Ancient Music Ireland

Simon O'Dwyer & Maria Cullen O'Dwyer: Co-Founders

Ancient Music Ireland was co-founded by Simon O'Dwyer and Maria Cullen O'Dwyer to research, reconstruct, and bring to life the ancient musical instruments of Ireland. Their work explores the emerging field of music archaeology, presenting accurate reproductions of instruments from prehistoric and early medieval Ireland through performance and storytelling.

Their instrument collection includes the earliest known musical instrument from Ireland — the "Wicklow Pipes" or prototype "Fipple Pipes", discovered in Charlesland, Co. Wicklow and dating to circa 2,240 BC. Their presentation progresses through the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Early Medieval periods, featuring reproduction pairs of cast bronze horns and trumpets (circa 1,000–600 BC), Iron Age ceremonial trumpets (circa 100 BC), animal horn instruments, and Psalter horns — accurate reproductions of the Early Medieval River Erne horn, dating to circa 700 AD and depicted in the 8th-century Vespasian Psalter.

Simon O'Dwyer (born 1955) has dedicated his life’s work to the study and reconstruction of prehistoric musical instruments and is at the forefront of pioneering research into the music of prehistory worldwide. He has composed and registered many works for Bronze Age horns and trumpets, Iron Age trumpets, Early Medieval horns, and bodhrán. He performs with the band Reconciliation, has recorded several albums, and most recently launched a sound library featuring a Kontakt instrument titled PALEOSONIC. He is also a poet, storyteller, and songwriter.

Maria Cullen O'Dwyer is Co-Founder and Manager of Ancient Music Ireland and is dedicated to the promotion, research, and documentation of Ireland’s ancient musical instruments. She has developed an extensive archive of materials and has supported and presented performances at festivals, museums, universities, and conferences internationally. Maria performs on bodhrán and a range of reconstructed ancient instruments, including performances with the band Reconciliation, and has composed and recorded on several albums.