Celtic Crossroads - Meet our Cast

Diarmaid Hurley

Diarmaid Hurley comes from a very musical family in Ballymote, Co. Sligo. His parents bought him a bodhrán at a young age, as they were tired of him constantly banging on frying pans! Other drums soon followed and he now needs a small warehouse to store them all. Over the next few years, Diarmaid also excelled in playing guitar, bouzouki and mandolin. He has won a number of awards, both as a solo musician and in groups, including the All-Ireland championship in 2002. Diarmaid first started performing professionally at the age of 14, with the Swallow's Tail Ceili Band, with whom he still regularly plays. The band has performed all over Ireland and in Britain, Europe and the US. Over the years he has been part of many groups, including Na Sionnaigh, The Infinite Dregs and The Hot Chicken Reels. Since 2004, Diarmaid has been based in Galway City, where he still plays regularly in pub sessions, as well as live gigs and the odd outdoor impromptu performance. Outside of traditional music, he also plays with a band performing original contemporary material. Other projects include groups playing West African percussion, reggae and Americana. Diarmaid holds a BA in History and Irish language from NUI Galway and is also a certified English teacher. Diarmaid, who has put his professional career on hold, has been with Celtic Crossroads since its foundation and is delighted to be performing once more on their World Tour.

Isaac Alderson

Isaac Alderson, an American by birth, grew up listening to his father, John, sing and play the harmonica, guitar, and piano. He was introduced at an early age to the records of the great blues and jazz artists of his father's childhood and took up the tenor saxophone when ten years old, encouraged by his mother, playing with his father and taking lessons in school. At the age of twelve, Isaac first heard the sound of the Irish uilleann pipes, and was completely enthralled. From then on, he has dedicated his life to pursuing the craft of traditional Irish music. He began studying the art of piping with Al Purcell, a Dublin man who learned from the great Leo Rowsome, and took lessons from numerous pipers in the US and Ireland throughout his teenage years. Soon after his introduction to the pipes, he took up the flute and whistle under the tutelage of Laurence Nugent, a master musician from Co. Fermanagh. In 2002, at the age of 19, Isaac won the Senior All-Ireland Championships on all three of his traditional instruments in the same day. No other American musician has managed such an accomplishment at these prestigious competitions. Since then, Isaac has toured extensively across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Western Europe with such artists as fiddle great Eileen Ivers, Chicago-based band Bua, Dublin guitarist James Riley, international powerhouse band Comas, Jameson's Revenge, Teada, Millish, Ensemble Galilei, Danish banjo wizard Jonas Fromseier, The Bronx Boys, and many others. Isaac currently works full-time as a musician and teacher of traditional music in New York.

Kate Moloney

Kate Moloney is from Co. Clare on the west coast of Ireland, the home of Irish traditional music. She was introduced to Irish music at an early age by her father Haulie, who sang and played the bouzouki and harmonica. Kate began playing Irish and Breton music at the age of seven and is now equally as proficient on both the accordion and the flute. Up through the years, Kate has performed both as a solo act, in groups and in ceili bands, and has been featured on Irish, German and Spanish TV and radio. She has travelled around Ireland and Spain performing with the Irish Traditional Music Institute. She is currently studying for her BA in Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. Kate is most inspired by the musicians close to her in her hometown of Ennis which is brewing with talented musicians. Kate is delighted to be able to take a year out from her university studies to be part of Celtic Crossroads. Kate's main interest lies in the fusion of music and Celtic Crossroads, and in the show she does just that.

Michael McClintock

Michael McClintock is Musical Director and the lead violin player, although he can easily take to playing piano, drums, trumpet and double bass. Born in Dublin, Michael emigrated to Australia at an early age. Michael started playing Irish folk music at the age of four, initially taking lessons from his next door neighbor, but eventually trained classically, before developing his passion for "World Music". He played in several orchestras, including the Australian Youth Orchestra, and also has his own string quartet. He has played session parts on several famous Australian albums, and runs his own recording studio in Melbourne. Michael is also no stranger to television, making regular appearances as a session musician on TV stations such as the National Channel 10 network in Melbourne. Michael was born into a very musical family and joined the Australian Army at 18 as an Infantry officer to pay for his university studies at Melbourne University, where he completed a degree in Corporations Law, Economics, Japanese and Politics. After his studies, Michael returned to his first love of music. His life is now devoted to music, in every form, but he especially loves Celtic, Bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz and Traditional Jazz.

