Iarla Ó Lionáird has carved a long and unique career in music both internationally and in Ireland. From his iconic early recording of the vision song “Aisling Gheal” as a young boy to his ground breaking recordings with Dublin’s Crash Ensemble and New York’s Alarm Will Sound, he has shown a breadth of artistic ambition that sets him apart in the Irish Music fraternity. He’s a child of traditional music, born and bred in Cúil Aodha, in the belly of the West Cork Gaeltacht, with Seán Ó Riada a neighbour and indisputable early influence. His great aunt, the traditional singer Elizabeth Cronin, had forged a reputation for rich interpretation before him, paving the way for the young Ó Lionáird to still audiences with his plaintive, textured voice at Mass, and later, in parlours, front rooms, snugs, town halls and concert halls. The truth is, it’s the individual sonic qualities of Iarla Ó Lionáird’s voice that define him. That voice, with all its midnight depth and soaring breadth, transcends anything that might box or classify him as one thing or another. A twice Grammy nominated artist, Ó Lionáird has worked with a stellar cast of composers internationally including Donnacha Dennehy, Dan Trueman, Kate Moore, Nico Muhly, Linda Buckley, Gavin Bryars and David Lang and he has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Sinead O’Connor. His unique singing style has carried him to stages and concert halls all over the world, from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and beyond. He has performed as soloist with concert and symphony orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Centre, USA, The Irish National Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Concert Orchestra. Also an accomplished broadcaster, O’ Lionaird’s recent Radio Series “Vocal Chords” on the mysteries of the human voice, for Ireland’s National Classical Music Broadcaster, RTE Lyric FM, won both Gold and Silver Awards at the “New York Radio Festival” 2016/2018 His own voice has graced the silver screen also, with film credits extending from “The Gangs of New York” to “Hotel Rwanda” and most recently as featured singer in the film “Brooklyn” starring Saoirse Ronan. He is the vocalist with the critically-acclaimed Irish/American band The Gloaming.

Tá clú agus cáil ar Iarla Ó Lionáird i saol an cheoil go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta le blianta fada. Óna chéad thaifead mar ghasúr óg ar ‘Aisling Gheal’ agus a chuid taifid le Crash Ensemble as Baile Átha Cliath agus Alarm Will Sound Nua Eabhrach, seasann sé amach mar cheoltóir mar gheall ar chomh ealaíonta is atá sé. Fáisceadh sa cheol traidisiúnta é ón chliabhán i gCúil Aodha, an áit ar rugadh agus ar tógadh é i gcroí Ghaeltacht Chorcaí, áit a raibh Seán Ó Riada mar chomharsa aige agus níl aon amhras faoi ach go raibh tionchar ag an fhear céanna ar a chuid ceoil. Bhí cáil ar sheanaintín leis, Elizabeth Cronin mar gheall ar a cuid ceoil féin agus agus d’fhág sí an bealach réitithe do Ó Lionáird daoine a chur faoi gheasa lena ghlór ag an aifreann, i dtithe, in hallaí pobail agus i gceolárais. Tá guth ar leith ag Ó Lionáird agus cuireann doimhneacht agus binneas an ghutha sin daoine faoi gheasa agus iad ag éisteacht leis. Tá ainmniúchán le haghaidh Grammy faighte aige faoi dhó agus obair déanta aige le cumadóirí idirnáisiúnta, ina measc, Donnacha Dennehy, Dan Trueman, Kate Moore, Nico Muhly, Linda Buckley, Gavin Bryars agus David Lang agus roinn sé an stáitse agus an stiúideo taifeadta le leithéidí Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant agus Sinead O’Connor. Tá stáitsí agus ceolárais an domhan siúlta aige lena ghlór binn ó Carnegie Hall i Nua Eabhrach go dtí an Sydney Opera House agus go leor ionaid eile nach iad. Cheol sé le ceolfhoireann shiansach go minic, ina measc Ceolfhoireann Uladh, An Ceolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta ag an Kennedy Centre i SAM, Ceolfhoireann Náisiúnta Shiansach na hÉireann agus Ceolfhoireann RTÉ. Tá aithne air mar chraoltóir chomh maith agus bhain a sraith raidió is deireanaí ‘Vocal Chords’ ar RTÉ Lyric FM gradam óir agus gradam airgid ag an New York Radio Festival in 2016 agus in 2018. Tá a ghlór le cloisteáil i scannáin ar an scáileán mór chomh maith, ‘The Gangs of New York’, ‘Hotel Rwanda’ agus mar cheoltóir sa scannán ‘Brooklyn’, a bhfuil Saoirse Ronan ann. Is é atá mar amhránaí le The Gloaming, banna a bhfuil tóir orthu i Meiriceá agus in Éirinn agus a gclú féin bainte amach acu mar gheall ar a gcuid ceoil.