Ciara as a member of BIIRD

It looks like there are only 8 members of BIIRD now, according to this article. (It was 11 before.)

https://www.rrampt.com/event/biird-canada-and-usa-tour

That’s kind of sad. Maybe they just forgot to mention the others??

Who exactly did we lose and what instruments did they play? I hope the Shruti box player is still around. Do any BIIRD connoisseurs know?

So it seems that the three missing members are

1. Aisling Sage, who plays fiddle and whose collaborations include Lord Of The Dance. Here’s the BIIRD post introducing her https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ldhc9M2CZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/aisling_sage?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== This is her account. She’s still tagged BIIRD in her bio but it seems she’s touring with someone else this summer.

2. Claire Loughran, who plays fiddle and harp (which it seems as though every member of BIIRD plays, even if not with the group?). Here’s BIIRD’s post introducing her: https://www.instagram.com/p/C51JZm2siJx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

And https://www.instagram.com/claire_lough?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== is her Instagram. She also has BIIRD tagged in her bio and her last post was with them. So I don’t know what that’s about.

3. Aoife Kelly, who plays cello and—you guessed it!—fiddle. Interestingly, on their post introducing her (https://www.instagram.com/p/C5_a7wQMx8r/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link), BIIRD mentioned that members would come and go, so maybe she was never intended to be with them for long. The cello is lovely, though, so that is kind of a shame. At least the Shruti box player is here.

Aoife (https://www.instagram.com/aoifekmusic_?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) does not have BIIRD tagged in her bio, and her latest post didn’t mention them at all, so that ship might have sailed.


I also noticed that the article mentioned a member, Laura Doherty, who I believe normally goes by Laura Jo, but they might have replaced her with someone also named Laura…? But I think they’re the same person.


You know, BIIRD’s post mentioning how they’re a collective says they want to amplify traditional Irish musicians everywhere, and their drummer is Dutch…maybe I have a chance at joining BIIRD someday 🤔