Juliet Turner with Irish traditional music legend Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh
IRISH traditional music legend Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh has fallen in love with the town of Enniskillen and its surroundings. The Donegal native visited the area as part of her new television series Aniar Aduaidh which begins on RTÉ One this Friday (7.30pm).
The six-part series sees Mairéad explore some of the North’s most attractive spots while visit some of her musical friends who show her around.
A very personal journey, the numerous performers Mairéad meets along the way during the six-part series take her lead and share their own strongest influences.
Friday’s first programme begins in the Altan star’s native Gaoth Dobhair and on March 8 we see Fermanagh’s own Adrian Dunbar show her around.
Mairéad pays a visit to the renowned actor, and singer in his own right, who shows her around his native Enniskillen and surroundings.
She said: “I’ve known Adrian for years; he used to come to our gigs in London all the time years as he knows Ciarán (Curran) very well through the Fermanagh connection.
“Of course we all know Adrian as a fantastic actor, but he is also a great singer and he is very musical. We had great fun as he showed us around Enniskillen.
“It’s such a lovely town and there is so much to do there. It just makes you think that we don’t explore our own areas and neighbouring counties enough. Places like Enniskillen are just over an hour away and its lakes and surroundings are beautiful.”
During the programme Mairéad also gets familiar with a Lambeg drum on Devenish Island courtesy of Reverend Gary Hastings and Father Seamus Quinn, and takes part in a lively session in Blakes of the Hollow.
Aniar Aduaidh is a rare opportunity to see many of the North’s very distinguished artists as we have never seen them before; in their own environments and yet not shying from the viewer’s desire to see them doing what they do best; performing. Aniar Aduaidh, RTÉ One, March 8, 7.30pm