DkIT Researchers part of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Celebrations
A team of researchers from the Creative Arts Research Centre at DkIT recently travelled to Glasgow to participate in the "Tradition in Motion" conference, held at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland from March 31 to April 2, 2026. This event celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the BA (Scottish Music) programme and offered a space to reflect on the journey of traditional and folk music in higher education.
The conference featured panel discussions, research presentations, and world-class performances, exploring the relationship between music education and intangible cultural heritage, particularly in Nordic and Celtic Europe.
For the conference, Dr Adèle Commins and Dr Daithí Kearney presented a paper that critically reflected on postgraduate research projects at DkIT over the past decade with a particular focus on music as a social activity with immense local impact. They highlighted the particular local impacts of the research and the various awards earned by the researchers.
Leandro Pessina and Colleen Savage, who recently completed their postgraduate research, collaborated to present with a tourism perspective, focusing on three case studies including the Oriel Traditional Orchestra, Savage’s sharing of songs from the Hannon Collection, and her development of the ‘Sing for Your Supper’ experience for tourists to South Armagh.
Darren Culliney, a TUTF scholar at DkIT, focused on the role of button accordion players from Ulster in contemporary bands including All Folk’d Up and The Tumbling Paddies.
The group also performed at the National Piping Centre as part of the delegate concert alongside performers from a variety of participating universities. They performed compositions by Commins and Kearney, composed as part of a commission for Louth County Council for the Brigid1500 celebrations in 2024.
Participation in the conference enable the DkIT contingent to demonstrate how the study of traditional music can inform and be informed by practices elsewhere. Irish traditional music remains an integral part of the BA (Hons) Music and Performance Technology programme at DkIT, and there are also part time study options available. The Oriel Traditional Orchestra is an established ensemble-in-residence in the Institute and will next year celebrate its tenth anniversary, while academic staff and postgraduate researchers continue to publish internationally on various aspects of traditional music.
