Michael Rooney

Michael Rooney is a prolific composer and is widely regarded as one of the foremost players of the traditional Irish harp.

Michael was awarded the TG4 Composer of the Year in 2017.

Oct 2023, Michael has just completed a suite of music for Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan ‘A Deep Ravine’ as part of The Decade of Centenaries Programme. This new suite will respond creatively to the partition and the reality of life on the Border so we have a deeper understanding of significant events that took place during this period.

In July 2022, Michael completed ‘The Ulster Suite’ for Ulster Comhaltas. This was preceded a suite called ‘Constance’, commissioned by The Hawks Well Sligo & UCD and also ‘The Famine Suite’ for Imbolc.

Originally from Scotstown, Co. Monaghan and now a long time resident of County Sligo, Michael has composed 19 suites of music in the past 20 years, including ‘The Ulster Suite’ (2022), ‘Clairseoireacht’ (2022), Constance (2020), The Famine Suite (2019), The Macalla Suite (2016), Boróimhe Suite (2014), The Second Coming (2014), De Cuellar Suite (2011) and Battle of the Books Suite (2007).

In May 2015, Michael was commissioned to write music and perform on the occasion of Prince Charles’ visit to Sligo. His music features on ‘The Queen's Speech’, RTÉ's documentary of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Ireland.

An album of ‘The Macalla Suite’ was released in December 2016, performed by The Macalla Orchestra and recorded Live in Monaghan. He has recorded three CDs with flute player June McCormack; ‘Tobar an Cheoil’, 'Draíocht' and 'Land's End'. He is also a member of Sligo’s Dartry Ceili Band. Michael has published four books of his own compositions; 'Harp Tunes' (2006), Aifreann Gaeilge (2012), 'The de Cuéllar Suite' (2012), ‘The Macalla Suite’ (2016).

Compositions by Michael Rooney

‘Decades of the Centenaries’ - for Cavan/Monaghan Music Generation (Premiere Oct 2023)
‘The Ulster Suite’ for Ulster Comhaltas Orchestra (Premiere July 2022)
‘Clairseoireacht’ composed for the harp collective of the harp ensembles of Music Generation Laois, Louth & Mayo, premiered at the 2022 St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin. (Premiere March 2022)
‘An Bealach ar Ais’ - 3 movements for Music Generation Cavan Monaghan (June 2021)
‘Constance’ for The Hawks Well Sligo (Feb 2020)
‘The Humbert Suite’, for The John Egan Festival (Oct 2019)
‘The Famine Suite’ for Imbolc, Derry (Feb 2019)
'The Spirit of Laois Suite' for the Music Generation Laois Harp Orchestra (2017)
'The Macalla Suite’ - Easter 1916 Centenary (2016)
'Reconciliation' - For the official visit to Sligo of TRH,The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (2015)
‘The Second Coming’ - Music for an aerial dance spectacular performed by a Traditional Quartet. The show was commissioned by Hawks Well, Sligo and travelled to Celtic Connections, Glasgow and toured Germany (2014). Watch
‘Boróimhe’ - Commemorating the 1000-year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf (2014).
'The De Cuellar Suite' - A collaboration of Irish Traditional, Galician Traditional and Classical musicians based on the Spanish Armada and the writings of Francisco De Cuellar (2011)
‘Aifreann Gaeilge 2’ - Commissioned for the Corofin Traditional Music Festival. (2007)
‘The Battle of the Books’ - A Suite remembering the epic battle between St. Colmcille and St. Finian in Sligo. (2006)
‘Suite for Harp & String Quartet’ (2006)
'The Millennium Suite' - A suite composed for the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Enniscorthy in 2000.
'The Famine Suite' – A suite commemorating the great famine. (1997)
'Aifreann Gaeilge ' - 4 part Aifreann Gaeilge commissioned for National Choral Festival (1996)