Mary Bergin is the most celebrated tin whistle player in the world, universally acclaimed as perhaps the greatest virtuoso
of All-Time on what is the most widespread of all Irish musical instruments. Born into a very musical family in Dublin, she was an All-Ireland
Champion by her teens. With her fluid and innovative style, she brought the ancient and humble tin whistle to the forefront
of Irish music in the late 70's with her debut album, Feadoga Stain. This landmark release is now widely acknowledged as one
of the most influential and important recordings of the 20th Century, which almost single-handedly elevated the tin whistle
to the status of serious musical instrument.
In 1990 she formed the acclaimed group Dordan, while continuing
to perform both as a soloist and with her sister, Antoinette. Throughout the 90's she made four recordings with Dordan, and
in 1992 released her second solo recording Feadoga Stain 2, again to widespread critical acclaim. Her delicate tone and ornamental
nuances are drawn from the Irish vocal tradition of sean nos (old style) singers.
She has toured extensively throughout the world, and is a
much sought-after instructor, in addition to being a highly regarded composer. She resides in Spiddal, Galway.
Antoinette McKenna is one of the foremost players of Ireland's national instrument, the harp. Her professional career began in the early 70's when she played
in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, followed by international tours to America, Europe and Australia with her husband, the renowned
uilleann piper Joe McKenna.
In addition to playing the classic harp repertoire, she is
a skilled accompanist for traditional dance music, a most challenging task for harpists at which only a handful of players
in the world excel. She is further noted for her own compositions for harp, and is a superlative singer with a wide repertoire
of traditional and contemporary songs in both Irish and English.
She performs regularly with her sister, Mary, as well as with
her husband Joe (in photo above), with whom she frequently records and tours. The McKennas reside in Dublin.
