Congratulations to Colleen Savage – Sharing Song and Heritage in South Armagh

The Ring of Gullion Partnership proudly congratulates our Chairperson, Colleen Savage, on the successful completion of her Masters by Research in Irish song traditions in South Armagh, within the stunning Ring of Gullion Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) — part of the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark. It’s a landscape rich in heritage, culture, and natural beauty, making it the perfect setting for a celebration of traditional music.

Colleen is a researcher in the Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music at DkIT. Her MA was funded by a DkIT Postgraduate Research Scholarship and jointly supervised by Dr Daithí Kearney and Dr Gearóid Trimble.

 Celebrating South Armagh’s Song Traditions

Colleen’s research shines a light on the rich and vibrant song traditions of South Armagh. Her recent project, “The Dalin’ Men of Crossmaglen“, brought together over 85 singers in a 3-month community engagement initiative. Funded by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council through the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership, the project included:

• Teaching and sharing traditional songs from the region
• Collecting stories and songs from the community
• Hosting a final performance featuring the Oriel Traditional Orchestra.

Sharing Knowledge and Building Connections

Colleen recently presented her research at the Traditional Song Forum Spring Conference and the Contemporary Folklore Research Conference at Sheffield University. Her paper explored the ballad tradition of South Armagh, and she has been invited to contribute to a forthcoming publication on songs and a sense of place.

 A Leader in Heritage and Culture

As Chairperson of the Ring of Gullion Partnership, Colleen continues to inspire and lead efforts to preserve and celebrate our local heritage. Her dedication to research, community engagement, and cultural storytelling is a true asset to the region.

As part of this year’s Ring of Gullion Autumn Fest she is welcoming Alan Woods to present ‘With the banjo on my Side: The Life and Times of singer Margaret Barry’ on Friday 19th September in the Lislea Centre. For more information, visit here.

Well done, Colleen!