Cork Opera House in association with Chapman University California present Ballads of a Bogman - The Sigerson Clifford Song Cycle by Stephen McNeff (Irish premiere)

Hosted by Cork Opera House in association with Chapman University California, Cara O’ Sullivan Associate Artist Gavan Ring and pianist Louise Thomas present the Irish and European premiere of Ballads of a Bogman – The Sigerson Clifford Song Cycle by composer Stephen McNeff.

Known as 'The Bard of Iveragh', Clifford was born in 11 Dean Street, a street sheltered by the steeples of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork City, and was raised in Cahersiveen, County Kerry. 

Following the world premiere in Los Angeles this Spring, Ballads of a Bogman forms a selection of texts from Clifford's seminal 1955 collection of poetry of the same name. Working with themes such as the revolutionary period, emigration, rural decline and the travelling community in Ireland, McNeff has set Clifford's poetry here to the most exquisite and poignant music, capturing beautifully the spiritual, historical and social fabric of early-twentieth-century rural Ireland through the prism of life in South Kerry at the time. 

This song cycle was devised during 2021 as part of the Contemporary Music Centre Colleagues initiative where Stephen, Gavan and Louise were artistic partners.

Tickets

Tickets are available via Cork Opera House, booking here.