Tralee musician, Daithí Kearney, is embarking on a tour of America on Saturday with members of the DkIT Ceol Oirghialla Traditional Music Ensemble.

The Dundalk-based musician (who performed for President Barack Obama in The White House in 2009), along with his colleague, Dr Adèle Commins, will lead the group will depart for New York and Kansas on Saturday, April 26.

Building on the links between DkIT and both Molloy College and Baker University, the busy tour schedule will include performances, lectures and community outreach projects in a variety of schools.

The trip will promote Ireland as a place to pursue opportunities for study and research at third and fourth level and highlight the rich cultural links that exist in music between Ireland and America.
While in New York, the Ensemble will present a Lecture Recital at Molloy College, Long Island, and at the American Irish Historical Society on Fifth Avenue.
Flying to Kansas, the group will have the opportunity to observe and learn from students and professors in the Department of Music and Theatre at Baker University.
Well known to audiences in Tralee from his involvement for many years with Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, Daithi was involved over Easter in the celebration of Easter services in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Tralee.

Now based in Dundalk, he continues to perform regularly and has featured regularly on television including as a presenter of the popular television series Geantraí.

Previous trips to America have included performances in Forde’s Theatre, Washington D.C. with Siamsa Tíre, participation in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with the New Ross and District Pipe Band, and a performance for President Obama in the White House in 2009.
Dr Daithí Kearney is an ethnomusicologist, geographer and performer, lecturing in Music at DkIT.

An All-Ireland Champion musician, he has toured regularly as a musician, singer and dancer with a number of groups and performed for President Obama in The White House in 2009.

In 2012 he released an album with Cork accordion player John Cronin entitled Midleton Rare, which is related to a wider research project on the music and musicians of the Sliabh Luachra region.