By Lisa Ramsden
THE past year was, as Bróna McVittie admits, “spent knee deep in mythological tomes” as she carried out research for her forthcoming book, ‘A Way with the Fairies’, which in turn also inspired a new album of music.
The talented Rostrevor woman is preparing to embark on a tour around County Down, sharing some of her favourite fables, and the songs they’ve inspired.
Bróna explains that, inspired in no small part by Irish poet and playwright W B Yeats, her new European folklore anthology celebrates fables, folk songs and fairy tales from Ireland and beyond.
Accompanied by stunning illustrations by Lithuanian artist Karina Surpina, ‘A Way with the Fairies’ is not a collection of moral fables with tidy endings, but stories alive with beauty, darkness, and emotional truth.
“Fairies here are complex beings, capable of generosity and cruelty, wonder and loss, reflecting the contradictions of human nature itself,” said Bróna.
The digital version of the book will be published on 8 March followed by the hardback version on 14 March, when she will also commence her tour in her hometown of Rostrevor.
The seven-date tour, spanning March and April will, she anticipates, “engage local communities” through a series of free interactive events in the folklore, mythology and music that is so special to her.
Running over four weeks, the tour will conclude at Armagh Library and will feature Vilnius-based singer and musician Jausmë, who will share a Baltic fairy tale and the song it inspired her to compose on kanklės – a traditional plucked string instrument from Lithuania.
At each of the events, which are free of charge and family-friendly, audience members will be encouraged to participate with their own song or story.
And if 2025 wasn’t busy enough for her, it looks like this year is going to be even more so!
Inspired by the author’s lifelong connection to folklore and the supernatural, and closely linked to the accompanying ‘Supernatural’ album, which is due for release later this year, Bróna said this book “is both a preservation of old tales and a deeply personal creative offering”.
Born in 1975 in County Down, Bróna is not only a talented musician but a trained biologist, whose work has earned widespread critical acclaim for its imaginative fusion of traditional folk, nature-inspired songwriting and experimental soundscapes.
Her music, as she explained, “draws deeply on the mythology, folklore and landscapes” of her homeland, “reimagining traditional ballads and composing original songs that reflect the rhythms of the natural world and the ancient stories woven into Ireland’s cultural fabric.”
Her vocal talents were summed up in The Guardian’s praise that her music ‘takes you on its wing and gives you fresh visions’.
Since her solo debut in 2018, Bróna has released three acclaimed albums.
Her first, ‘We Are the Wildlife’, was recorded and produced in County Down and interweaves original compositions with re-imagined traditional songs, drawing on local lore such as the County Down ballad ‘The Flower of Magherally’.
Her 2020 album ‘The Man in the Mountain’ expanded her talents, balancing experimental electronic elements and collaborations with musicians from diverse backgrounds.
Most recently ‘The Woman in the Moon’ (2022) has been celebrated for its broader stylistic range, incorporating jazz, South American rhythms and atmospheric instrumentation while remaining rooted in Celtic song traditions and mythic themes.
Her music has been championed by publications including MOJO, Uncut, The Guardian and The Independent, with her albums selected for The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month and twice listed among its year’s best folk records.
She has performed at major festivals such as WOMAD and Celtic Connections, and broadcast on programmes from BBC Radio to RTÉ Radio 1, bringing her blend of folklore, curiosity and experimentation to audiences across the UK and beyond.
Speaking with her local paper, Bróna said: “This year is a very exciting one for me, as I’ve spent the last year or more knee deep in mythological tomes researching for my forthcoming book.
“I’m so excited about it and really looking forward to sharing it.”
She added: “The book has inspired an album of music as well, which will come out later this year. I’m really looking forward to this tour around County Down next month and into April to share my favourite fables and the songs they’ve inspired.”
The tour will launch on 14 March, with an event at 11am at Rostrevor Book Corner at The Lecture Hall on Bridge Street.
Locally, there will also be an event at Warrenpoint Library at 6.30pm on 18 March and an event in Banbridge Library on the evening of 24 March.
Visit bronamcvittie.corkbots.com for more details.
