The Irish Of Brittany

Cyprus Avenue

Thu 10 Sep 2026
Doors: 7:00 pm
€10

The Irish Migration to Brittany is a major historical phenomenon that has largely been forgotten, even though its legacy can still be found today in many Breton family names.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, tens of thousands of Irish people fled English persecution and settled in Brittany.

In this immersive performance, four musicians retrace that remarkable story, imagining the meeting of two musical traditions as the reflection of an encounter between the Irish and Breton peoples. The Irish of Brittany follows both historical and creative threads, bringing traditional songs, tunes, and dances from Brittany and Ireland into dialogue — and at times blending them into something entirely new. The result is a captivating journey of stories, anecdotes, and music that is both joyful and deeply moving.

Véronique Bourjot – Vocals

Brewen Favrau – Flutes, Uilleann Pipes, Breton Bagpipes (Biniou)

Soazig Hamelin – Violin

Kevin Le Pennec – Lever Harp

Whilst studying the works of historians Éamon Ó Ciosáin, Alain Le Noac’h and Patricia Dagier, we discovered that tens of thousands of Irish people emigrated to Brittany during the 17th and 18th centuries, fleeing persecution by the English. Some settled in towns such as Lannion, Quimper and Nantes, whilst others settled in the countryside, particularly in central Brittany.

After two or three generations, these Irish people became integrated into the Breton population, with their surnames being Frenchified or Bretonised. This mass arrival of Irish people has been documented in the civil registers of the time, but has been overlooked in contemporary accounts of Breton and French history.

This past naturally resonated with us, given our musical background rooted in Breton and Irish music. We offer a fresh interpretation of these historical events, using music and the common threads between the two musical traditions as our guiding thread.

Our project centres on Breton songs and melodies.