Strings Across Borders: Irish and Iraqi Musicians Unite in Melodic Magic

Musicians from Ireland and Iraq have joined forces to create a unique musical group called Macalla, which means 'echo' in Irish. This group is made up of eight talented artists from Londonderry's North West Folk Collective and Iraq's Mshakht Collective. Their collaboration has been in progress for three years, and they recently performed at the well-known Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, one of the UK's largest international folk and world music events.

The Macalla ensemble brings together a variety of traditional instruments from both cultures. Irish instruments like the harp, bouzouki, violin, fiddle, and uilleann pipes are played alongside Middle Eastern instruments such as the qanun, a 78-string instrument played on the lap, the oud, which is similar to a European lute, and different types of percussion. The group’s music is a blend of Irish and Iraqi traditions. They perform familiar Irish melodies but present them in new ways, mixing in elements from Iraqi music. The Iraqi musicians also bring ancient songs to the group, and the Irish musicians add their own style to these pieces. The goal is to respect both traditions while creating something new and exciting. Martin Coyle, the group’s director and a bouzouki player, says that Macalla is about echoing and mirroring each other’s music. He believes that experimenting with different sounds and instruments is both challenging and rewarding.

The project received support from the British Council, which helps promote cultural exchange. Some of the Irish musicians traveled to Iraq early in the project and hoped to perform at the Nineveh Peace Festival. Unfortunately, a fire in the region prevented the concert, but the visit was still important. It helped the musicians build friendships and share ideas that have shaped their music ever since. The Mshakht Collective was formed in 2017 in northern Iraq, where many people had to move to refugee camps. The group wanted to use music to connect with other cultures. Saman Kareem, who plays the oud, says that working with the Irish musicians has been inspiring. He noticed that Irish traditional music is organized differently from Iraqi music, which made him think about music in new ways. He believes that this collaboration has given him new ideas for future projects.

The group’s recent performance in Glasgow was well received by the audience. The musicians are now looking forward to more collaborations. They hope to bring the project back to Iraq and also explore more opportunities in Ireland. They have started writing new music together and are considering recording their work. Martin Coyle says that the group is beginning to see the real benefits of their cultural exchange. He believes that their new compositions are special because of the time they have spent learning from each other.

Colm McGivern, Director of British Council Northern Ireland, says that Macalla is a great example of how music can bridge cultures. He is proud to support projects like this, which show how the arts can help people understand each other, build relationships, and inspire creativity around the world. The project also received support from the Earagail Arts Festival.

The Macalla ensemble includes Lucia McGinnis on harp, Niwar Issa on qanun, Saman Kareem on oud, Helin Star Qadir on violin, and Hussein Al Saedi on percussion from Iraq, along with Marty Coyle on bouzouki, Denise Boyle on fiddle, and Paul Cutliffe on uilleann pipes and whistle from Ireland. Together, they create music that blends their different backgrounds and traditions.

Their performances are full of energy and emotion, with musicians seated in a semi-circle under colorful stage lights, playing a variety of acoustic instruments. The audience enjoys the warm and intimate atmosphere, and the musicians are excited about the future. They hope their music will help people from different cultures connect and understand each other better.

The story of Macalla shows how art and music can bring people together, even when they come from very different places. By working together, the musicians have created something new and meaningful. They are proud of their achievements and look forward to continuing their journey, making more music and building more bridges between cultures.