Donegal Fiddle & Dance Workshops
Saturday 28th March 2026
BelfastTrad, in collaboration with Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí, are delighted to host a day of Donegal fiddle workshops with outstanding musicians Aidan O’Donnell and Melanie Houton, alongside a Donegal set dancing workshop led by Anne and Tara Connaghan.
The day will finish with a joint session and informal recital upstairs in The Errigle Inn, where all tutors will perform together.
Fiddle Workshops @ Stranmillis
11:30am - 2:00pm
Donegal Fiddle Workshop with Melanie Houton
Donegal Fiddle Workshop with Aidan O’Donnell
Music Department - Stranmillis University College
Stranmillis Road
Belfast BT9 5DY
Both workshops will explore repertoire and stylistic elements of the Donegal fiddle tradition, including bowing, rhythm and ornamentation.
Set Dancing Workshop @ The Errigle Inn
11.30am – 2.00pm
Anne Connaghan and Tara Connaghan
Upstairs at The Errigle Inn
312–320 Ormeau Road
Belfast BT7 2GE
This workshop introduces dancers to the lively Donegal set dancing tradition, closely connected to the fiddle music of the region.
Joint Session and Recital
2.30pm – 3.30pm
After the workshops everyone is welcome to join the tutors upstairs in The Errigle Inn for a relaxed session and short recital.
Aidan O’Donnell
TG4 Young Musician of the Year 2010, Aidan O’Donnell is widely regarded as one of the finest Irish traditional musicians of his generation. Originally from Donegal, he has performed with many leading artists including Dónal Lunny, Micheál Ó Súilleabháin, and The Chieftains.
He won the Oireachtas na Gaeilge fiddle title in 2007 and has been a regular tutor at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. His recordings include In Safe Hands with flute player Kieran Munnelly and albums with the group Fidil, which have received international critical acclaim.
Melanie Houton
Melanie Houton is originally from Portaleen, Malin in Inishowen, Co Donegal and comes from a well known musical family. Now based in Belfast, she is very active in the city’s traditional music scene as both a performer and teacher.
She has received many awards for her fiddle playing and performs regularly with her sister Paula Houton. In 2019 the sisters released their debut album A Snapshot in Time. Melanie has performed at festivals across Ireland and has appeared on television and radio programmes for RTÉ, TG4 and BBC.
Anne Connaghan and Tara Connaghan
Anne Connaghan is a respected teacher and performer of the Donegal dance tradition. She regularly teaches at festivals and cultural events and has toured as part of the Heel to Toe project, which showcased regional music, song and dance from across Ireland.
Tara Connaghan, from Glenties in Co Donegal, is a highly regarded fiddle player who has performed widely and recently presented her own Geantraí programme on TG4. She recorded the album The Far Side of the Glen with fellow Donegal fiddler Derek McGinley.
Together they will introduce dancers to the distinctive rhythms and steps of Donegal set dancing, closely connected with the music of the region.