Kíla set for Chambers gig on April 25

It wasn’t just a love of the Irish language that was fostered at Coláiste Eoin in Stillorgan when Rossa Ó Snodaigh was working his way through the system in the 1980s, but a love too of music.

Rossa found his tribe there – the band Kíla – and lists a host of other prominent performers who also cut their teeth at the school – Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin of The Hothouse Flowers; Davy Spillane of Moving Hearts among them.

Now an incredible 37 years together, Kíla have been busy recently working hard on a new album, Raise the Road, which is to see them perform in collaboration with an eight-piece brass band.

"It’ll be a first really: Irish trad with brass," says Rossa.

Fans will get some hints of where the lads are at on their musical journey when they play on Thursday of next week, April 25, at The Chambers in Mullingar; their first professional gig in town since last summer when they performed at The Fleadh.

While it is their first official gig in the town since then, three members of the band, including Rossa, played at the recent funeral of Mullingar woman, Lynne Algar, who died tragically young.

Kíla are one of Ireland’s success stories: hard-working, high-impact, low-drama, they have released 20 albums; played in 35 different countries; performed the music for three Oscar-nominated animated films; won an IFTA for Best Original Score for the soundtrack for the film Arracht.

Their gig at The Chambers starts at 8.30pm, and tickets are available via Eventbrite.