Mother Tongue: A Night of Spoken Word, Music, And Matriarchy At International Literature Festival Dublin
Mother Tongue: A Night of Spoken Word, Music, And Matriarchy At International Literature Festival Dublin
Text: Rachel Hannon
Amanda Adé Photo: Eoin Greally
Julie Morissy Photo: Peter Tomka
Saoirse Miller Photo: Olivialnz
Pippa Malony Photo: Luke Conroy
Spoken word and sean-nós electronicia will collide in this hypnotic celebration of Irish femininity at the International Literature Festival Dublin.
On Wednesday, May 21, an ensemble of incredible female spoken word artists and ambient electronic musicians will transform the Speranza stage at Merrion Square Park into a sanctuary of sound, story, and soul for one of most intimate and spellbinding evenings of this year’s International Literature Festival Dublin. This evening of spoken word and music honours the deep rooted tradition of women’s songs and stories, from past, present, and imagined.
Expect a visceral blend of searing poetry and ambient folk sounds, telling stories you will remember long after it’s over. The night will feature Amanda Adé, Sarah Creighton Keogh, and Julie Morrissy as the spoken word artists, followed by music from Saoirse Miller and Pippa Molony. This one of a kind event ties a thread between all artists who all channel myth, memory, feminism, folklore, and ancestry.
Spoken Word Artists:
Amanda Adé
A commanding presence in Ireland’s cultural vanguard, Nigerian-Irish artist Amanda Adé is a spoken word powerhouse. Simply take a look at her socials to hear her passion, articulation, and truth telling. Her performances fuse rhythmic language with radical truth-telling, invoking themes of identity, resistance, and diaspora joy. Also a creative director, artist manager, and activist, Amanda Adé explores the intersection of art and change, sparking conversations and momentum for change in Ireland.
Sarah Creighton Keogh
Poet, performer, writer, and provocateur. Sarah Creighton Keogh’s multidisciplinary work slices through expectation, known for her sharp wit and emotionally charged work. Blending humour with raw honesty, her spoken word pieces explore feminism, queerness, childhood, and everyday survival. Fierce, funny and unfiltered, Sarah’s words will linger long after the mic is turned off.
Julie Morrissy
Julie Morrissy is a singular voice in contemporary Irish literature. Not only a legal scholar, she is the innaugural Poet-in-Residence at the National library of Ireland. Her work traverses the intersections of poetry, history, and justice. With a background in law and deep engagement with archives and public memory, Julie’s poetry is incisive, emotionally nuanced and inquistivie. Her performances explore themes of language, women in history, memory, and place, offering listeners a mediative experience.
Musicians:
Saoirse Miller
Ethereal and elemental, Dublin-based composer and singer Saoirse Miller is a sonic storyteller who crafts emotionally rich landscapes, from folk mythology, pagan mysticism, and ambient textures. Her voice feels like a spell, and her music, a ritual. Each performance invites deep introspection and catharsis.
Pippa Molony
Blurring the line between folklore and futurism, Pippa Molony is a rising force in Ireland’s electronic and folk scenes. Her haunting vocals and cinematic electronic arrangements make for the perfect finale of the night. A filmmaker as well as a musician, she mines Ireland’s mythic archives and her own memory to create arresting soundscapes.
This night of music and spoken word performances brought to you by District X ILFD will provoke thoughts of heritage, and the power of femininity. To attend Mother Tongue on May 21 Merrion Square Park, tickets are available here.
