Kate O'Callaghan

Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny – 6th Feb 2023

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Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement.

Written by Kate O’Callaghan.  Arranged by Seamus Devenny and Kate O’Callaghan, in collaboration with Donegal Camerata.
Performed by Kate O’Callaghan, Seamus Devenny and the Donegal Camerata String Quintet at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny on February 6th 2023

*Note* The time of this concert has been changed to 7pm

Small Behaviours is the second song cycle inspired by Kate O’Callaghan’s great-grand aunt and her involvement in the 1916 Rising and War of Independence. The first song-cycle, The Girl with The Beret, was a highlight of the 2016 Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival. It drew from the personal stories of Catherine Rooney (nee Byrne), as detailed in her witness statement to the Irish government’s Bureau of Military History.

This current work, Small Behaviours, explores Catherine’s experiences following the Rising in Dublin, including gun-running from Scotland, encounters with British Army troops heading off to war, prison breaks, ambushes and the burning of love letters in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday.

Working with creative facilitator, Seamus Devenny, and the Donegal Camerata String Quintet directed by Victor Yelamo, this has been a wonderful opportunity for Kate O’Callaghan to engage in a process that has been both personal and commemorative.  The work is very much a reflection on the seemingly ‘small behaviours’ of ordinary women, which ultimately affected far-reaching social change over time.

The Donegal Camerata String Quartet is led by cellist Victor Yelamo, a longtime member of the award-winning Concerto Malaga orchestra and Director of the annual Donegal Chamber Music Festival. The Camerata also includes violinists Orsolya Szabó-Yelamo (also of Concerto Malaga) and Maureen McGranaghan, with Robert Peoples on viola and Micheal McGinty on double bass.

Small Behaviours – Donegal Chamber Music Festival 2022

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Small Behaviours will premier at the Donegal Chamber Music Festival 2022. 

Presented by Donegal Bay and Bluestack’s Festival 2022 and supported by Creative Ireland and Donegal County Council

Small Behaviours – Premiere at the Abbey Arts & Cultural Centre

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Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement.  (premiere performance)

Written by Kate O’Callaghan.  Arranged by Seamus Devenney.

Performed by Kate O’Callaghan, Seamus Devenney and the Donegal Camerata String Quintet

 

Abbey Arts & Cultural Centre, Ballyshannon on Sunday, October 9 at 8.00pm

€15 & €1 booking fee €16

Small Behaviours–Songs from a Witness Statement is the second instalment of Inishowen musician and composer Kate O’Callaghan’s musical response to her great grand aunt Catherine Rooney’s witness statements to the Irish government’s Bureau of Military History, detailing her involvement in the events of Easter 1916 in Dublin, and the subsequent War of Independence.  While a previous work, The Girl with The Beret, focused on 1916, Small Behaviours deals primarily with its aftermath. As such, the new song cycle sees Catherine – a native of Dublin – and her wider family, including her sister and her mother, deeply involved in the events of the War of Independence. The work is essentially a reflection on the seemingly ‘small behaviours’ of ordinary women, which ultimately affected far reaching social change over time.

The Donegal Camerata String Quintet is led by cellist Victor Yelamo, a longtime member of the award-winning Concerto Malaga orchestra and Director of the annual Donegal Chamber Music Festival. The Camerata also includes violinists Orsalya Szabó-Yelamo (also of Concerto Malaga) and Maureen McGranaghan, with Robert Peoples on viola and Michael McGinty on double bass.

Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement, was created with the help of funding from Creative Ireland and Donegal County Council.

 

Illuminate Festival

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Illuminate Festival and Music Capital presents Glen Rosborough & Kate O’Callaghan

at St. Augustines Church, Derry on Friday 18th February 2022 – Book Tickets Here

The Festival of Light and Music Feb 2022

𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬: www.musiccapital.org
𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨: www.illuminatederry.com
Funded by Discover Northern Ireland and kindly supported by
 

Small Behaviours – Shows Postponed

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Sadly, due to the current pandemic restrictions, all Small Behaviours shows in collaboration with Donegal Camerata, due to take place, as part of the 2020 Donegal Bay & Blustacks Festival, at the Abbey Arts Centre and An Grianan Theatre, have had to be postponed for now. Apologies for any inconvenience caused to those who already purchased tickets, full refunds will be available from the venues. We hope to be able to announce rescheduled dates as soon as possible and thank you for your support thus far. Stay safe for now, all the love, Kate x

 

Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement

With Kate O’Callaghan, and the Donegal Camerata String Quartet

Written by Kate O’Callaghan. Arranged by Seamus Devenny. Performed by Kate O’Callaghan, Seamus Devenny and the Donegal Camerata String Quartet.

