The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
I wrote this reel directly after the birth of our daughter Nell, in September 2021. I had been attempting to compose a reel in E Dorian around that time as part of my work for the Arts Council / National Concert Hall Liam O’Flynn Award, but I wasn’t producing any satisfactory results. Ríl Nell arrived less than half an hour after Nell herself and I can only imagine the strange looks I got in the hospital as I whistled intensely at a new-born baby.
