Donegal’s Hidden Gold: Gearóidín Breathnach Shines at Notre Dame

Ireland may be called the land of saints and scholars — but in Donegal, we keep the gold hidden in our hills. One of its brightest treasures is Gearóidín Breathnach, the celebrated sean-nós singer.

That voice recently travelled to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on a first-of-its-kind visit. Hosted by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, Gearóidín gave a keynote address, led singing masterclasses, and met with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, a federally recognised Native American tribe whose homelands span the Great Lakes region.

The highlight came with her sold-out concert at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Centre, where she held the audience spellbound with nothing but the power of her voice.

Her singing was more than a performance; it was a warm handshake between nations, a heartfelt greeting that reached across the Atlantic and embraced both Notre Dame and the Native American community, uniting cultures in song.

Flowers sent from Oireachtas na Gaeilge

Earlier in the summer, Gearóidín also appeared at Irish Fest in Milwaukee, one of the largest Celtic festivals in the world, where she carried the voice of Donegal onto the international stage.

In a lasting mark of respect, it was a profound honour when her book Gadaíocht Inis Duáin — celebrating her father, the legendary storyteller Neidí Frainc Mac Grianna of Tóin an Bhaile, Rann na Feirste, was formally added to the historical archives of the University of Notre Dame. A treasure of Donegal is now preserved forever at one of America’s great institutions.

Gearóidín presenting Gadaíocht Inis Duáin at the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies.

Her Notre Dame concert came just before the sold-out Fighting Irish football game against Texas A&M. Though the home side narrowly lost in a 41–40 thriller, the university had secured a momentous victory with Gearóidín’s visit.

A three-time Corn Uí Riada champion, most recently in 2024, Gearóidín has long been celebrated as one of Ireland’s finest traditional singers. From the hills of Donegal to the halls of Notre Dame, she has proven that Donegal’s hidden gold shines brightest in song.

For the Rosses, for Donegal, and for Ireland, her journey was a moment of pride — a reminder that our culture and our voices travel far and wide.