Lá Lugh (Ireland)

Formed in County Louth in the early 1990s, Lá Lugh brought new vitality to the musical traditions of Northern Ireland through their virtuosic playing and rich vocal storytelling. The group was led by fiddler Gerry O’Connor and singer/flutist Eithne Ní Uallacháin, both natives of Dundalk from deeply musical families. O’Connor, a fourth-generation fiddler and former member of Skylark, developed a dynamic style rooted in his mother Rose’s teaching. Ní Uallacháin, raised in an Irish-speaking home, became one of Ireland’s most respected traditional singers, drawing from family songs and local folklore. With additional members Gilles Bigot, Siobhán Kennedy, and Donal O’Connor, Lá Lugh earned acclaim for their passionate performances and creative interpretations of Irish tradition. Their album Brighid’s Kiss was named Best Album of the Year by Irish Music Magazine in 1996.

Featured Song:

“Bealtaine Song” is a dreamy rendition of a traditional Gaelic song in praise of summer. Traditionally sung on May Eve while carrying a ribboned “May Baby” doll, it captures the beauty of seasonal renewal. “Golden Summer of the white daisies / We bring the Summer with us / Up hill and down glens / Girls adorned in pure white / And we bring the Summer with us.” The song evokes a world in bloom—where music, youth, and nature joyfully meet.

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