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Gaeilge

Gaeilge(https://comhaltas.ie/ga/music-more/national-folk-orchestra/)

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The Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra of Ireland

The Comhaltas Comhaltas Association, gathering, brotherhood(https://comhaltas.ie/glossary#20668) National Folk Orchestra of Ireland was first formed by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Gathering of Musicians of Ireland(https://comhaltas.ie/glossary#20669) in the late 1980s and has always attracted the most gifted young Irish musicians and singers.

Under the direction of Micheál Ó hAlmhain, the Folk Orchestra undertook a number of projects in the 1990’s culminating in “Slad agus Slanú” for the 1995 Oireachtas. This was performed live on stage at The National Concert Hall and was recorded by RTÉ television and broadcast in 1996. “Slad agus Slanú” was Directed by Tomás Mac Anna and included dance, narration and song, with the singing provided by the Mac Mathúna clan! Some of the music was traditional with orchestral arrangements and much of it was newly composed. The classical pieces were by Stephen Kelly and the Traditional by Tom Doorley, of Danú fame. At that time the orchestra featured about 30 of the very best Irish traditional musicians and singers.

In 2013 the Orchestra was reformed to perform The Boróimhe Suite which was composed by Michael Rooney to celebrate the millennium of the Battle of Clontarf and the death of Brian Ború. In 2016 the Orchestra presented MACALLA 1916 which was again specially commissioned by Comhaltas to commemorate the Easter Rising. It was performed in the Barbican in London by invitation of Comhaltas na Breataine and on Easter Saturday night for the 1916 Relatives Concert in the RDS, Dublin before going on a Nationwide tour.