Darren Culliney is an Irish traditional musician, composer and PhD researcher from Ballinamuck, Co. Longford.
An accomplished multi-instrumentalist with numerous awards and titles, Darren hails from the ancient Conmhaícne region, a historically vibrant region of Irish music which encompasses South Leitrim and County Longford.
Growing up surrounded by music, under the tutelage of Padraig Lynch, Darren began learning the tin whistle aged 5. At the age of 9, he started learning the button accordion and has since become his main instrument of focus. Darren is a proud lilter, having won numerous medals at Fleadh Cheoil throughout the years. He also plays piano and melodeon.
A graduate from Maynooth University (Bachelor’s of Music and Masters in Music Composition), Darren is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music at Dundalk Institute of Technology. A member of the DkIT Creative Arts Research Centre, he is the beneficiary of a TUTF Postgraduate Research Scholarship and is under the joint supervision of Dr Daithí Kearney (DkIT) and Dr Verena Commins (University of Galway). His research examines the button accordion and Irish traditional music in Ulster.
Darren is actively publicising articles, with recent publications in the Rising Voices Journal and ICTMD Ireland’s Spéis. Alongside colleague Leandro Pessina, they have recently had a paper published in the Society for Ethnomusicology SN Journal (now Rising Voices Journal). Their paper, ‘Entering a ‘Third Space’ Through Collaborative Fieldwork in Ethnomusicology’, draws on the experiences of two researchers informed by their complementary academic paradigms within ethnomusicology and tourism.
As well as having published conference reviews in ICTMD’s Spéis, Darren’s most unforgettable experience was recently attending and presenting at the 47th ICTM World Conference in the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. His paper titled ‘The Narrative of Comhaltas: Irish Traditional Music’s Place in a Conflicted and Peaceful Northern Ireland’, investigates the change of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann’s attitudes to political divisions in Ulster, and how recent bids from Northern Ireland towns to host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is being perceived.
Darren is an active performer and composer, having performed at festivals and sessions across the island of Ireland and throughout Europe. He is continuously composing new Irish traditional tunes as well as new contemporary works. He frequently uploads music videos and uploaded a weekly series of music videos across numerous social media platforms in 2023. He is also a member of 'Lasta', who are currently working on music due to be released this year.