Trad Singing in Leitrim

Leitrim has a rich and varied tradition of song which has been passed down through generations. While some of these songs remain well known, many are no longer performed and survive in manuscripts and archives.

The Leitrim Larks Project ran in 2022 and was led by renowned traditional singer Fionnuala Maxwell. The aim of the project was to celebrate, rediscover, and revive traditional songs from Leitrim by engaging both established singers across the County and by engaging and facilitating individual members of the public from across the County to discover and sing these Leitrim songs.

Six leading signers (Dromod’s Ronnie Duignan, Carrick’s Carole Coleman, Drumshanbo’s Gavin Sweeney, Drumkeerin’s Anna McManus, Manorhamilton’s Aoife Hammond and Ballinamore’s Pauric Sweeney) each learned a traditional song sourced from their locality and then shared and taught the song to participants as part of a series of eight signing circle workshops facilitated by Fionnuala Maxwell.

A compilation video of the songs performed by the leading signers can be viewed below:

A video on Traditional Singing in Leitrim with Fionnuala Maxwell can be viewed below: 

This is a Leitrim County Council Heritage Project, funded by Creative Ireland.