Prestigious selection for talented Mayo musician

Fingal County Council Arts Office and Music Network have selected Mayo harpist Alannah Thornburg as the inaugural Musician-in-Residence at The Carnegie, Swords.

This exciting new opportunity provides the selected musician with an award of €6,000, along with space and time to develop their artistic practice, create new work and engage with local audiences.

Award-winning harpist and composer Alannah Thornburgh will begin her residency at The Carnegie in Swords this July.

Originally from Mayo and now living in Swords, Alannah will explore Fingal’s rich tradition of ghost stories and folklore as inspiration for a new programme of work titled The Thinning Veil: Haunting Tales and Tunes of Fingal.

Drawing on the Samhain concept of a time when the boundary between the physical and spiritual worlds is at its thinnest, Alannah will research local legends and compose new music in response.

The residency will culminate in a live performance of the work in late October to mark Samhain.

Speaking about her appointment Alannah said: "I am thrilled to be this year's Carnegie Musician-in-Residence. I am really looking forward to working on a new suite of compositions and engaging with the community of Fingal during my residency. Thank you to Fingal County Council Arts Office and Music Network for this opportunity."

Commenting on the announcement Sarah O'Neill, County Arts Officer for Fingal County Council said: “We're thrilled to welcome Alannah Thornburgh as our inaugural Musician in Residence at The Carnegie, a vibrant cultural space in Swords, born from a historic Carnegie Library. Alannah's project embodies our commitment to artistic innovation and community engagement, supported by our partnership with Music Network."