Inter-Weave Flagship EU Presidency Culture Event

Renowned traditional artists Diarmaid Moynihan, Laoise Kelly, Tóla Custy and Emer Mayock will trace a musical map of Europe’s Atlantic fringe, journeying along the west coast of Ireland through Brittany, Galicia and Asturias.

Through carefully curated repertoire, they will reveal the distinctive musical accents of each region while celebrating the shared threads that connect these vibrant traditions. The repertoire will range from ancient melodies and enduring traditional forms to contemporary compositions, demonstrating the continuing evolution and vitality of these living musical traditions.

Accompanied by a stunning visual journey along the Atlantic coasts of Ireland, Brittany, Galicia, and Asturias, this recital will immerse the audience in a deeply atmospheric setting.

Inter-Weave is designed explicitly as a European cultural exchange. The live performance repertoire will include musical traditions from Brittany, Galicia and Asturias, creating a rich cross-cultural tapestry. It enables performers to explore and learn from one another while offering audiences an immersive experience of Europe’s living musical heritage. The programme is genuinely international in scope and experience.

Poet, translator and scholar of Spanish and Galician literature Lorna Shaughnessy will reflect on contemporary European identity as a dynamic network of interconnected cultures. She will explore how cultural traditions travel across borders while retaining their distinct identities. Her contribution will highlight the deep Atlantic connections linking Ireland, Galicia, Brittany and Asturias—regions that share maritime histories, rich musical traditions and enduring cultural ties—and will consider how local traditions contribute to a wider European cultural conversation.

She will reference Song of the Lost Field / Amhrán na Páirce Caillte, the multimedia exhibition by Breda Mayock, connecting its exploration of Mayo’s field names and intangible heritage to broader European themes of memory, place, language and cultural preservation.