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Bringing together the songs and sounds of their Gaelic homelands, piper Alana MacInnes of Scotland’s Isle of South Uist, Aoife Smyth of Ireland’s County Armagh, and Caitlin McNeill of Scotland’s Isle of Colonsay celebrate traditional music with border pipes, highland pipes, uilleann pipes and guitar. Alana draws on the styles of Uist in her emotive playing, while Aoife brings the piping heritage of Armagh passed down to her at the Armagh Pipers Club. Caitlin rounds out the trio on guitar as a native of Colonsay and co-organiser of its music festival seeking to promote her island’s culture.
Alana MacInnes is a piper from the Isle of South Uist, known for her emotive playing reflecting the traditional styles of her Scottish homeland. She has performed with musicians including Kathleen MacInnes, Liam Ó Maonlaí , Iain MacDonald, Rick Taylor and many more. Alana studied the musical heritage of Uist through projects like editing the Young Uist Voices series and contributes to the website Uist Beò, sharing the culture of her island with the world.
Aoife Smyth joins Alana, hailing from Armagh and representing the piping traditions of Ireland. She learned to play the uilleann pipes from renowned instructors at the Armagh Pipers Club. Now a university student in Galway, Aoife draws on her background in Irish piping to complement Alana’s Scottish island styles.
The duo is joined by piper Caitlin McNeill of Colonsay, who co-organises the island’s annual Colonsay Music Festival. A graduate in law, Caitlin works to promote the culture of Scotland’s islands through her role as Island Culture Officer. Coming from a generational island family, she aims to bring the artistic output of islanders to wider audiences.
Together, Alana, Aoife, and Caitlin celebrate the rich musical heritage of Ireland and Scotland on instruments like the border pipes, highland pipes, and uilleann pipes. Their collaboration highlights the connections between Gaelic cultures while also showcasing the local piping and musical traditions of their respective homes.
To book Alana and Aoife for your festival or gig contact them here.