"youthful, energetic, stellar music, from one of Ireland's finest bands!"

-       Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Altan)                                                         

Réalta take a lively, exciting and respectful approach to Irish traditional music. Reared on a staple diet of The Bothy Band, Planxty and other such classics, this Belfast based band captures the timeless aspects of the tradition and gently infuses them with elements from other musical genre.

Performing on dual uilleann pipes, whistles, guitar, bouzouki and bodhrán this multi-instrumentalist group present an enchanting programme of dance music interspersed with the occasional story, air and song. A youthful curiosity is evident in the musical arrangement and is paired with a strict attention to detail in its execution.

Conor Lamb and Aaron O’Hagan pursue the melody on uilleann pipes and whistles while Deirdre Galway explores the harmony and rhythms within the tunes through a dynamic accompaniment on guitar and bouzouki. With over a dozen reeds resonating in unison, the rare blend of two uilleann pipes gives Réalta a full and distinctive sound. This core trio is often joined for live performances by Micky McCluskey on bouzouki. The musical rapport between these musicians makes for an exciting performance.

Between them, they have played with a variety of established bands such as Craobh Rua. Concerts include The Smithsonian Folklife Festival (Washington), Festival Interceltico Accidente (Asturias), Tok Trad Festival (France) and Moniaive Folk Festival (Scotland).

Now, having toured in Germany and Switzerland alongside Altan in 2011 and won the prestigious 'Danny Kyle Award' at Celtic Connections 2012, Réalta have firmly established themselves on the Irish music scene. Additional highlights for the band include headline performances at the Noordfolk Festival (Netherlands) and the Northern Meeting Piping Festival (Scotland).

As a live band, Réalta delight audiences with the enthusiasm, energy and passion they bring to their music.

Réalta’s debut album ‘Open The Door For Three’ was released in September 2012.

* Please see www.realtamusic.com for further information *