Nell Ní Chróinín (; born 1990) is an Irish
sean-nós singer from the
Muskerry
Muskerry ( ga, Múscraí) is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry WestGaeltacht
( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home.
The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially reco ...
in County Cork.
Sean-Nós
Ní Chróinín is originally from the Irish townland An Choill Mhór (Cuilmore), from the Irish-speaking town of
Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, although her family is originally from the nearby village
Cúil Aodha
Cúil Aodha (), anglicised as Coolea, is a townland and village in the Gaeltacht region of Muskerry in County Cork, Ireland. The area is near the source of the River Sullane in the Derrynasaggart Mountains.
Geography
Cúil Aodha townland is i ...
Her interest in sean-nós singing arose after attending her first
Oireachtas na Gaeilge
Oireachtas na Gaeilge (, “The Irish (language) Gathering”) is an annual arts festival of Irish culture, which has run since the 1890s. Inspired by the Welsh eisteddfodau, the festival has included different events connected with Irish lang ...
event when she was ten years old. In her own words, "It was a result of the Oireachtas that I was given a chance to meet with some of the greatest singers, dancers, poets, composers and characters who have now passed on". In the following year, Ní Chróinín started singing lessons, and was particularly influenced by local singers such as
Máire Ní Chéilleachair and
Eoiní Maidhcí Ó Suilleabháin, from whom she was able to learn her songs.
As a teenager, she won prestigious sean-nós singing prizes, in particular winning in her age category at the
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
The Fleadh Cheoil (; meaning "festival of music") is an Music of Ireland, Irish music festival run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), a non-profit organisation. The festival includes live music events as well as competition. Each year a si ...
in 2005 and 2006.
She was inspired by the Muskerry sean-nós singers
Elizabeth Cronin
Elizabeth "Bess" Cronin ( ga, Eibhlís Uí Chróinín, italic=no; 29 May 18792 June 1956) was an influential singer of Irish traditional music in the sean-nós style. She sang hundreds of songs which she learnt as a youth, half of which were in ...
and
Diarmuid Ó Suilleabháin.
In 2008, Ní Chróinín won a medal at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge competition, second place amongst the female singers under 35 years of age (the ‘Corn Phádraig Mhic an Rí’, or ‘Corn na mBan’), and she returned in 2010 to win first place in the same category. Having now won the young women's category, she qualified to compete for the primary event of the Oireachtas, the ‘Corn Uí Riada’ in the following year. She took part as one of eighteen contestants in 2011, singing ‘Cath Chéim an Fhia’ and ‘An Cailín Aerach’, although Jimmy Ó Ceannabháin ultimately won the coveted top prize.
In 2014, Ní Chróinín won
Corn Uí Riada and was both the youngest person ever to win it and the first person from
Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971), was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figur ...
's home place of Múscraí to win it. The songs with which she won were 'Cuisle mo Chroí' and 'An Chóisire', and she sang 'Na Táilliúirí' upon winning the competition.
Ní Chróinín has performed vocals with and appeared on albums by the Irish traditional band Raw Bar Collective.
In 2017, Ní Chróinín joined the band
Danú
Danú is an Irish traditional music band.
The founding members of Danú (Donnchadh Gough, Dónal Clancy, Daire Bracken, and Benny McCarthy) met in Waterford in Ireland in 1994, and consolidated as a band after performing in the Festival Interc ...
, and was featured on their album, 'Ten Thousand Miles', released in April 2018.
TG4
Over the years, Ní Chróinín has made several television appearances as a guest singer, generally on the Irish language television station
TG4
TG4 ( ga, TG Ceathair, ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television network. The channel launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond.
TG4 was formerly known ...
. She has sung on traditional music shows such as ''
Geanntraí'' and ''
Anam an Amhrán'', and she was also the subject of an episode of ''
Amhráin is Ansa Liom'' in 2010, a programme where a chosen traditional Irish singer sings and discusses four of their favourite pieces. In Ní Chróinín's case, she chose ‘An Lacha Bhacach’ (probably the song she is most closely identified with), ‘Cath Chéim an Fhia’, ‘Seán 's a Bhríste Leathair’ and ‘Táimse agus Máire’.
Education and work
Ní Chróinín studied for her Bachelor of Education at Mary Immaculate College,
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a public research university institution in Limerick, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in 1989 in accordance w ...
, and completed her studies in 2010.
At the present time, she is working as a teacher in Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc in Carlow.
Prizes
* 2005
** Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – Irish language song (Women) (12–15 years) (1st place)
* 2006
** Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – Irish language song (Women) (15–18 years) (1st place)
* 2008
** An tOireachtas – Corn Cuimhneacháin Sheáin Óig Uí Thuama (Sean-Nós competition for people under 35 years old) (2nd place)
* 2010
** An tOireachtas – Corn Cuimhneacháin Sheáin Óig Uí Thuama (Sean-Nós competition for people under 35 years old) (1st place)
** An tOireachtas – Corn Phádraig Mhic an Rí (Sean-Nós Singing – Women) (1st place)
** An tOireachtas – ‘A special €400 prize for two people who have not won a prize in this competition to this point’ (shared with Eibhlís Ní Shúilleabháin)
*2014
**An tOireachtas –
Corn Uí Riada, premier sean nós singing competition at
Oireachtas na Gaeilge
Oireachtas na Gaeilge (, “The Irish (language) Gathering”) is an annual arts festival of Irish culture, which has run since the 1890s. Inspired by the Welsh eisteddfodau, the festival has included different events connected with Irish lang ...
Discography
;With Danú
*''Ten Thousand Miles'' (2018)
;With Raw Bar Collective
*''Millhouse Measures'' (2011)
*''Ag Fogairt An Lae'' (2016)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ni Chroinin, Nell
Musicians from County Cork
1990 births
20th-century Irish women singers
21st-century Irish women singers
Living people
Sean-nós singers