Drawing from the Well: Irish Traditional Music Concert
Sunday, October 11, 2026
2:30 - 4 pm (Doors at 2 pm)
Debartolo Performing Arts Center, Patricia George Decio Theatre, University of Notre Dame
$25.00 General Admission
Log in for special Notre Dame student, staff, and faculty pricing.
$15 Faculty and Staff
Free for Students
The acclaimed Drawing from the Well concert series, curated by the Irish Traditional Music Archive (Dublin, Ireland), is coming back to the US, this time to the University of Notre Dame, home of the famed Chief O’Neill Collection, often referred to simply as “the book” or “the bible” of Irish traditional music, preserved in the Hesburgh Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections.
Drawing from the Well: Notre Dame is sponsored by Notre Dame Dublin and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies. ITMA’s US projects are co-funded by the Government of Ireland’s Department of Culture, Communications & Sport and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade as a part of America250.
The Drawing from the Well concert programme platforms leading Irish traditional musicians, singers and dancers, with performances staged in Dublin, Paris, London, Boston, and now Notre Dame. An ongoing initiative by the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA), the unique series connects contemporary artists with archival materials to inspire exciting new work.
The star-studded line-up includes legendary Matt Molloy (flute) of The Chieftains, Caitlín Nic Gabhann (dance, concertina), Doireann Ní Ghlacáin (fiddle and vocals), Hannah O'Brien (fiddle), Liam O'Connor (fiddle), Ciarán Ó Maonaigh (fiddle), Seán Potts (uilleann pipes), Sophie Ryan (harp), Diarmuid Ó Meachair (accordion), and a host of other outstanding traditional musicians.
ITMA’s exceptional US-related collections reflect the extraordinary history of Irish traditional music, song, and dance in America and the importance the United States played in its survival and development. As part of an America250 programme, the Drawing from the Well: Notre Dame concert will celebrate that connection, and travelling artists will engage with those archival treasures to inspire a unique performance.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and Department of Culture, Communications & Sport has partnered with ITMA to support US concerts, satellite cultural events, and larger research projects in celebration of America250, highlighting Ireland’s deep historical, cultural, and familial links with the United States. The result of this work culminates in the creation of a digital map highlighting Irish music, song and dance in all 50 US States, which will be launched at the University of Notre Dame Drawing from the Well concert.