An Chéad Ghlúin Eile + special guests The Unprepared — event image at The MAC
TRAD & FOLKFree entry

An Chéad Ghlúin Eile + special guests The Unprepared

The MAC · 10 Exchange Street West, Belfast, BT1 2NJ

Thursday 6 August · 7pm

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An Chéad Ghlúin Eile

With Special Guests The Unprepared

An Chéad Ghlúin Eile (ACGE) are acclaimed sean-nós singers, native Irish speakers and sisters from the Gaeltacht.

Étáin and Máire Ní Churraoin first came to national prominence after winning the TG4 family talent competition Réalta agus Gaolta in 2019. Since then, they have performed on stages throughout Ireland and internationally, sharing traditional Irish and folk songs through their distinctive vocal harmonies and deep connection to the Irish language.

Their debut album, Cá'il an Bheirt?, was awarded Album of the Year 2025 at the Nós Awards, further cementing their reputation as two of the most exciting young voices in Irish traditional music.

The sisters regularly appear on television, including The Reluctant Traveller with Eugene Levy (Apple TV), Nationwide (RTÉ) and Bláth na hÓige (TG4). They also served as Culture Night Ambassadors for Ealaín na Gaeltachta in 2022 and actively promote Irish language and culture through their social media platforms.


Special Guests: The Unprepared

Support on the evening comes from The Unprepared, an energetic trio centred around Irish and Scottish traditional music.

Drawing inspiration from the spontaneity and excitement of traditional music sessions, the group adapts and arranges tunes for the concert stage while leaving plenty of room for improvisation and musical exploration.

The trio features:

  • David Lombardi – fiddle
  • Jean Damei – guitar
  • Sam Mabbett – accordion

David and Jean met while studying on the BA in Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, where they formed the band Fourth Moon. After relocating to Glasgow and meeting Sam Mabbett, the three musicians developed a close musical partnership that ultimately led to the creation of The Unprepared.


An evening celebrating the Irish language, sean-nós song and contemporary traditional music from some of the most exciting performers on today's folk scene.

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