Marty Coyle and Robert Campbell explore shared Gaelic connection of Dál Riata in new musical art project

An exciting new collaboration exploring the deep connection by water that binds Ireland and Scotland is launching in Derry this week.

Wains o Dál Riata: A Sensory Reawakening of an ancient World is a collaboration between Robert Campbell – an accomplished author, poet, and artist—and musician Marty Coyle of the North West Folk Collective.

The project employs a linguistic mixture of Ulster Scots, Irish and English alongside music to emphasise the ties that bind Ireland and Scotland, and the Hebrides particularly, via the shared heritage of the ancient Gaelic Kingdom of Dál Riata.

For Campbell, the work emerged almost on its own. While he originally intended to illustrate movement for a different project, the history of the Kingdom of Dál Riata soon took the lead and ‘asserted its own narrative’.

"In all honesty, the piece created itself," Campbell says. "I sensed that the story needed to be told. Not a history lesson, but a human story of life and death, wisdom and fortitude."

What started as Campbell’s exploration of the unknown—the ‘unanswerable questions’ of how ancient people lived, worked, and survived—has evolved into a unique piece of work.

The installation is now primarily a video installation, featuring Campbell’s intricate fineline ink drawings and stylistic paintings on fabric that bring these ancient stories to life.

A premier event took place at the New Gate Arts Centre in the Fountain on Thursday. It marked a significant milestone: with the first-ever performance of the song ‘Ale the Ewes.’

That was expertly translated into Irish by Cara Mooney. It transforms the story of young Morna and her sheep into a dynamic, trilingual experience. The performance uses a ‘question and answer’ format, allowing the English, Irish, and (Ulster) Scots Leid to weave through one another.

"Cara had the unenviable task of not only translating the words but making them fit the tune,” said Mr. Campbell.

In a special twist for the evening, the audience were invited to participate, becoming a living part of the Dál Riata narrative.

The performance featured Greek bouzouki maestro Nikos Petsakos alongside Coyle and the North West Folk Collective.

For Coyle, the process was one of organic growth that began in a classroom setting.

“Working on the sound design for this project has been a real journey of discovery," Coyle reflects. "Initially, Robert had been—and still is—taking mandolin lessons here at North West Folk Collective. Getting to know Robert more through these lessons led to our musical engagement being focused around his skills in storytelling, writing and visual art."

What began as small instrumental motifs within their lessons soon grew into something more cinematic. Coyle adds: “Robert's vivid descriptions of landscape, human scenarios and themes informed the mood, shape and feelings of each musical piece. Personally, I found this narrative-informed approach to composition very inspiring indeed and I really enjoyed the process of trying to sonically match the mood of each piece.”

Wains o Dál Riata is an immersive experience where spoken word meets a rich soundscape and the foundational ‘heartbeat’ of the mandolin.

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