A 21-year-old musician from Madden is set to star in a brand new “destination” stage show, Celtic Heart, which is set to be a must-see for thousands of tourists and visitors to Northern Ireland this summer.
Celtic Heart is a brand new production commissioned specially by the Waterfront. It celebrates Belfast’s unique cultural story through traditional music, song, Irish dancing and story-telling.
Coined as “Belfast’s answer to Riverdance” the show aims to capture the energy of the trad music scene that every visitor hopes to find in a Belfast pub.
It will run from April to September, offering visitors to the city an off-the-shelf local cultural experience, performed by some of Northern Ireland’s top trad music talent.
One of those performers is Dominic Meehan. Dominic comes from a deeply rooted traditional music background, having been immersed in the scene from a very young age.
He began playing the uilleann pipes at just six or seven years old through the Armagh Pipers Club, an experience that shaped his early musical development.
Growing up in a musical household, traditional music was always a constant in Dominic’s life. His father plays the flute, his mother the fiddle, and he describes it as something the whole family shares, making music together a natural part of everyday life.
Over the years, he has honed his skills, completing his music grades and continuing to build on that strong foundation.
Celtic Heart has been created by the award-winning team at The Music Yard and local scriptwriter, Colin Urwin.
Colin Urwin’s narrative, set in early 1900’s industrial working class Belfast, tells a story of forbidden love, as two traditions collide, and a young woman struggles to follow her heart without defying family expectations. It combines history, Belfast humour and a sprinkling of local folklore.
The tale unfolds as a father reflects on his life from a quiet kitchen table, while his memories come alive through the music, and a breathtaking display of jigs and reels from champion Irish dancers.
Celtic Heart cast
Fiddles, pipes, guitar, banjo, harp and bodhran combine with hauntingly beautiful Irish ballads and well-known pub favourites for the full live trad music experience.
For Dominic, the show represents a major milestone in his musical journey.
He said: “It’s extremely important, this is the first show like this that I’ve ever done. Usually, it’s just playing tunes in pubs or picking up gigs on the side, but this is on a completely different scale.
“It’s the biggest opportunity I’ve had so far, and it’s already opened up more doors for me, even leading to other gigs alongside it, so it’s been brilliant.”
Speaking about the production, Thomas Hamilton from The Music Yard said: “Audiences will be captivated as they’re taken on an emotional and turbulent journey with passion and resilience at its heart. Underscoring it is the unique Belfast humour, which turns even troubled times into lighter moments.
“And every emotion is brought alive through the city’s love of music: from haunting ballads and live traditional musicians, evocative of both sides of local culture, to floorboard rattling jigs and reels in a dazzling whirl of Irish dancing.
“This is a Belfast story, told authentically, honestly, and from the heart, and one which will resonate with audiences long after the final note has faded.”
Rob McConnell, Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall said: “Celtic Heart is a really special addition to Belfast’s cultural offering for visitors and local audiences this spring/summer. It captures the spirit and history of the city, it’s a perfect showcase of our outstanding local performance artists, the unique music of this place, and of course our innate love of spinning a good yarn!
“We wanted to offer a long-running “destination” show, unique to Belfast, which people can book in and plan as a must-see part of their visit to the city. It’s an ideal extension of our now-renowned “Big Belfast Welcome”.
“We worked alongside The Music Yard as they auditioned the very best local talent to join the cast of incredible performers. We’ve been blown away by some of the young artists who will now have a ‘residency’ in this show over the coming months. Who knows where the future will take them after this.
“We can’t wait for audiences to experience this remarkable show.”
Tickets for the 21-show run are now on sale at Celtic Heart | 25 April 2026 – 29 September 2026 | Waterfront Hall with performances scheduled throughout the spring and summer.
