Nóirín will present a unique once off workshop for the Drimoleague Singing Festival which was a great success in the past. . She will share and teach a a multi-lingual repertoire with wide ranging themes from the Celtic tradition, the sean-nós singing tradition , Gregorian Chant tradition and more.
There will also be opportunities throughout the duration for attendees to share their thoughts and to interact with Nóirín so this workshop will be very experiential and participative.
This workshop is not confined to singers but there will be something for everyone at this ceardlann/workshop and partakers are guaranteed to go away with some enhancing elements to their lives. Everyone – of every creed or none, of every background and gender – is called and warmly received.
Workshop members will be invited to be part of the presentation and this is a unique feature of Nóirín’s workshop style. Add to this, a thread of humour balanced with a depth of presentation which is so appropriate for this time of introspection and inner heart work which this night of Culture ushers in.
The Irish language will gently weave in and out of the evening.
Participants will be provided with a booklet containing texts of the songs which Nóirín will present thus giving people a tangible memento of the occasion. Do not miss out on this threshold experience and discover how singing and listening can transform your life.
BIOGRAPHY OF REV. NÓIRÍN NÍ RIAIN PhD
Rev. Dr. Nóirín Ní Riain is one of Ireland’s most iconic and influential voices,
celebrated internationally for her profound contributions to sacred music,
theology, and spiritual practice. With a career spanning over five decades,
Nóirín has been a pioneering presence at the crossroads of music, mysticism,
and Celtic wisdom.
Born in County Limerick, she first rose to prominence in the 1970s with
her recordings at the Benedictine monastery of Glenstal Abbey, where she introduced global audiences to the spiritual resonance of Irish sean-nós singing and Gregorian chant. Her collaborations with the Benedictine monks and world musicians—including Sinéad O’Connor, Anjelica Huston, David Whyte, her late composer husband, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, avant-garde composer John Cage, brothers Marcus and Simon Stockhausen, and saxophonist Paul Winter—drew together diverse traditions in a contemplative and universal embrace. In recent years, she has been guest of Bressie – Niall Breslin, at several of his events and continues to collaborate with David Whyte, Matthew Fox, Russell Crowe and her two sons, Owen and Mícheál.
Nóirín received a Ph.D. in Theology from MIC, in 2003, the first ever
doctorate in Theology to be awarded by the University of Limerick. In
November 2025, she received a prestigious alumni award from MIC,
University of Limerick, recognizing her lifelong contribution to Irish culture.
She was ordained as an Interfaith Minister in 2017 in London through the One Spirit Interfaith Foundation Seminary, and has since guided countless
individuals through rites of passage, spiritual mentorship, and community
rituals.
A prolific writer, Nóirín is the author of several acclaimed books,
including Theosony: A Theology of Listening, which explores the spiritual
power of sound and silence. She is also known for her autobiographical and
poetic writings, such as Listen with the Ear of the Heart, and her Irish
bestselling book Sacred Rituals: An Every Day Book Of Prayer, published by
Hachette Press in 2023 and now in its second edition.
Nóirín is a very experienced work shop leader and has led experiential events all over the world. She is honoured to be invited back again by Noreen and the Drimoleague Singing Festival Committee.