Transatlantic Women is a night of music and dance, curated by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan, and includes a lineup of the remarkable women in trad and folk music from both sides of the Atlantic. A remarkable ensemble of women is set to take over Dublin’s National Stadium. For TradFest 2027, Mairéad will be joined on stage by Karine Polwart, Scottish Fish, Cara Dillon, and more with this captivating event at Dublin’s historic National Stadium, promising to be an exceptional evening which celebrates the women of the trad and folk music scene.
Describing herself simply as a “modern English musician”, Eliza Carthy is one of the most recognisable faces of the English folk revival, and over her 35-year illustrious career, remains one of the most original and engaging performers of her generation. Eliza Carthy has earned an MBE, two Mercury Prize nominations and a plethora of other accolades. She has toured all over the world; danced with Hugh Masekele in Ghana; crossed the Prairies, the Alps, and the waters of Lake Titicaca, all for the sake of playing the fiddle and spreading the word of English traditional music Her touring band, The Restitution, is a dynamic force of contemporary folk musicians, featuring Dave Delarre (guitars), Ben Seal (bass), Phil Alexander (piano), and Willy Molleson (drums), and together, they create an exciting and captivating musical experience.
Karine Polwart is a writer, musician, and storyteller whose work evokes a richness of place, hidden histories, scientific enquiry and folklore. Across multi-artist collaborations and intimate solo performances, poetic essays and picture books, theatre projects and radio documentaries, she conjures the beauty and magic, the sorrow and darkness of the world out of the corner of her eye, with lyricism and tenderness. Trees and rocks speak. Birds flit in and out of vision. And the intimate particularities of the people and landscapes she knows and loves reflect the complexities of the wider world, and our contested times.
Cara Dillon is one of Irish music’s most celebrated voices and among folk’s finest interpreters. Rooted in the traditions of her native County Derry, she first emerged as a teenager with De Dannan, and has since built a remarkable career alongside her husband and collaborator Sam Lakeman, earning the Meteor Award for Best Irish Female and four BBC Folk Awards. Described by Mojo as having “quite possibly the world’s most beautiful female voice”, Cara will perform an intimate acoustic set with Sam, featuring classics alongside songs from her acclaimed 2024 album Coming Home.
Scottish Fish present a fiddle-forward infusion of original and traditional Scottish and Cape Breton music. After growing up steeped in the Boston Celtic music scene, these five young women began touring at an early age, quickly enchanting domestic and international audiences with their youthful enthusiasm, creative arrangements, and sensitive performances. As described by a concertgoer, “this powerhouse quintet wows listeners with a luscious and exciting sound, at times five instruments sharing one voice, and others a dynamic orchestra of harmony. Their years of friendship cultivate a truly unique musical bond. Their love for each other and the music they create is a gift they offer to anyone willing to listen.”