Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin is an Irish folk musician and political activist. He comes from the sean nós tradition of Connemara. He was raised in Dublin in an Irish-speaking household. His father was a sean nós singer, his mother a classical violinist, and he has two sisters who are both musicians and collaborators of his. His musical inspirations include Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Seán 'ac Dhonncha, Nioclás Tóibín and Colm Ó Caoidheáin. Ó Ceannabháin collaborated with fiddler and viola player Ultan O'Brien with his first album Solas An Lae, released in 2021. In a review for The Irish Times, Síobhan Long wrote that Ó Ceannabháin had "already forged a formidable identity" with Solas An Lae, and that The Deepest Breath, its 2022 successor which she awarded four stars, comprised "remarkable songs". He is a member of Skipper's Alley, featuring John Francis Flynn. Ó Ceannabháin has been recognised twice by the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, who awarded Solas an Lae Best Album in 2021, and Ó Ceannabháin Best Folk Singer in 2024. Ó Ceannabháin began to get involved in politics around 2015, initially focused on activism against racism and direct provision. He was among the main organisers of the campaign to save The Cobblestone pub, a hub of Irish traditional music that had been threatened with redevelopment in 2021. He stood in the 2020 Irish general election in Dublin Rathdown, receiving 3.5% of first preference votes and was not elected. In the 2024 Dublin City Council election Ó Ceannabháin stood in the North Inner City local electoral area, receiving 8.6% of first preference votes and being eliminated on the last count. He stood in the 2024 Irish general election for People Before Profit in the four-seater Dublin Central constituency, placed ninth in first preferences and was eliminated on the 5th round.