Ceol na mBan is a new series starting on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on 9 February which explores the topic of women and traditional Irish music.

Presenter Méabh Ní Thuathaláin, a young fiddler from Belfast, spoke to a range of female musicians about their own experiences as women players in the tradition for the series of six programmes.

Guests in the series will include Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Mary Bergin, Aoife Granville, Aibhlín McCrann, Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin, Bernadette Nic Gabhann, Kitty Seán Ní Chuinneagáin, Mary Corcoran, Verena Commins, Bríghid Ní Ghadhra, Máire Ní Ghráda, Julianne Ní Chonchubhair and Máíre Úna Ní Bheaglaoich.

The series focuses on flute, harp, fiddle, box, pipes, whistle and concertina, and one of the topics under discussion is the popularity of certain instruments amongst women, or men, and the reasons for this.  For example, the harp is now more popular with women than men, although men were associated with harp playing up to the 17th Century.  Similarly, the pipes are most commonly associated with men, why is this?

In Ceol na mBan the guest musicians share their opinions on the status of women in traditional music historically, and how that has changed in recent years.   They also talk about the difficulties women had in the past with playing in public, and the fact that there are far less commercial recordings made by women than men.

The role of women as mothers, and how that may conflict with the life of a musician, is another important subject addressed in the series.  Some of the musicians who have raised children share their own experiences, and the challenges for mothers who pursue playing music professionally and in sessions.

The series also looks at the issue of style, and examines whether there are particular male/female styles of playing.

Presenter Méabh Ní Thuathaláin says:
The idea for this series came from my own experiences as a female musician playing traditional music all my life, and I felt that it was a topic that hadn’t received too much attention to date but was a conversation that needed to take place.  I’m very grateful to all the musicians who contributed to the series, who showed a great interest in the subject, and were prepared to share their opinions with me, and with the listeners.

Méabh is a musician from Belfast, who is currently living in Galway.   She started playing fiddle at the age of 7.  She spent 5 years studying in Galway, where she completed a degree in Irish and history, and she also has an MA in Irish and communications from UCD.  She recently spent 6 months living in the Basque country.  She is currently working as a journalist with Irish-language newspaper Gaelscéal.

Ceol na mBan will be broadcast at 6.30 pm on Saturdays, starting on 9 February.  The first programme looks at the flute, an instrument which only became popular with women musicians in recent times, with guests Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Aoife Granville.   If you miss the programme, you can catch up on the RTÉ Radio Player at any time up to a month after broadcast, www.rte.ie/radioplayer.

Sraith nua raidió faoi mhná i saol an cheoil in Éirinn

Cuirfear tús le sraith nua cláracha faoi mhná i saol an cheoil thraidisiúnta, Ceol na mBan, ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta ar 9 Feabhra.
Is í an fidléir óg as Béal Feirste, Méabh Ní Thuathaláin, láithreoir na sraithe a dhíríonn ar cheisteanna éagsúla a bhaineann le mná i saol an cheoil in Éirinn – stádas na mban sa cheol, mar shampla, na deacrachtaí a bhíonn acu, agus cúrsaí stíle.

Don tsraith seo, labhair Méabh le mná ó cheann ceann na tíre faoin taithí atá acu mar cheoltóirí agus faoina gcuid tuairimí maidir le mná agus an ceol.  Ar na haíonna a bheidh le cloisteáil sna cláracha beidh  Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Mary Bergin, Aoife Granville, Aibhlín McCrann, Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin, Bernadette Nic Gabhann, Kitty Seán Ní Chuinneagáin, Mary Corcoran, Verena Commins, Bríghid Ní Ghadhra, Máire Ní Ghráda, Julianne Ní Chonchubhair agus Máire Úna Ní Bheaglaoich.

Ar cheann de na hábhair atá idir chamáin ar Ceol na mBan tá na fáthanna go mbíonn uirlisí éagsúla luaite níos minicí le fir seachas mná, agus a mhalairt.  Luaitear an chruit le mná go minic sa lá atá inniu ann, ach ní shin mar a bhí fadó, mar shampla, agus go hiondúil is iad na fir a bhíonn luaite leis na píobaí, cén fáth?

Sná cláracha tugann na haíonna a gcuid tuairimí ar stádas na mban i saol an cheoil, ar na deacrachtaí atá, agus a bhí, ag mná a bheith ag seinm go poiblí, agus na dúshláin a bhaineann le tógáil clainne agus tú i do cheoltóir.

Pléitear cúrsaí stíle freisin, agus an líon íseal taifead atá déanta ag ceoltóirí ban i gcomparáid leis na fir.

Dírítear go háirithe ar an bhfeadóg mhór, an chruit, an fhidil, an bosca, na píobaí, an fheadóg stáin agus an consairtín sa tsraith seo.

Deir Méabh Ní Thuathaláin:
Tá suim nádúrtha agam san ábhar seo mar bhean a bhfuil taithí agam a bheith ag seinm sna seisiúin.  Braithim gur ábhar spéisiúil atá ann nach bhfuair ardán go dtí seo, b’fhéidir.  Tá mé fíor-bhuíoch do na ceoltóirí uilig a labhair liom.  Chuir siad an-spéis san ábhar, agus bhí tuairimí láidre acu, rud a chuidigh go mór leis na cláracha.

As Béal Feirste ó dhúchas do Mhéabh, atá ag cur fúithi i nGaillimh faoi láthair.  Thosaigh sí ag casadh ar an bhfidil nuair a bhí sí 7 mbliana d’aois.  Tá bunchéim aici ó Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh sa Stair agus sa Ghaeilge, agus tá iar chéim aici i Scríobh agus Cumarsáid na Gaeilge ó UCD.  Chaith sí 6 mhí ina cónaí i dTír na mBascach le deireanas.  Tá sí ag obair mar iriseoir le Gaelscéal faoi láthair.

Beidh Ceol na mBan le cloisteáil gach Satharn 6.30 pm, ag tosú ar 9 Feabhra.  Ban-cheoltóirí agus an fheadóg mhór an téama atá leis an gcéad chlár, leis na haíonna Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh agus Aoife Granville.

Má chailleann tú an clár, is féidir éisteacht siar leis ag www.rte.ie/radioplayer