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Éire to Expo: The Best of Irish Music and Dance

Gala concert and documentary coming on TG4 soon

08.09.25

 
#GradamExpo25
 

Éire to Expo: The Best of Irish Music and Dance presented by Gradam Ceoil TG4 and Big Mountain Productions, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade along with the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF). We look forward to broadcasting this gala concert and documentary on TG4 soon.
 
Tonight (08/09/25), audiences will experience a spectacular celebration of Irish and Japanese folk traditions at Éire to Expo: The Best of Irish Music and Dance, presented by Gradam Ceoil TG4 and Big Mountain Productions, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade along with the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF). This one night only concert brings together world-class musicians, dancers, and singers from two island nations on opposite sides of the globe for a unique cultural fusion.
 
Seven recipients of the illustrious Gradam Ceoil TG4,Ireland’s foremost celebration of the ‘best of the best’ of Irish traditional music, take to the stage:

• Gradam Ceoil TG4 2025 / Musician – Siobhán Peoples
• Amhránaí TG4 2025 / Singer – Cathy Jordan
• Gradam Saoil TG4 2025 / Lifetime Achievement – Matt Cranitch
• Grúpa Ceoil TG4 2025 / Music Group – Flook
• Ceoltóir Óg TG4 2025 / Young Musician – Colm Broderick
• Cumadóir TG4 2025 / Composer – Johnny Óg Connolly
• Gradam Comaoine TG4 2025 / Outstanding Contribution – Áine Hensey

They will be joined by pianist Rod McVey, sean-nós dancer Becky Ní Éallaithe, and renowned musical director and composer Neil Martin.
 
From Japan:

• Singer Misako Koya
• Dancer Taka Hayashi
• Flautist Kozo Toyota
• Taiko drummers Hiro Hayasida and son Luke
• Piper Mr. Atsushi Yamane
• Snare drummer Mrs. Yamane
• Bon Odori dancers Yukiko Nakanishi and Wataru Kikuchi

Together, this incomparable line-up will showcase specially arranged classics such as The Mountains of Pomeroy alongside a world premiere honouring the life of Irish-born Japanese writer Yakumo Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn).
 
Since the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka in April, Ireland has joined 160 participating countries in welcoming over 19 million visitors to date. Ireland’s Pavilion, designed by the OPW, has staged daily sold-out performances of Irish music, exhibited Irish artists and hosted high-level political and trade delegations. This has provided a unique opportunity to promote Ireland to a global audience, in a region where Ireland has significant trade and investment priorities and ambitions.
 
Proinsias Ní Ghráinne, Commissioning Editor, TG4 said that “Gradam Ceoil TG4 is deeply honoured to have been invited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and World Expo to present and film this global celebration of Irish music, song, and dance. This marks the first time Gradam has been staged outside of Ireland, highlighting its unique status as the foremost annual event representing the values of the traditional music community. It also recognises the vital bridge that Gradam Ceoil and Irish traditional music creates between Ireland and communities around the world. We hope that the broadcast of this gala concert and documentary on TG4 in a few months, and across international media platforms, will enrich and deepen the relationship between Ireland and Japan for many years to come.”
 
Jane Kelly, Big Mountain Productions, “We are thrilled to be producing this landmark concert and film for TG4 and DFA with support from ILBF. This project has been almost 2 years in development and we are indebted to our brilliant live music specialist production and delivery team as we put on a show for 2000 people as part of The World Expo 2025.”
 
Áine Walsh, Head of Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Northern Ireland Screen, “We are delighted to be able to support this project which will celebrate the shared cultural connections between the two island nations of Ireland and Japan. This is a fantastic achievement by Newry based company Big Mountain and we look forward to watching the cream of Irish traditional performers and their Japanese counterparts take to the stage.”
 
 

Additional information:
 
TG4

TG4 is the Irish language channel in Ireland. It is a free-to-air channel, available across all viewing platforms, with a strong viewer base throughout the island of Ireland. Over 80% of the Irish population tuned into TG4 at some point last year. TG4 is recognised for its Cultural & Music content together with Documentaries, Sports & Kids content. TG4 can be viewed free worldwide on the TG4 Player App or via www.tg4.ie.
 
Ireland at Expo 2025 Osaka

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai is taking place from 13 April to 13 October 2025.

Over 160 countries and international organisations are participating in Expo 2025. Over the course of six months, millions of people will visit Osaka to absorb and participate in diverse experiences from around the world. The theme of Expo 2025 is ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’, with three sub-themes of saving lives, connecting lives and empowering lives. Through this theme, this promises to be a World Expo that inspires people by showcasing the best examples of collaboration, innovation and cooperation from around the world. Japan is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners in Asia with annual two-way trade valued at over €21.5 billion. It is the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment into Ireland from the Asia-Pacific region. The objective of the Global Ireland Strategy- a multi-annual, whole-of-government initiative, is to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global engagement by 2025. The strategy places emphasis on building awareness of Ireland abroad. Participation in Expo provides a unique platform to engage directly with the Japanese public and with visitors from across the region.

The Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 is a key part of the Ireland Japan 2025 programme, a year-long series of activities designed to increase Ireland’s presence and visibility, including through the recent opening of a new Ireland House, and to strengthen our existing political, economic and people-to-people links. Designed by Office of Public Works architects, the Ireland Pavilion is inspired by the ancient Celtic motif of the triskele. The Ireland Pavilion will serve as a hub for Irish organisations, Team Ireland, the diaspora and affinity diaspora, and as a place where connections with Ireland are fostered. An immersive visitor experience will provide all visitors with a better understanding of Ireland’s culture, its people, and its ties with Japan.

More information on Ireland at Expo is available at Ireland.ie/Expo and Ireland Japan 2025 is available at Ireland.ie/IrelandJapan2025
 
Big Mountain Productions

Big Mountain is one of Ireland’s leading independent television production companies specialising in music and event programming for a range of broadcasters in Ireland, the UK and the USA.
Irish Language Broadcast Fund

Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has a dual remit of supporting high quality Irish language content, with the Ulster dialect to the fore and nurturing the growth of Northern Ireland’s independent production sector. www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk