With Pipe & Drum: A Special Celebration at Stormont 

Belfast TradFest presents in association with Eastside Arts Festival and Strand Arts Centre. 

An explosive celebration of piping, percussion and pulse, With Pipe & Drum brings together world-class traditional musicians from across Ireland, Scotland and the United States of America. Featuring the world-renowned US tin whistle virtuoso Joanie Madden, the ethereal voice of Kim Carnie, Scottish small piper Ailis Sutherland, and the power and precision of Highland piper Grahame Harris with the Campbell College Pipe Band, this high-energy concert blends musical mastery with a vibrant cross-cultural spirit. 

Also appearing are legendary County Antrim traditional singer Len Graham, Tyrone uilleann piper Maeve O’Donnell, bodhrán master Aimée Farrell Courtney, smallpipe maestro Andy McGregor, and acclaimed guitarist Donogh Hennessy (Lúnasa & Lumiere), alongside master snare drummer Mark Wilson, and Conamara sean-nós dancer Becky Ní Eallaithe.   

Joanie Madden

Founder and leader of the groundbreaking Irish-American group Cherish the Ladies, Joanie Madden is one of the most influential figures in traditional music worldwide. Born in the Bronx to Irish parents, she was the first American to win the All-Ireland Senior Tin Whistle Championship. Her dynamic playing and pioneering role in bringing Irish music to international audiences have earned her global acclaim. 

Ailis Sutherland

Ailis Sutherland is a Scottish piper and multi-instrumentalist from Angus, known for her distinctive work on smallpipes and contemporary folk performance. Equally at home in traditional and experimental settings, she has toured extensively across Europe and beyond. She is also a respected educator with the National Piping Centre in Glasgow. 

Kim Carnie

Kim Carnie is one of Scotland’s most celebrated contemporary folk singers, renowned for her powerful yet ethereal voice. Drawing deeply from Gaelic song and Scottish tradition, she has collaborated with artists and ensembles across the folk and orchestral worlds. Her work combines emotional depth with a strong connection to language and heritage. 

Len Graham

Len Graham is regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest traditional singers and a vital link in the oral song tradition. From Co. Antrim, he has spent a lifetime collecting, preserving and sharing songs from across Ulster and beyond. His contribution to traditional singing has been recognised nationally and internationally over many decades and he will soon publish his lifetime song collection of over 1200 songs. 

Grahame Harris & Campbell College Pipe Band

Pipe Major Grahame Harris leads the internationally respected Campbell College Pipe Band, one of the leading school pipe bands in these islands. Known for their precision, musicianship and competitive success, the band has performed at major events throughout the UK and internationally. Their appearance brings the spectacle and energy of Highland piping tradition to the heart of Stormont. 

Becky Ní Éallaithe

From Conamara, Becky Ní Éallaithe is an acclaimed sean-nós dancer known for her powerful rhythmic style and deep grounding in tradition. She has performed widely at festivals and cultural events across Ireland and internationally. Her dancing brings both spontaneity and striking percussive energy to the stage. 

Maeve O’Donnell

Maeve O’Donnell is an award-winning uilleann piper from Co. Tyrone and one of the rising stars of the tradition. A multiple Fleadh Cheoil medal winner, she is recognised for her expressive playing and strong musical sensitivity. She has performed widely across Ireland and internationally as both soloist and collaborator. 

Andy McGregor

Andy McGregor is a highly respected piper, educator and performer with extensive international experience. A former Grade One Pipe Major, he studied Highland bagpipes at Edinburgh Castle and is also an accomplished whistle and Scottish smallpipes player. Vice chair of Belfast TradFest and co-founder of Music Services for Pipes & Drums, he has collaborated with artists including Phil Cunningham, Aly Bain, The Chieftains, the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra and Phil Coulter, combining world-class performance with a deep commitment to music education. 

Aimée Farrell Courtney

Aimée Farrell Courtney is one of Ireland’s most accomplished bodhrán players, renowned for her dynamic performance style and rhythmic precision. An All-Ireland champion, she has collaborated with leading traditional musicians and ensembles throughout Ireland and abroad. Her playing combines power, subtlety and exceptional musical instinct. 

Donogh Hennessy

Donogh Hennessy is a highly influential guitarist, best known as a founding member of Lúnasa and for his work with Lumiere. Renowned for his innovative accompaniment style, he has collaborated with many of the foremost names in Irish traditional music. His playing has helped redefine the role of guitar within contemporary trad ensembles. 

Set within the magnificent surroundings of the Great Hall at Stormont, With Pipe & Drum is a bold and immersive musical journey that explores the shared traditions of Ireland and Scotland through pipes, rhythm, song and dance. From the haunting beauty of slow airs to the thunderous energy of pipe band percussion, the concert moves seamlessly between intimate solo moments and exhilarating large-scale collaborations. 

Bringing together internationally acclaimed artists and tradition bearers from both sides of the Atlantic, the programme celebrates the enduring power of folk music to connect communities, landscapes and histories. Blending Highland pipes, uilleann pipes, whistles, song, sean-nós dance and driving percussion, With Pipe & Drum promises a spectacular evening of musical virtuosity, atmosphere and cross-cultural exchange at the heart of Belfast TradFest.