Irish trad group Réalta recently took a big creative leap.

The Belfast-based quintet just released a new EP, called The Leap. Recently, the band’s guitarist and vocalist Diedre Galway chatted with Celtic Life International to explain the project.

“Conor Lamb and I work with a charity called Live Music Now, which organizes live music in the community, mostly for people who find it hard to access regular concerts,” Galway shares via email. “LMN commissioned us to compose a piece in honour of Limavady, Co. Derry – an area where we have spent time in recent years performing in schools, care homes, and community gatherings in a beautiful arts venue called the Keady Clachan.

“We decided to write about the sense of community that was evident in the area as we encountered so many people who, often in their spare time, created opportunities for others to engage with the arts, culture, and with their neighbours. We also wanted to explore the story of how Limavady got its name – a legend that is still very prominent in names and imagery around the town.”

Apparently, that story all comes down to a dog. Yes, a dog.

“The track March on the River Roe leads into The Running Dog, which describes the most dramatic part of the legendary story of how Limavady got its name: Léim an Mhadaidh, or The Dog’s Leap,” says Galway, explaining that a quick-footed messenger dog once saved the community from being razed to the ground. “The tension builds as the Normans march towards Ó Catháin’s castle, then the anatomy of a leaping dog is explored as it leaps over the Roe Valley before racing to gather reinforcements and free the besieged castle.”

This exploration isn’t just through the notes of the tune or the lyrics of the song – everyone involved (and their dog) knew this story needed a little help from the visual medium to do the tale justice.

“The track is a 15-minute suite of music, poetry and visual art,” notess Galway. “We developed the track alongside Garvagh poet Anne McMaster, who we met while attending a Burns Night celebration as part of our research for the commission. We quickly realized a whole suite of music and poetry would be required to convey all we wanted to express in this piece.

“Once the track was complete, we approached Sligo artist Peter Crann, who we’d recently worked with on The Wind That Shakes the Barley, to create an accompanying animated video. He beautifully illustrated the story of the suite on a 12m long scroll of paper which he then filmed as it was unwound within a Crankie box. This animation perfectly complements and elevates the audio track and can be viewed on Réalta’s YouTube Channel.”

The project proved a change of pace for the ensemble.

“This track is our first commission, and our first time combining music, poetry, and visual art to tell a story.

“It has been such an enjoyable project to work on from start to finish, and we are grateful to have had such a talented creative team around us. We are delighted with the result, and it felt very special to premier the work in the Roe Valley Arts Centre, in the company of the people who inspired the piece. We’ve had a positive response so far, from the standing ovation at the live premier in Limavady to reviews and airplay, including extracts appearing on Radio Ulster’s Folk Club and the entire suite being played on RTÉ Radio 1’s Folk on One and Scotland’s Celtic Music Radio.”

With this project complete, Galway says Réalta is already gearing up to leap into next year, with a three-week Germany tour slated for March 2025.

“A good live show should give you something more than just the music that a band has recorded. We aim to provide the full experience; a varied set list that flows well, interspersed with stories from the artists and interaction with the audience, which all helps create a warm and intimate atmosphere in which to experience the music.

“No two shows are ever the same, and a great show will hold the audience in a moment where the outside world isn’t thought about for the duration, and a sense of shared experience is felt with the others in the room.”

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