Hackney Folk Club
Chats Palace
Thursday 19th February 2026
7pm - 11pm,
£15/£13/£12 members
THE WEAVING
Debut album release – 11th February, St Gobnait’s Day
Listen here: https://on.soundcloud.com/DX4FLPRUsPohlCYrlN
The Weaving is Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich (accordion, vocals) and Owen Spafford (fiddle) and Cáit Ní Riain (piano, vocals). This trio brings together the rich musical traditions of three counties Kerry, Tipperary and Yorkshire, their three regions of origin. Their music is imbued with the driving rhythms of the Gaeltacht of West Kerry where they first met; fierce dance music and raw harmonies inspired by a deep understanding of their musical inheritance. The trio have performed across Ireland, France and the UK in venues such as The National Concert Hall, Paris Centre Culturel Irlandais and Sidmouth Folk Festival.
After a sold out performance at Feakle Festival alongside Martin Hayes and extensive UK and Ireland tours 'The Weaving' look forward to releasing their debut album drawn from the rich musical wellspring of the West Kerry Gaeltacht.
"This album is about embracing our musical connections, finding the dances, tunes and songs that we hold in common and celebrating the different musical accents with which we play them. The aim was not to homogenise our approaches but to explore ideas of local identity and place through our own respective backgrounds. We feel this is particularly important in reference to the historic cultural oppression that the Irish language and music has faced under English rule. There is an honouring and healing of colonial history that can be found in sharing the traditional music of England and Ireland and while this is not a political project there is something inherently political about celebrating the music of two connected but historically divided communities. The fact that we can now share a stage sharing music and song is testament to the power of art to cross social boundaries and international borders. Music for us is about celebrating people and the natural world - and woven into traditional music is the love we hold for our family, friends and communities and the land we call home.”
Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich is a singer, songwriter and musician whose musical expression and stylings are deeply rooted within the Irish music, language and song tradition of her homeplace of Corca Dhuibhne, the Gaeltacht of West Kerry, Ireland. A native Irish speaker, Méabh was born into the renowned musical family of the Begleys whose undeniable influence has helped in shaping her energetic instrumental playing, emotive and sensitive singing style as well as inspired her development of, and transition into her passion for composing and songwriting. Méabh has enjoyed a full time career in traditional Irish music thus far and has performed both nationally and internationally in countries such as Japan, Taiwan, America, Canada, Russia and across Europe with groups such as acclaimed Irish band Téada, The Pure Irish Drops (The Women of Ireland- The Next Generation), Cuas, Catherine Young Dance, Irish Christmas in America and “Aisling? – An Ród Romhainn” directed by Darach Mac an Iomaire.
Owen Spafford is a fiddle player and composer from Leeds whose creative life orbits the worlds of traditional, experimental, and improvised music. Equally at home in a traditional music session as he is in a free improvisation workshop, Spafford’s understanding of the oral tradition and love for vernacular music from around the world enables an inventive and thoughtful musical voice. As well as playing with The Weaving Owen has released with post-folk duo Spafford Campbell and also works with artists such as Billie Marten, Johnny Flynn, Clara Mann and Chris Brain.
Cáit Ní Riain is a traditional singer, multi instrumentalist, and folklorist from Upperchurch in Co. Tipperary. She grew up in the world renowned music pub, Jim of the Mills, where she was deeply influenced by the constant stream of musicians and singers that came from near and far, gaining a deep appreciation for her own culture and its place and relevance in the world. She studied music and Irish in University College Cork where she was awarded the Quercus scholarship for receiving the highest results in the arts department. She also received the Donal Doc Gleeson award for excellence in musical performance. Cáit continued her studies in the National Folklore Collection in University College Dublin, where she completed her MA thesis on the songs and associating folklore in North Tipperary, being awarded the Máire Mac Néill scholarship for excellence in research. Cáit has received medals in the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for both traditional singing in English and in Irish. She has performed and collaborated alongside various artists, musicians, singers, and ensembles for many years in Ireland and further afield in the United States and Europe. Cáit is currently working on her first album of traditional songs.
TIMINGS
Doors 7pm
Irish Trad Session: 7pm
Floorspots: 8:15
The Weaving: 9pm
Session in the Bar: 10-11pm
