Róisín Ní Fhlatharta is an accomplished accordion player, singer and dancer. She grew up as part of a large family on a farm in a mini-Gaeltacht outside Maynooth, County Kildare called Cillmhicreaddóg where Irish language, heritage and culture were ingrained in her. Alongside her twin sister, Úna, they keep the family tradition alive, performing together in the Beartla Ó Flatharta Céilí Band, named in honour of their late father Beartla.
Beartla was a musician, singer and dancer who came as a teenager with his parents to Cillmhicreaddóg as part of the land commission in the late 1960s and brought with him a rich tradition of music, song and dance. He met Mary his wife at a dance, they married and settled in Cillmhicreaddóg with their 8 children. Sadly, Bearla passed away when he was a young man (age 43), however Róisín’s earliest memories include his constant playing and singing in the kitchen, along with his many good friends that were frequent guests in our house.
Despite never having formal lessons from her father, Róisín's accordion style mirrors his, thanks to early guidance from Kerry's own John Fitzgerald. Her musical influences range from legends like Tony McMahon and Sharon Shannon to local people she played with growing up such as the Keanes and the Clarkes.
Róisín's trophy shelf is well-stocked, boasting multiple All-Ireland titles in solo dancing, set dancing and music. She even snagged the Charity Strictly Come Dancing Champion title in Maynooth beating in 2019. Her performances have taken her from the shores of Australia to the streets of Chicago and the cafés of France. Back home, she has played on RnG, RTE and Tg4, the Late Late Show and on stages with some musical legends, including the late Shane McGowen. She credits her mother, Mary, for her unwavering support in her formative years—chauffeuring her to music classes with a microwave-heated dinner in tow.
Together with her husband, Barry Ryan, a guitar player, whom she met through the Ennis Trad Fest through the great Jack Ryan, a well-known fiddler, they are regulars at sessions and festivals across Kildare, Tipperary, and anywhere else they can sneak away to. She is a proud mom to two future musicians, Ferdia and Eanna.
When she's not making music, Róisín dons a lab coat as a scientist and Lecturer at Maynooth University, with a PhD and a slew of publications to her name. She leads a research team (7 people) and is also affiliated with the Lonsdale Human Health Institute and a Funded Investigator at the CURAM Institute, Galway. Her area of expertise is in Glycoscience, the study of sugars and she primarily focuses on human health. Her scientific prowess earned her a Gold Medal from the President of Ireland.
With a life that's a harmonious blend of family, music, and science, Róisín continues to inspire, entertain, and keep the rich traditions of Irish music and dance alive.