Ríoghnach Connolly & Ellis Davies
Ríoghnach Connolly grew up surrounded by a rich musical familial heritage and through Armagh Pipers’ Club in Armagh City, in the northeast of Ireland. Now based in Manchester, she is a professional vocalist, flautist, lyricist, workshop facilitator and musical activist. She has toured internationally and extensively, performing and recording in bands The Breath (Real World Records), HoneyFeet (Stardust Works) Band of Burns (Órd Bán) and Afro Celt Sound System (ECC). Ríoghnach has a worldwide publishing deal with Real World Records as a writer and currently holds the title of BBC Radio 2’s Folk Singer of the Year.
Ríoghnach Connolly and Ellis Davies have been playing together for nearly 20 years – as long as long as they have been a couple. Together they have graced stages as far away as Brazil and Singapore, and recorded under Ríoghnach’s name, as festival favourites Honeyfeet and as Beware Soul Brother, along with Mendi Singh.
As a duo, they explore the traditional music of Ríoghnach’s upbringing, gently underpinned by Ellis’ fingerpicking guitar style.
“(Connolly is) A remarkable singer and flautist…who can ease from Irish traditional influences to soul.” The Guardian
“Delightfully undefinable…irrepressible, inimitable,” Folk Radio
“A voice that echoes back through the ages of jazz and soul, resonant and resplendent in glorious, exploding power and control.” Manchester Music
“Connolly is a free spirit and strikingly self-assured…seldom has conspicuous greatness been more accessible.” Mike Butler, CityLife / Dyverse Music
