Ancient legend meets modern Tallaght in Iarla Ó Lionáird’s Parthalán

SoFFt Productions, NOISE Music and South Dublin County Arts Office present Parthalán, an ambitious new multidisciplinary performance created especially for Tallaght and Culture Night 2026.

Led by acclaimed singer and composer Iarla Ó Lionáird, Parthalán will feature the world premiere of his new musical work and libretto, inspired by the Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions) and its account of Parthalán, one of Ireland’s earliest mythical settlers.

Ó Lionáird, a two-time Grammy-nominee following his recent work on Ryan Coogler’s Oscar-winning film ‘Sinners’, is collaborating with Ian Nyquist and Gareth Quinn Redmond on the music.

The mythology has a particular connection to Tallaght, where legend tells us Parthalán and his people, among Ireland’s earliest mythical settlers, came to rest.

Rather than retelling the myth, Parthalán uses it as the starting point for a new artistic exploration of place, memory, movement, belonging and transformation.

Tallaght is a place of continual change, shaped by generations of people arriving, leaving, building communities and making the area their own.

The work responds to that living sense of place, bringing an ancient story into conversation with contemporary Tallaght.

The performance features Ó Lionáird, Quinn Redmond, Nyquist and Rosie Murphy, with a special musical introduction from Ó Lionáird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Cormac McCarthy.

For the event, the South Dublin County Council buildings will be completely transformed through lighting and projection design, creating a unique immersive setting for this new work.

More than a performance, Parthalán is an invitation to rediscover Tallaght through story, sound and imagination.

This week, The Echo sat down with Iarla to discuss Parthalán, which starts at 7pm on September 18 at the South Dublin County Council Buildings in Tallaght.

Tickets for Parthalán are free, but advance booking is essential. Seated tickets are available on the night on a first-come, first-served basis, with standing tickets also available.

To reserve your place, visit Eventbrite. Parthalán is funded by the South Dublin County Council Arts Office through the South Dublin Live programme with additional programming funded by Creative Ireland South Dublin’s Project Award.

It’s lovely to meet you, Iarla! I understand Parthalán will see the premiere of a new musical work and libretto from you. What can you tell us about it?

We have written a piece of work that leans into a form of storytelling that uses spoken word voice, song and music to tell the story.

The work is inspired by the story of the mythical settler Parthalán in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions) and its connection to Tallaght, exploring place, movement, memory, belonging and transformation.

Can you tell us more about your inspiration and how you came to know the story of Parthalán?

Well, I was approached by the good folks in Rua Red in Tallaght and the equally good folks of Sofft Productions, and that was an eye-opener from the start, as I was largely unaware of the story of Partalán.

I was introduced to the local historian Albert Perris, who was most helpful in outlining the bones and indeed the details of the historical context. It was fascinating to hear all of this ancient backdrop to the place we all know as Tallaght.

What preparations have you had to make in advance of the premiere? What processes have you gone through in putting the piece together?

I have been writing music and constructing songs and story narratives from the textual sources and versions of the Book of Invasions and working and workshopping with a great group of musicians, Gareth Quinn Redmond, Rosie Murphy and Ian Nyquist.

We are also very fortunate to be collaborating with the worthy actor and director Sarah Jane Scaife, who will have a pivotal role as storyteller for the piece.

What has been your favourite part of working on this piece, and why?

I love all the various aspects of the work, to be honest. I enjoy the explorations in my own studio; I love working with and adapting old text, and then the payoff of making music with other great artists is wonderful.

What challenges have you encountered while arranging the work, and how have you navigated them?

Time is the greatest challenge, and trusting in the process and remaining open to new ideas is a thing I have to keep going – but luckily my normal disposition is to be very open to collaboration.

After Culture Night, what is next for you? Do you have any other projects planned for the remainder of 2026?

Well, I am quite busy with a number of projects – touring with my own trio (who incidentally will open the Partalán event – the amazingly talented Cormac McCarthy and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh). Also working on two composer-led projects.

Who would you like to thank for helping to make this premiere possible?

The folks in Rua Red for sure and all of the folks in Soft Productions. Also, Albert Perris for his invaluable input.