Noirin Ni Riain

Updated on Sep 25, 2024

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Years active 1977 – present Music group Size2shoes Education University of Limerick		Role Singer Name Noirin Riain

Birth name Nora Mary Antoinette Ryan (Irish: Nora Maire Antoinette Ni Riain) Origin Caherconlish, County Limerick, Ireland Instruments Vocals, surpeti, shruti box, Irish whistle, piano Labels Daisy Discs (Ireland) Gael Linn (Ireland) Sounds True Inc. (USA) Associated acts size2shoes Micheal O Suilleabhain Albums Vox de Nube: Voice from the Cloud, Celtic Soul Genres Folk music of Ireland, Folk music, Celtic music, Gregorian chant Similar People Micheal O Suilleabhain, Paul Winter, Russ Landau, Eugene Friesen

Noirin ni riain port na bpucai song of the pooka

Noirin Ni Riain (born 1951, Caherconlish, County Limerick) is an Irish singer, writer, teacher, theologian, and authority on Gregorian Chant (plainchant, plainsong). She is primarily known for spiritual songs, but also sings Celtic music, Sean-nos and Indian songs. Noirin plays an Indian harmonium (surpeti), shruti box and feadog (whistle). She was Artist-in-Residence for Wexford and Laois. She performs with her sons Eoin and Micheal O Suilleabhain under the name A.M.E.N. and gives workshops about Sound as a Spiritual Experience.

Lament for eoin rua noirin ni riain

Biography

Noirin Ni Riain began singing lessons at seven years of age. She later studied music at University College Cork (UCC), specialising in religious music for post-graduate work. She developed as a performer, focusing particularly on religious, Irish traditional, and international religious music. She has performed extensively worldwide—notable events include: the International Peace Gathering at Costa Rica to introduce His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in 1989, The United Nations summit at Rio de Janeiro 1992, the European Cultural Month at Krakow, Poland 1992, the UN Earth summit in Copenhagen 1995, and the World Women summit in Beijing 1995. She has performed in the Royal Festival Hall with Sinead O'Connor, with the American composer John Cage, with the sons of Karlheinz Stockhausen—Markus and Simon, with Paul Winter at summer and winter solstice concerts in the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York, and with the Scola Gregoriana of Notre Dame University, Indiana, where she performed the leading role in Anima, by Hildegard von Bingen. She sang several times in India as a delegate of the Irish government, and performed in war-torn Sarajevo.

The Cork singer and teacher at UCC, Pilib O Laoghaire (1910–1976), was a great influence. He persuaded her to become a singer instead of studying law, and taught her Irish traditional sean-nos singing. In UCC she studied under Aloys Fleischmann and Sean O Riada.

As a child, Noirin often visited Glenstal Abbey in Murroe to listen to the chants of the Benedictine monks. Later she performed and made several recordings with them, under which the trilogy: Vox Clamantis in Deserto (Caoineadh na Maighdine), Vox Populi (Good People All) and Vox de Nube (A Voice from the Cloud).

She has a PhD in theology. Her thesis was The Specificity of Christian Theosonetics, an in-depth study and representation of sounds—primarily vocal sounds—as a means to religious experience from a Christian perspective.

Solo albums

1978 – Seinn Aililiu, Gael-Linn.

1980 – Caoineadh na Maighdine, Gael-Linn.

1982 – Darkest Midnight, Glenstal Records.

1988 – Stor Amhran, Ossian Publications Ltd.

1989 – Vox de Nube, Gael-Linn.

1990 – Noirin Ni Riain with The Monks of Glenstal Abbey, CBS Records.

1993 – Soundings, Ossian Publications Ltd.

1996 – River of Stars, Audio Book, Sounds True Inc.

1996 – Celtic Soul, Earth Music Productions.

1997 – Gregorian Chant Experience, The O'Brian Press Ltd.

2004 – Mystical Ireland, Sounds True Inc.

2004 – Biscantorat: Sound of the Spirit from Glenstal Abbey (CD), Hummingbird Records.

2004 – Biscantorat: Sound of the Spirit from Glenstal Abbey (DVD), Hummingbird Records.

Ni Riain & Sons

Noirin has released two albums with her sons Eoin and Micheal O Suilleabhain under the name 'Amen'. Ni Riain's sons are also well known as Irish pop band size2shoes.

2007 – Amen, Noirin Ni Riain & Sons, The Daisy Label; RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd.

2008 – Celtic Joy, Noirin Ni Riain with Eoin and Micheal O Suilleabhain, Gemini Sun label; Sounds True Inc.; (US release of 'Amen')

2013 – Hearth Sound, Ancient Songs from Ireland and the World, Noirin Ni Riain with Owen and Moley O Suilleabhain, NNR Recordings. (iTunes)

Guest Roles / Collaborations

1977 – Oro Damhnaigh, Micheal O Suilleabhain, Gael-Linn.

1984 – James Last at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Polydor.

1992 – Solstice Live, Paul Winter, Earth Music Productions.

1994 – Sieben Psalmen, Meditation in Wort und Klang, Markus & Simon Stockhausen, Pater Friedhelm Mennekes, EMI Classics.

1996 – Lumen, Micheal O Suilleabhain, European Song Contest, Virgin Records.

1997 – Illumination, Richard Souther, Sony.

1997 – Agnes Browne, Anjelica Huston, Hell's Kitchen Films/October Films.

2001 – In deiner Nahe, Close to you, Markus Stockhausen, Aktivraum.

2008 – Sanctuary, Various Artists, Independent.

Albums Produced

2007 – In Praise of Mary, The Cistercian Nuns of St. Mary's Abbey Glencairn, The Daisy Label.

Songs

Port Na bPucai
Magnificat cum Alleluia
The Beatitudes
Kyrie Eleison: Hildegard of Bingen
Pater Noster
Saint Brigid's Prayer
The Darkest Midnight
Ode to Bridget
Ar nAthair
Seacht nDolas Na Maighdine Muire
We Venerate Thy Cross
Gal na dTri Muire
Lob/Ehre - Christe: Joa Bolendas
Suantraithe
Seacht Suailci na Maighdine Muire
O Frondens Virga: Hildegard of Bingen
Cum Processit: Hildegard of Bingen
O Viridissima Virga: Hildegard of Bingen
Vater Unser: Joa Bolendas
A Song for Mary Magdalen / Pater Superni Luminis
Caoineadh Na dTri Mhuire
Lairin An Ghearaltaigh
Song for Jerusalem
The Seven Rejoices of Mary
Sanctus / Agnus Dei
Caminus Ardebat
An tAiseirl
Kay Boshilay
Thugamar Fein An Samhradh Linn
A Dhia Ghleigil
Go mBeannaitear Duit
In Paupertatis Praedio

References

Noirin Ni Riain Wikipedia

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