BIOGRAPHY

Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, from the northwest Gaeltacht of Donegal, has been immersed in the culture of the area from a young age. This area, which is the last Gaelic speaking area in Ulster, preserves not only the Donegal sean-nós songs but also songs from all over Ulster. As a young singer his main influences were Caitlín Ní Dhomhnaill, Lillis Ó Laoire, Áine Bn. Uí Laoi, Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh and his mother Nellie Nic Giolla Bhríde. He studied music at university and now works as a full-time musician. He has released four highly commended CDs, Saol na Suáilce (solo CD), Siansaí (choir CD), Guaillimh a’ chéile (CD with Scottish sean-nós singer Griogair Labhruidh) and Smúidghealach (CD with arrangements for string quintet, clarinet and uilleann pipes). Recently he published a book and CD for children Ící Pící. The promotion of the sean-nós tradition is his greatest motivation and as well as teaching sean-nós, Doimnic is the director of three sean-nós choirs, Cór Thaobh a’ Leithid from Donegal, which he founded, a Belfast based choir – Cór Loch Laoi and a choir based in Castlwellan. In 2009 he won the prestigious Corn Uí Riada, the highest accolade in Ireland for sean-nós singers.

As Gaoth Dobhair do Dhoimnic agus tá aithne mhaith air mar cheoltóir ansin ó bhí sé ina ghasúr. Ba mhór an t-ábhar bróid agus lúcháir dó é, i Samhain 2009, nuair a bhain sé Corn Uí Riada, an gradam is mó a bhronntar ar cheoltóirí sean-nóis in Éirinn. Tá staidéar déanta aige ar an cheol ar an ollscoil ach is óna áit dhúchais a fhaigheann sé a threoir agus tionchair ó thaobh an cheoil; ó leithéidí Chaitlín Ní Dhomhnaill (nach maireann), a bhí ina comharsan aige agus óna bhfuair sé teagasc maith, agus ó bheith ag éisteacht le ceoltóirí mar Lillis Ó Laoire, Annie Eoghain Éamainn, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh agus óna mháthair Nellie atá ag teagasc ceoil do pháistí le blianta fada i nGaoth Dobhair. Is é cur chun cinn an tsean-nóis an paisean is mó ag Doimnic agus chomh maith le bheith ag teagasc an tsean-nóis tá sé ina stiúrthóir ar Chór Thaobh a’ Leithid i nGaoth Dobhair agus Cór Loch Laoi i mBéal Feirste. Tá ceithre dhlúthdhiosca eisithe aige ‘Saol na Suáilce’ (sean-nós aonarach), ‘Siansaí’ (Cór Thaobh a’ Leithid), ‘Guaillimh a’ chéile’ (comhoibriú ceolmhar leis an cheoltóir Albanach Griogair Labhruidh) agus ‘Smúidghealach’ (sean-nós le cóiriúchán de ceithreád, clarinet agus píb uilleann), chomh maith le leabhair agus dlúthdhiosca do pháistí ‘Ící Pící’.