Monday 28th July - Friday 1 August 2025 | 10am – 1pm | Ulster University, York Street, BT15 1ED

We have a fantastic Summer School accommodation offer starting at only £349 for 7 nights in Belfast City Centre, click here to find out more.

Niall Hanna is an acclaimed traditional singer, guitarist, and songwriter from County Tyrone. With deep roots in Irish music, Niall’s style blends rich traditional influences with contemporary nuances, making him one of the most distinctive voices in the genre today.

Raised in a musical family, Niall developed a passion for storytelling through song, drawing inspiration from legendary Irish singers while also crafting original material. His debut album Autumn Winds earned critical acclaim, showcasing his ability to interpret traditional ballads with warmth and authenticity.

A sought-after performer and tutor, Niall has toured internationally, sharing the stage with some of the finest names in folk and traditional music. His engaging teaching approach helps students refine their vocal technique, expand their repertoire, and explore the art of interpretation in traditional singing. Niall was a recipient of the ‘Young Musician’s Platform Award’ from the Arts Council in late 2016. This provided him with funding to begin working on his first solo album at Redbox Studios in Belfast with producer Donal O’Connor. Niall worked on the album throughout 2017 and performed two official launch concerts (Dungannon and Belfast) in November of the same year. He also performed some material from the album along with the Ulster Orchestra in the Guildhall, Derry, as part of the 2018 IMBOLC festival.

In the same year, the widely played album received two nominations at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards which gained Niall recognition as a fresh talent in the Irish folk scene. While he moved away from teaching in a school setting, he continued to teach at a wide range of traditional singing and guitar workshops and summer schools, and is also a regular tutor at his local Comhaltas branches in Tyrone.

In recent times, Niall Hanna has shared stages with a range of highly established acts including John McSherry & Donal O’Connor, Barry Kerr, Rioghnach Connolly, Martin Meehan and many more. He has also toured in countries across Europe and in Australia where he has developed his ability to effectively convey the stories within his songs to a wide range of audiences.

“Drawing from his rich family singing legacy, this album is a gem…Niall Hanna’s star is on the rise” Lynette Fay (BBC Radio Ulster)

At Belfast TradFest, Niall will guide students through the nuances of traditional song, offering invaluable insights into Ulster repertoire, phrasing, ornamentation, and performance.

The Summer School’s team of tutors is made up of internationally renowned performers with proven track records as teachers and educationalists. The primary means of teaching and learning will be ‘by ear’ with an emphasis in the less experienced classes of assisting pupils to develop oral/aural skills in addition to instrumental competency and developing core repertoire. All classes are designed for intermediate to advanced (minimum 2 years instrument experience) adults and children over 6 years of age except beginner instrument classes, whistle and sing, set dancing, sean nós dancing, traditional singing & sean nós singing which are suitable for all levels including beginners.