Folk music and storytelling with Saltaire in north Tipperary this weekend

An intimate night of music and song is coming to Jim O’ the Mills this coming Saturday with musical trio Saltair.

Saltaire brings together three distinct musical voices, shaped by years of performing in acclaimed Irish traditional and folk bands, and as sought-after session musicians.

Comprised of singer/cellist Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz, guitarist Ian Kinsella and bodhrán/bouzouki player Conor Lyons, their combined experience fuels a bold and dynamic sound, weaving haunting, ethereal folk styles with rich storytelling to create original songs, reimagined folk ballads and traditional tunes.

With the deep resonance of cello, the rhythmic pulse of bodhrán, and the melodic interplay of guitar and bouzouki, they craft a fresh yet rich folk sound that feels both timeless and nostalgic. Self-dubbed ‘a band of backers’, Saltaire’s music is a collective experience, rooted in collaboration and expanding outward via close friendships with some of Ireland’s most talented musicians in the folk and Irish traditional space.

Some of these collaborators and co-conspirators include Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Ryan McAuley, Laura Jo, Catherine McHugh and more.

At the end of February this year, Saltaire unveiled their highly anticipated debut EP, Only Moonlight, to critical acclaim.

They were selected as official showcase artists at the Your Roots Are Showing folk music conference in Belfast, as well as the Culture Ireland TradFest showcase in Dublin, and have since been invited to perform across Europe, Australia, and the United States.

Kicking off with the Culture Ireland Australia showcase tour at the end of May that culminated with a performance at the National Celtic Folk Festival in Melbourne, followed by a concert at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris in June, Ziro festival in India in September, multiple festival appearances and gigs across Ireland to be announced, then in 2027 festival appearances to be announced in the US and Canada.

In March, Saltaire were selected by world renowned producer/audio engineer Josh Rogosin (NPR Tiny Desk) to participate in the Dublin edition of his Global Sound Concert series, where they performed and recorded live in the iconic Windmill Lane Recording Studios.

Tickets at €22.40 are available through EventBrite, with the gig kicking off at 8pm.