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Acclaimed Scottish musician, and broadcaster Phil Cunningham returns to Northern Ireland on a coastal odyssey that will culminate in the creation of a new musical composition.

Inspired by age old ties between Ulster and Scotland, and entitled ‘the Narrow Sea, the Farther Shore’ this new piece will be inspired by the sea road that both divides and connects us. The ‘Narrow Sea’ is the name traditionally given to the body of water that flows in the North Channel between the east coast of Ulster and Scotland’s western shore.

Phil has long been fascinated by how centuries of human connection and interaction have impacted on life in both Scotland and Ulster. Across a series of journeys, Phil finds a wealth of inspiration in a land and seascape steeped in story. The folk he meets along the way share their stories, helping Phil get a real sense of the complex human connections that have helped shape life of both sides of the North Channel since ancient times.

As well as being a gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer, Phil is also a self-confessed audio geek and a passionate lover of the natural world. His field recordings, captured along the way, will both inspire and feature in his final composition which features a range of musicians including some of Ireland and Scotland’s most respected performers.

Producers : Seán McGuire and Owen McFadden