Géis. She most recently collaborated with cult NZ guitarist Roy Montgomery on 'Electric Turbulence'.
A unique and sincere songwriter with an expert ability to meld inspirations, eras and sounds, platinum selling artist David Kitt's music glimmers with a sense of timelessness well-earned after over twenty years immersed in music.
Kitt also records under the under the alias of New Jackson which is solely focused on techno and house music influences, but energised by the same sense of melody and experimentation that defines his work under his given name, the music of New Jackson has featured on some of the best-respected electronic and dance labels across Europe, including Hivern Discs, Cin Cin and Permanent Vacation. These numerous releases have led to Kitt DJing at a number of the world’s equally celebrated clubs and festivals, including Berlin’s Berghain/Panorama Bar and the forward-thinking Belfast festival, AVA. As a remixer, he has gone on to provide memorable edits for major pop and dance artists, including The XX, Mano Le Tough and Shit Robot.
In March 2023, via RE:WARM, Kitt shared his ninth studio album 'Idiot Check’, seeing the artist tap into a diverse range of influences once more, emerging as an ambient and atmospheric record that puts an eclectic experimental spin on traditional folk music.
Clara Webster is a Wexford-born musician and songwriter. She is currently based in Dublin, where she performs with Anenome and Lifts. She is a multifaceted musician and songwriter; crafting a unique style that weaves the instruments of the string family together with electronics, guitar, and harmonium.
For this performance, Clara will play her signature instrument: a custom-built bass viola, processed with electronics to produce an immersive, resonant sound that blurs the line between the synthetic and the organic