Small Behaviours – New Album Release
‘Small Behaviours’ is the 2nd song-cycle, following ‘The Girl with the Beret’, in a series called ‘Songs from A Witness Statement’. A fusion of alternative folk, popular ballad and classical strings, the album was recorded live at the Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal in collaboration with Seamus Devenny and Donegal Camerata String Quintet.
Comprised of a series of songs and spoken word tracks, which flow seamlessly from one into the other, Kate O’Callaghan weaves the story of her great-grand aunt Catherine Rooney (known as Katie Byrne before she got married) and her involvement in the War of Independence, after the events of the Rising in 1916. Inspired by first-hand accounts in her Witness Statement, logged with the Bureau of Military History, the aim of this project was to delve into the more personal and intimate details of her report, to imagine her experiences and pay tribute to the vital roles played by so many women and girls at that time, which ultimately shaped the social position of women today.
“Here are songs that expound on experience, create commonality, telling those big and small stories, simultaneously historical and personal, that are the gift of a music which carries the load of paying attention by sharing the world with us in new and unexpected ways” – Anti-Heroine Chic (New York, USA)
“Haunting melody…beautiful lyrics, made all the more so knowing the story is real…a powerful collection, tinged with sadness, admiration, and love” – Irish America (USA)
“A beautiful recording, a concept album in the best sense. It combines family memories, historic events and movingly personal
reflections. It is impossible not to love this album” – Fatea (UK)
Available on Bandcamp and all major streaming sites – Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer
Irish Artists For Palestine Concert – Culdaff, Donegal – 1st December 2023
INISHOWEN GIG
Irish and Palestinian artists and speakers unite in Inishowen for a night of music and solidarity.
Friday, 1st December, 7.30pm
The Wee Hall, Shore Rd, Culdaff, Co.Donegal
Tickets €20
All proceeds to Medical Aid For Palestinians (MAP)
Artists:
The Henry Girls , Ríoghnach Connolly , Gazelle Band-led by Palestinian Oud Player Reem Anbar , Li ban , Kate O’Callaghan
Roisin McGrory & Clodagh Warnock, Eleanor Lamb, Hannah Gallagher.
Speakers: Majida Alaskari, Fadl Mustapha, Fiachra O’Luain.
Small Behaviours – Songs from a Witness Statement at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny – 6th Feb 2023
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
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
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
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
Featuring Kíla ~ Neil Cowley ~ The Henry Girls ~ Aoife Scott ~ Ciaran Lavery ~ Basork ~ Rosborough ~ ROE ~ John Deery and The Heads ~ Maria Kelly ~ Kate O’ Callaghan ~ Comrade Hat ~ Clodagh May Music.
𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬: www.musiccapital.org
𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨: www.illuminatederry.com
Funded by Discover Northern Ireland and kindly supported by
Small Behaviours – Shows Postponed
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
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/
Songs From A Witness Statement – Small Behaviours
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.