Small Behaviours–Songs from a Witness Statement is the second instalment of Inishowen musician and composer Kate O’Callaghan’s musical response to her great grand aunt Catherine Rooney’s witness statements to the Irish government’s Bureau of Military History, detailing her involvement in the events of Easter 1916 in Dublin, and the subsequent War of Independence. While a previous work, The Girl with The Beret, focused on 1916, Small Behaviours deals primarily with its aftermath.

As such, the new song cycle sees Catherine – a native of Dublin – and her wider family, including her sister and her mother, deeply involved in the events of the War of Independence. From organising gun-running expeditions from Glasgow, to assisting with intelligence work, planned prison escapes and the disposal of documents, including papers captured following the IRA assassinations on Bloody Sunday.

The family home on North Richmond Street, and former abode to James Joyce (featured in his short story ‘Araby’ in the Dubliners), acted as a secret meeting place and safe house. Used to treat and receive wounded Irish Volunteers on many occasions, including the attack on the Customs House in May 1921, it was where one of the first Thompson machine guns brought into the country was assembled and stored.

The work is essentially a reflection on the seemingly ‘small behaviours’ of ordinary women, which ultimately affected far-reaching social change over time.

The Ghostlight Sessions – Srutháin – Earagail Arts Festival 2020

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https://eaf.ie/events/the-ghostlight-sessions/
Balor Arts Centre presents
The Ghostlight Sessions: Joshua Burnside & Kate O’Callaghan
Experimental folk artist Joshua Burnside deftly blends alt-folk and elements of Irish folk tradition with South American rhythms and Eastern European influences whilst introducing synthetic and found-sounds, synths loops and crunching beats.
He released his debut album ‘Ephrata’ two years ago via Quiet Arch Records. A mix of Irish traditional, European folk and Americana, it earned Joshua the ‘Best Album’ award at the Northern Irish Music Prize.
Currently spending time in the studio using post-punk and electronic recording methods to push the boundaries of his beloved folk music, Joshua’s second studio album is set for release later in 2020.
Inishowen-based Kate O’Callaghan is a hugely-respected presence on the Donegal music scene.
Her beautifully evocative melodies and intelligent considered lyrics run the full range of emotions from the sublime to the cathartic creating a wondrously skewed, refracted version of folk that is haunting, poignant and uplifting.
To-date, Kate has written and recorded two albums and an EP and toured Ireland, UK, Germany and the US. Kate is currently working on the second phase of a historically-themed music project entitled ‘Songs from A Witness Statement’ based on the first-hand testimony of her great grand-aunt’s involvement in the 1916 Rising and Irish War of Independence.
Joshua Burnside invites you to make a donation to Belfast Simon Community. https://www.simoncommunity.org/get-involved/donate
Kate O’Callaghan invites you to make a donation to Pieta House. https://www.pieta.ie/support-our-work/donate/
Earagail Arts Festival is proudly supported by

Donegal County Council

,

Arts Council Ireland

&

Wild Atlantic Way

Songs From A Witness Statement – Small Behaviours

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I am thrilled to announce that work has begun on the 2nd phase of the ‘Songs From A Witness Statement’ project, entitled ‘Small Behaviours’. A series of collaborative compositional creative sessions have taken place with Seamus Devenny, Victor Yélamo and the Donegal Camerata String Quartet at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. More information on the project and performance dates to be announced soon. Supported by Creative Ireland and Donegal County Council.

Support to Dean Maywood EP Launch

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I will be supporting Dean Maywood at the Balor Arts Centre on May 17th with Seamus Devenny. 

Dean will be launching his debut EP with The Dog River Band – Darren Doherty on guitars, Zara Montgomery on keys, Cormac Friel on drums and Darren Carr on bass. They will be joined by Goats Don’t Shave guitarist Patsy Gallagher and a special guest appearance by Brendan Quinn.
Donegal Songwriter Michael Gillespie will also provide a support slot on the night.

Support to Jack L @ the Balor Arts Centre

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I’m delighted to be invited back to the Balor Arts Centre to open for Jack Lukeman on the 12th Jan 2019. I had the pleasure of supporting Jack a few years ago in the wonderful Backroom at McGrory’s of Culdaff and I’m really looking forward to meeting him again. A lovely gentleman as well as a superb artist.
Tickets can be booked via the Balor’s website here.