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http://www.niamhnicharra.com/
http://www.myspace.com/niamhnicharra
http://www.irishcentrehammersmith.co.uk/
Recorded on the 3rd April 2008 at Hammersmith Irish Cultural Centre, London


Niamh has been presented with "The Best Traditional Music Act 2008" award by The Irish World. . The Irish World is the largest newspaper for the Irish community in Britain, and hosts the annual awards recognising the contributions of rising and established Irish stars both in Ireland and around the world.

Niamh launched her debut album at the Gathering festival in Killarney on 25.02.07 . The invited guests who included many well known musicians were treated to a 30 minute performance by Niamh and Guitarist Mike Galvin, who features on the album. Some of my footage of this can be found on YouTube

Niamh's album "Ón Dá Thaobh / From Both Sides" has been listed in respected music reviewer Colin Irwin's Top Ten Folk Album's of 2007 for MOJO magazine.

Niamh's album "Ón Dá Thaobh / From Both Sides" is available through ITunes.

"Ón Dá Thaobh / From Both Sides".
The album is an opportunity to showcase Niamh's virtuosity on both fiddle and concertina, and she is joined on the album by well-known musicians Brendan Begley, Robbie Harris, Eoghan O Neil, Mike Galvin, Cathal Synnott and Conor Shiel..

The album certainly has variety - besides the expected mix of Irish tunes (jigs, reels, hornpipes, slow airs etc.), there are also tunes from the United States and Canada (Cape Breton), a set of Hungarian folk tunes and, icompositions of Niamh's own. and a classical piece for concertina from Italian composer Giulio Regondi (1822 1872) who was an early virtuoso on the newly invented instrument.

Niamh Ní Charra hails from Killarney, County Kerry in the south west of Ireland. Strongly influenced by the wealth of local Sliabh Luachra musicians, she started playing music at the early age of 4, under the tutelage of well known local musician Nicky McAuliffe. Equally talented on fiddle and concertina, she has won numerous awards, including Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Oireachtas, and Slógadh Náisiúnta and has represented Ireland at folk festivals in Britain and France. Somewhat of a child prodigy, she had support gigs for The Chieftains, and Noel Hill under her belt before she reached her teens.

Despite this rich background, she put aside her music to persue a career in Electronic Engineering. After graduating with honours, Niamh was employed by an Irish software company who regularly sent her on business trips to Boston. Here she was exposed to a continuous flow of Irish musicians (Arcady, Sharon Shannon, Nomos) as well as locally based musicians (Paddy Keenan , Seamus Connolly, Tommy McCarthy).

The draw of the music proved too strong, and Niamh decided to resign from work to persue a career in music. She moved to Cork to take a year-long course in 'Music, Management, and Sound' at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, where she graduated with distinctions in every subject - the only student ever to have achieved this feat. The college subsequently awarded her "Musician of the Year". She swiftly followed this with recordings for Irish radio and television, and performances with Riverdance 's european troupe in Europe, Asia and on board the QE2, before joining the U.S. troupe in 1998. Niamh performed with Riverdance from that date until December 2005, touring with them in North America. From Mexico to Vancouver, and Los Angeles to Broadway, New York, Niamh has delighted audiences with her fiery fiddling, fancy footwork and dazzling smiles. More recently she shared her talents in Riverdance's Irish and Far East productions performing in her native capital as well as the more exotic locations of Tokyo and Taipei among others.

She has taught both fiddle and concertina at Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann's national headquaters, An Cultúrlann in Monkstown, and regularly gives workshops. At the time of this filming, Niamh is a member of the Carlos Nunez band and tours both with them and as a solo artist.