Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman: Celtic Christmas Strings
Tarvin Community Centre, CH3 8LY
Music
5 Dec 2026
Saturday 5 December
Celebrate the season with Celtic Christmas Strings, a spellbinding concert from legendary Irish harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh and acclaimed English guitarist Chris Newman.
There's something magical about the harp, and the alchemy between harp and guitar creates a very special kind of magic. Together Máire and Chris have created one of the most distinctive voices in modern acoustic music, performing around the world. Their Christmas show brings a breath-taking mix of traditional Irish and Scottish music, swing jazz, bluegrass and baroque, alongside festive favourites reimagined with intricate, inventive arrangements, all performed with dazzling musicianship.
"A delightful, satisfyingly original and often refreshingly unpredictable take on festive favourites — joyful, gorgeous and uplifting." — The Living Tradition
"Both are in the virtuoso class." — The Guardian
"Masterful playing, ranging from the entrancing and delicate to the wildly celebratory." — Folk Wales
About Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman
Since their debut at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1987, Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman have brought their distinctive blend of Irish, jazz, bluegrass and baroque music to audiences in twenty four countries across five continents.
Máire is a recipient of Irish music's most prestigious award, Gradam Ceoil TG4 Musician of the Year, recognised for her pioneering influence on Irish harp playing, including her landmark 1985 album The New Strung Harp, the first to focus on traditional Irish dance music.
Chris is renowned as one of the world's finest flat picking guitarists, having toured with folk and jazz luminaries including Stéphane Grappelli, and spent twenty one years as principal guitar tutor on Newcastle University's Folk B.Mus course.
Suitable for audience age 9+
- Venue information: Doors open at 7:00pm. Free onsite parking. Fully licenced bar.
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