Traditional Irish music concert series curated by The Harrison in Belfast. This show features world renowned fiddle player Aidan Connolly

Trad at The Harrison presents: Aidan Connolly.
Wednesday 16th December 2026

Aidan Connolly - Fiddle

Tom Remon - Guitar

Aidan Connolly is known for his distinctive style of fiddle playing and has been described as “a leading fiddle player of the current wave of great Irish traditional music”. Born into a musical family in Rathfarnham, Dublin, he began playing from a very early age.

While Aidan’s music is deeply rooted in the rich musical heritage of Sliabh Luachra, his mother’s native area, he has listened to and played extensively with musicians from throughout Ireland and beyond, developing a mature and individual style informed by a wide range of influences. Between 2018 and 2020, he lived in Spain, where he was also strongly influenced by the country’s diverse musical landscape.

Aidan has released five commercial albums to date: Be Off (2016), Away On Up the Road (2019, with John Daly), The Portland Bow (2021), Keane/Connolly/McGorman (2023, with Pádraic Keane and Fergus & Ruairí McGorman), and The Groves of Gneeveguilla (2025, with Bryan O’Leary).

He has performed widely throughout Ireland, the UK, Europe and Japan, and was nominated for Best Folk Instrumentalist at the RTÉ Folk Awards in 2022. He has also performed as the fiddle player representing John Sheahan in The Dubliners Encore, celebrating the music and legacy of The Dubliners.

Aidan was appointed Sliabh Luachra Musician in Residence in 2025, a role which has since been extended into 2027. His work in the residency centres on the performance, teaching and transmission of the music of Sliabh Luachra. As part of this work, he published the tune book Tobar Luachmhar(2025), a collection designed both to document repertoire and to provide a practical resource for workshops and musicians wishing to explore the style.

Alongside his performing career, Aidan is an experienced primary school teacher and has a strong interest in languages. He speaks several languages, including Spanish, French, Romanian, Italian, German, Greek and Irish.