Uilleann piper, tin whistle player, composer, arranger and leader of The Chieftains, Paddy made an enormous contribution to Irish traditional music, song and dance.

Ranging from earliest musical experiences, to sage advice to young people, to hopes for the future of the tradition, SAOITHE offers in-depth conversations with seven of Ireland’s most influential and outstanding tradition bearers. The long-format Q&A style interviews, with performance and illustrative archival recordings, expand our understanding of these artists by exploring their influences and by seeking out their personal philosophies as traditional artists.

The fortnightly series has already featured Dolly McMahon, Matt Molloy, Sarah Ghriallais, Christy Moore, Catherine McEvoy and Frankie Gavin. These videos are freely available to watch online at: Facebook page and YouTube channel.

SAOITHE is an extension of ITMA’s online archival series Drawing from the Well which is available to watch here: VIEW Drawing from the Well