JOANNA SWEENEY

Joanna Sweeney is an Irish traditional musician, farm-ess, and horse trainer from County Sligo. She has played music since the age of six, mastering the whistle, bodhrán, fiddle, and voice. In her twenties, she travelled through Europe and South America, immersing herself in other musical traditions while working on eco-living projects with indigenous communities—experiences that profoundly shaped her understanding of culture and connection.

A Lecturer in Tourism, Event Management, and Marketing at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Sligo, Joanna also holds a Master of Arts in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, University of Limerick. Her current focus is on the regional styles of North Connaught along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, exploring how traditional music evolves through technology, travel, and social change as part of global intangible cultural heritage.

Playing Irish music within its living culture is her deepest expression. Over the years, she has performed at major festivals such as Electric Picnic, traditional gatherings, international showcases, TEDx Donegal, and the Trad@Lunch series at the Hawk’s Well Theatre. Academically, Joanna has presented at conferences and published scholarly work on the sociological impacts of tourism, marketing, and Irish music.

Deeply rooted in ancestral ways, she is passionate about reviving rituals, herbal wisdom, food traditions, and Celtic lore—ancient practices that can enrich modern life.

Explore more of her work on her YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSKKYg4f6_C110YDVm77-tw