James Riley

James Riley, from Dublin City was raised in a house that resonated with traditional Irish music. Inheriting a love of music from his father and fuelled by the strong support of his mother, James began to diligently practice, playing up to 12 hours a day when he was only nine years old. James recalls, “I would sit at home and study Arty McGlynn, John Doyle, John Hicks and Paul Brady”. By 16, James had played at all the Dublin sessiuns and studied Irish Music in Ballyfermot Senior College. When 16, James completed his first tour of Finland, Denmark, Spain and Estonia, with The Big Jigs. He continued to tour Europe over many years and has also performed a number of times in Abu Dhabi. Already a seasoned touring musician, James took to the US where he was a resident musician at John D. McGurk’s, St. Louis, Missouri. Although still a favorite at McGurk’s, James relocated to the prestigious Irish music scene of New York in 2000 and toured with popular Irish American groups such as Solas, Eileen Ivers, and Cathy Ryan. He also became a favored studio musician equally for his crisp, intricate finger/flat picking, rhythmic percussive backing, and innovative arrangements. James has recorded or collaborated with Eileen Ivers, Mick McCauley, Martin and Marie Reilly, Steve Holloway, Ben Power, Jane Hunt, Donie Ryan, Nigel Davey, John Walsh, Kieran O’Hare, Liz Knowles, Johnny Connolly and Paddy Keenan to name a few. James currently lives in Dublin, Ireland with his American-born wife. During the summer he is a resident musician at the Church Restaurant and Bar in Dublin, while in the winter he still travels the world with a variety of groups and artists.

Lisa Canny

Lisa Canny, from Co. Mayo on the west coast of Ireland, is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer. Since her childhood, Lisa has been receiving prestigious awards for her musical abilities, including seven All-Ireland first place titles in the Fleadh Ceoil on both banjo and harp. After graduating with a first class honors degree in Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, she went on to receive a Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology at University College Cork. From an early age, Lisa has contributed solo and accompanied acts at a wide range of events throughout Ireland, Europe and North America. Her international performances have included touring with Rhythms of Ireland, Fuaim Chonamara, and playing at the renowned 'Nuit Magique' at Lorient's Festival Interceltique (for two years).

No two shows are exactly the same and in addition to excellent renditions on an array of musical instruments, Michael, Kate and James have an extensive range of vocals that provides variation between performances.

Marcus Donnell

Marcus Donnelly, who is the Celtic Crossroads Dance Director, hails from Co. Galway and has been practicing various forms of Irish dancing since his childhood. He brings to Celtic Crossroads the best that is to be found in Irish dancing, which includes some novelty acts and a foot speed that is rarely surpassed. Once you see Marcus in action on the stage, you will not be surprised when told that he has won competitions throughout Ireland and abroad. His sheer love, determination, speed and flexibility are awesome to watch.

Shaunessy Sinnett

Shaunessy Sinnett has been dancing since the age of four. After eight years as a ballerina, she began training and competing in other styles like jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and acro-gymnastics. Shaunessy has also been a competitive Irish dancer for twelve years. She medaled at the 2010 World Irish Dance Championships, and was consistently placed in the top five at the Eastern Canadian Championships. Now, Shaunessy is beginning her second year as a professional Irish dancer. In her first year, Shaunessy toured the United Arab Emirates, Scotland, Canada, Ireland, Germany, the United States, and England. She’s been alead dancer, choreographer, and has beenfeatured in Canadian television commercials and music videos. She is thrilled to be a new member of Celtic Crossroads on their World Tour.

Charlene Morrison

Charlene Morrison, a primary teacher by profession, including specialization in the area of dance education, has been an avid Irish dancer from a young age. Hailing from Co. Mayo on the west coast of Ireland, Charlene has danced competitively and performed in Ireland, England, Scotland, Sweden, America and Canada throughout her dance career, and has also enjoyed teaching dance to Irish, American, English, French, Spanish, and Italian students. She has recently completed a Masters Degree in Dance at the University of Limerick. Her research centered upon exploring the capacity of dance to enrich emotional, aesthetic and cultural understanding through examining the emotional journey of an Irish emigrant through dance. Charlene is also an accomplished classical pianist, having been awarded a gold medal for piano recital from Royal Irish Academy of Music, in addition to obtaining her Diploma of Music Teaching, which qualifies her to teach piano to young students. After just three years working full-time as a primary teacher in Ireland, the opportunity to perform with Celtic Crossroads presented itself and Charlene decided that she was going to trade in the school bus for the tour bus for a little while and fulfill her dream of becoming a professional dancer. She feels extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to perform with Celtic Crossroads and is delighted that her passion for sharing Irish dance with a wider audience is allowed to thrive.