At the heart of The High Seas, concertina virtuoso and dancer Caitlín Nic Gabhann brings to the stage the effortless grace and rhythmic vitality of sean-nós. This ancient Irish dance tradition, closely related to step dancing through its intricate footwork, is distinguished by its greater freedom, where improvisation plays a central role and the body itself becomes a musical instrument.

The ensemble performs music deeply rooted in Irish traditions. The strongly rhythmic fiddle style of County Donegal in north-west Ireland, intimately connected with dance, is woven together with Gaelic songs from Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), one of the great centres of Irish-speaking culture, and with quieter, more reflective moments that evoke the art of storytelling.

With The High Seas, music, dance, and song do not simply follow one another—they interact and intertwine throughout the performance. Instruments come alive, dance emerges, voices tell their stories: through instrumental tunes, rhythmic footwork, and songs, an intimate and deeply authentic portrait of Ireland unfolds.

Caitlín Nic Gabhann, concertina, sean-nós dancer
Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, fiddle
Cathal Ó Curráin,  bouzouki, vocals
Dermot Mulholland, double bass, vocals