Man, Woman and Child is a research and performance project devised and co-ordinated by Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert featuring Irish traditional singers Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, Máire Ní Chéilleachair, Anne Skelton, Gerry Cullen, Phil Callery and Alasdair Roberts from Scotland.

This is the third and final strand of this hugely successful and influential project which is based on The Child Ballad Collection, a collection of traditional songs published by the American collector Francis J Child in England and Scotland between 1882 and 1898. Although many of the songs, or variants of them, are sung in the Irish tradition, no comprehensive study and performance of the ballads had been undertaken in Ireland prior to this project.

Since this project began, a total of ninety “Child Ballads” have been researched and performed at concerts in Dublin, Limerick and in various singing sessions around the country. The effect of this recently came to the attention of Jim Carroll, one of Ireland's most noted song collectors, who attributed the rise in the great number of narrative ballads being sung at singing workshops and festivals as a direct influence of the Man, Woman and Child Project.

In conjunction with the concert, Jerry O’Reilly will also present a seminar on Child Ballads in Ireland, entitled “Early Classic Ballads in the Irish Song Tradition” while there will be a re-launch, on CD, of Hugh Sheild’s and Tom Munnelly’s double tape collection from 1985 entitled ‘Early Ballads in Ireland’ before the concert Following the concert there will be a themed Child Ballad Singing Session in An Góilín Traditional Singers‘ Club in The Teachers’ Club which will feature a gathering of current and past participants from the project, plus regular club members.

Man, Woman and Child Programme:

Seminar: 1pm, Friday, 11 December, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Adm. Free

CD Launch: 6pm, Friday, 11 December, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Adm. Free

Group Concert: 7pm, Friday, 11 December, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Adm. €10 (or €8 concession).

Child Ballad Singing Session: 9.30pm, Friday, 11 December, An Góilín Traditional Singers’ Club, Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Adm. €3

This project is supported by the National Library of Ireland and An Góilín Singers Club with the assistance of Age & Opportunity, The Irish Traditional Music Archive and The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. More information is available at manwomanandchild.ie

No advanced booking is necessary but arrive early to ensure you are admitted as space can be limited. For further information, please contact Michael by phone on 087 647 0247 or email micfortune@gmail.com