Music: William Ballet Lute Book (Trinity College, Dublin, c. 1580).
Text: Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry (trans. Kuno Meyer, 1911).

Music and poetry have enjoyed a rich and ancient relationship. In Ireland, bardic poetry was performed to musical accompaniment in medieval Gaelic courts; at times of revival, traditional music was seen as a link to the past, a past untouched by foreign invaders. This relationship still has a resonance with the contemporary writer, particularly those from the North that write mainly in the English language.

A Dirge for King Niall of the Nine Hostages explores this relationship by subverting it; ancient Irish texts, captured and translated by Kuno Meyer in the early 20th Century, are accompanied by newly composed music. This music, however, is scored for recorders, hurdy-gurdies, voice and electronics. Moreover, it is based on tunes taken from the William Ballet Lute Book; these tunes are treated and arranged using contemporary compositional techniques to create an environment in which the texts can be seated. This complex mix of old and new generates an interesting sound world for the audience to experience, explore and reflect upon.