Residencies

2018 - 2020

This is How We Fly (musicians in residence)

Caoimín Ó Raghallaigh, Seán Mac Erlaine, Nic Gareiss, Petter Berndalen

Formed in 2010, This is How we Fly is a contemporary folk band consisting of Caoimhín Ó Raghallaighmon hardanger d'amore, Seán Mac Erlaine on clarinets & electronics, Nic Gareiss on percussive dance, and Petter Berndalen on drums and percussion. Their collective pedigree includes collaborations with The Gloaming, The Chieftains, Darol Anger and Gjallarhorn, along with work in theatre, dance and contemporary music.

Individually, each member has carved out a reputation for not just mastering their chosen fields, but rising above, redefining and renewing the musical world they come from.

"You'll be charmed and even dazzled by this jazz-tinged stylishly modernized quartet of fiddle, clarinet, drums and, best of all, percussive dance." Time Out New York

2016 - 2017

Sabina Mac Mahon (curator)

Sabina Mac Mahon (b. 1985, Dublin, Ireland) graduated from the National College of Art & Design, Dublin with a BA (First Class Joint Honours) in History of Art and Fine Art (Painting) in 2008, and received an MA (Distinction) in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester, England in 2015. Recent group and solo exhibitions include　There Are Little Kingdoms, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray (2016); An Ulaid - South Down Society of Modern Art, Belfast Exposed and QSS Gallery, Belfast (2015); Soundings, Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon, Dún Laoghaire (2014);False Memory Syndrome, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin; and　A Story About the History of Dún Laoghaire: The Private Collection of Eileen Champion Poole, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Hall, Dún Laoghaire (2013). Mac Mahon has received several bursary awards and completed residencies at Albert Cottages, Dublin City Council Arts Office (2014-15); DIT School of Art, Design & Printing (2013); The Guesthouse, Cork (2012) and Cow House Studios, Wexford (2011). She is co-curator, with fellow artist David Quinn, of the LACUNA exhibition series at Taylor Galleries, Dublin. She lives and works in her native Dublin.

2014 - 2015

Redmond O’Toole (musician in residence)

Redmond O’Toole is recognised as one of the most distinctive and original guitarists of his generation. He was the first to adopt Paul Galbraith’s ‘Brahms guitar’. This groundbreaking instrument and technique uses an 8-string guitar in the position of a cello. He has performed at major concert halls and events throughout Europe such as Passau International Guitar Festival, Germany, Irish National Concert Hall, Royal Dublin Society Concert Hall and Hallein Guitar Festival, Austria. He has performed as soloist with orchestras such as BBC Ulster and the Irish Baroque and has toured extensively as guitarist for legendary Irish group ‘The Chieftains’. He is a member the internationally acclaimed Dublin Guitar Quartet and teaches at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

Recent projects include collaborations with world renowned cellist, Raphael Wallfisch, the Vanbrugh String Quartet and Soprano Kim Sheehan. Redmond has had a duo for many years with violinist Elizabeth Cooney. He has also performed with many different and varying ensembles such as Crash Ensemble, The Callino Quartet and the UFO Orchestra amongst others. In 2012 Redmond set up Music Generation Wicklow: part of a national music education programme funded by U2 and the Ireland Funds. O’Toole was coordinator for the initial 18 months of the programme.

2013

Jason Byrne (theatre artist)

Ella Clarke (dance artist)

Ella Clarke graduated from the Perm State Ballet School and performed as a soloist with Perm Youth Ballet and Wexford Festival Opera before radically retraining her technique to contemporary dance and working with many of Ireland’s major companies and choreographers. A further transformation saw her evolve as a post-modernist solo performer, adapting works by eminent US choreographer Deborah Hay. Ella earned her theatrical stripes through award-winning work with Selina Cartmell at The Gate Theatre and Jason Byrne at the Abbey Theatre. She has lectured in dance at The Conservatory of Vocal Opera and Drama at DIT for 16 years, while her work for theatre has led her to create a distinct technique to physicalise violent acts. Alongside her collaborators, Ella has journeyed from the heart of classical ballet to the outer reaches of ‘acceptable’ public behaviour in search of the thing that makes her tick and makes art ‘art’.

2008 - 2012

2012 Deirdre Kinahan (playwright)

2008 - 2011 Tall Tales Theatre (theatre company)

Deirdre Kinahan is an award-winning playwright. She is an elected member of Aosdána, Ireland’s association of outstanding artists, Literary Associate with Meath County Council Arts Office and has served as a board member for the Abbey Theatre, Theatre Forum Ireland and the Stewart Parkert Trust.

Deirdre’s work is translated into many languages, published by Nick Hern Books and produced regularly in Ireland and on the International stage.
Tall Tales Theatre company, led by Deirdre, was resident at Solstice Arts Centre from 2008 to 2011. Deirdre was playwright in residence at Solstice Arts Centre in 2012. Between 2008 and 2012, four of Deirdre's plays were presented at Solstice - Maisey Daly’s Rainbow, Bogboy, Moment & Halcyon Days.

Her work has won many awards most notably a Fringe First for Halcyon Days in 2013 and the Tony Doyle Bursary with BBC Northern Ireland 2009. Her latest play - The Unmanageable Sisters, a Dublin retelling of Michael Tremblay's play, has returned triumphantly twice to the Abbey.