Wicklow Musician Earns National Business Award For Merging Traditional Culture And Wedding Celebration

Courtney Cullen, a solo violinist from Wicklow who combines her own traditional bands, Electrad and Ceili Cottage has been acknowledged for creatively combining her brilliant natural traditional music and cultural talents in wedding and private event celebration

An in-demand and innovative Wicklow business owner incorporating wedding day bliss with traditional Irish music has been further boosted with a national award.

Céilí Cottage provides live traditional musical performance and expressive traditional dance for weddings, corporate events and private celebrations.

Wicklow musician and classically trained violinist Courtney Cullen, founder of Céilí Cottage, has landed a hospitality and tourism award at the Irish Women in Business Network Awards this year.

Drawing on a network of musicians and dancers, including from the rich traditions of counties such as Willie Clancy festival host Clare, Galway, and Cork, the company tailors performances for all events.

The popular fiddle player Courtney has shared time with fellow musicians such as Damien Dempsey, Mary Black, Kíla, Charlie McGettigan, Foster & Allen, John Sheahan, and Paddy Moloney, while performing at festivals such as Electric Picnic and at Ortiguera in Spain.

Bringing business expertise to a lifelong passion for music, Courtney told us she bridges the gap between event management and traditional Irish performance.

“It’s quite a tight-knit community. So putting structure on that then, I just gathered like-minded people within my music network and we came together to kind of put a bit of structure on what people might want to book and to kind of link that gap between what people might want to have or want to enjoy or want to book for an event versus what we’re able to offer. So what we do is we allow people to have a bit of that at their party. We bring in our Irish dancers and our live musicians and we run ceilis at events — not set dancing ceilis where everybody already knows the steps, but kind of an introduction ceilidh for people that have maybe come to Ireland on a visit and might want to learn a few steps and get immersed in the culture. We get them up and involved in dancing, learning steps from five-year-olds to ninety-five-year-olds. It’s a very inclusive kind of thing, and even seeing the joy that that brings to people is what we love to do every day.”

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Explaining the business model and services, and highlights the cultural and educational aspect Courtney shows how she tailors experiences for all ages and events.

“So, Irish music is on the rise at the moment. When I was younger, it wasn’t as popular, but now there are so many bands and performers that people are really looking to connect back with traditional Irish music. What we do is we bring that to people at their events. We’re a group of musicians, many of whom have toured with shows like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, and we allow people to experience that at their party. Whether it’s a wedding, a family gathering, or a corporate event, we check the size of the group, the budget, and how long they want the music for. We tailor it to what they might want — whether that’s singing, ballads, Irish music, or a full 'hooley' package, which includes our Irish dancers and live musicians running ceilis at the event. These aren’t set dancing ceilis where everyone already knows the steps; we teach the dances to visitors and locals, getting everyone involved, from five-year-olds to ninety-five-year-olds. The aim is participation — it’s about bringing people out of their seats, learning simple dances like the Walls of Limerick or Shoot the Donkey, and experiencing the joy of Irish music and dance firsthand. That’s the main focus of our work, to make it inclusive, fun, and memorable for everyone attending.”

Courtney also emphasised how cultural preservation and heritage can bring about engagement and inclusivity.

“It’s quite important, because similar to back when we were kids, you’d go to the Gaeltacht and learn these dances, a lot of people have that same story. But for many, it stopped there. We want to bring it back for adults, seeing it more often and making it part of everyday celebrations. The bush dance, a few steps — these are just unreal fun, and they’re often the only things people remember, along with their cupla focal. It’s a core memory, and our aim is to make sure that anyone coming to Ireland, or locals at an event, gets a proper introduction to this part of our culture and heritage. We want everyone involved, dancing, laughing, and taking away something memorable. That’s what makes our events so special — it’s not just about performing, it’s about people participating and experiencing Irish music and dance firsthand.”

Here are specific contact details people can use to book or enquire about Ceilé Cottage’s Irish music and dance services:

Email ceilicottageinfo@gmail.com — for enquiries.

ceilicottage.ie for more information and the booking form

Instagram & Facebook @ceilicottage — updates, videos and examples of performances. Instagram

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