Song and poetry to unite

One of county Cork’s most picturesque venues is set to host an extraordinary evening of music and poetry this month.

On 23 February, the beautiful Sea Church in Ballycotton invites one and all to the Great Irish Poets Songbook, an evening inspired by the Irish landscape and its history of occupation, struggle, love, and loss.

Clare tenor Dean Power will perform songs drawn from the works of James Joyce, Fanny Parnell, WB Yeats, and Thomas Moore.

These poets, whose legacies have shaped Ireland’s literary tradition, form the heart of the Great Irish Poets Songbook – an ongoing project dedicated to setting their iconic texts to music.

Power, known for his compelling vocal talent, will be accompanied by composer and pianist James Hurley.

The evening will feature newly composed and arranged settings of poems by Yeats, Joyce, Wilde, and Parnell, along with Moore’s Melodies. This selection of song cycles is designed to evoke the deep emotional resonance of the literary works, spanning various genres and themes to create a deeply immersive experience.

The Great Irish Poets Songbook project, which now includes over 25 newly composed pieces, offers a powerful exploration of Ireland’s literary and musical heritage. Through its evocative settings, the song cycle allows audiences to connect with the timeless beauty of Irish poetry and its rich cultural landscape.

The performance will take place at Sea Church, Ballycotton, at 7.30pm on 23 February.

Tickets are €23 available from corkoperahouse.ie and the Sea Church box office.