Joe McKenna & The Roundwood Ensemble

Joe McKenna: Uillean pipes, whistles, box, song
Triona Marshall: harp
Brian Farrel: guitar, bouzouki, song
John Devereux: flute, guitar, song
Gerry O Donnel: flute
Jane Mehan: fiddle
Conor Breathnach: fiddle, song
Peter Mc Kenna: Uillean pipes, whistle
Joe McHugh: Uilleann pipes, bouzouki, whistle

Joe McKenna is a renowned Irish uilleann piper and whistle player, celebrated for his distinctive style, instrument craftsmanship, and lifelong contribution to Irish traditional music. Widely regarded as one of the finest pipers of his generation, Joe has performed and recorded around the world, both solo and alongside his late wife and musical partner, Antoinette McKenna.

For this special closing concert of the Dorlindon Ancient Music Festival, Joe leads the debut of the Roundwood Ensemble - a group formed specially for the occasion and drawn from his close circle of musicians in Wicklow. The heart of the performance is a tribute to Antoinette’s original compositions and the traditional songs she made her own, reimagined in the open-air setting of Dorlindon’s forest sanctuary. Both Joe and Antoinette were long-time residents of the area and are deeply known and cherished in the communities of Kilmacanogue and Roundwood.

In addition to this intimate tribute, the ensemble will also perform a selection of classic traditional Irish airs, songs, and dance tunes, connecting the personal with the timeless and celebrating the living spirit of Ancient Music in one of its most natural and beautiful settings.