McVittie launches new book A Way with the Fairies
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Rostrevor musician and artist Bróna McVittie will launch her new book 'A Way with the Fairies' with a library tour around County Down starting on March 14 where she will share her favourite fables stories.
Inspired in no small part by Irish poet and playwright W.B. Yeats, the new European folklore anthology celebrates fables, folk songs and fairy tales from Ireland and beyond with stunning illustrations by Lithuanian artist Karina Surpina.
These are not moral fables with tidy endings, but stories alive with beauty, darkness, and emotional truth.
Fairies here are complex beings—capable of generosity and cruelty, wonder and loss—reflecting the contradictions of human nature itself. Inspired by the author’s lifelong connection to folklore and the supernatural, and closely linked to the accompanying Supernatural album (due for release in Autumn 2026) this book is both a preservation of old tales and a deeply personal creative offering.
McVittie publishes the hardback version of the book on March 14th when she commences a library tour in her hometown of Rostrevor.
The seven-date tour spanning March and April will engage local communities through a series of free interactive events in the folklore, mythology and music that is her wellspring.
The final date of the tour at Armagh Library features Vilnius-based singer and musician Jausmë, who will will share a Baltic fairy tale and the song it inspired her to compose on kanklės (traditional stringed instrument from Lithuania). Born in 1975 McVittie is a musician and trained biologist whose work has earned widespread critical acclaim for its imaginative fusion of traditional folk, nature-inspired song-writing and experimental soundscapes.
Her music draws deeply on the mythology, folklore and landscapes of her homeland, reimagining traditional ballads and composing original songs that reflect the rhythms of the natural world and the ancient stories woven into Ireland’s cultural fabric.
Her voice, richly accented and clear, carries both the intimacy of a traditional sean-nos singer and the breadth of a contemporary experimental artist, an approach encapsulated in The Guardian’s praise that her music “takes you on its wing, and gives you fresh visions”.
Since her solo debut in 2018, McVittie has released three acclaimed albums.
Her first, ‘We Are the Wildlife’, was recorded and produced in County Down and interweaves original compositions with re-imagined traditional songs, drawing on local lore such as the County Down ballad “The Flower of Magherally”.
Her 2020 album ‘The Man in the Mountain’ expanded her palette, balancing experimental electronic elements and collaborations with musicians from diverse backgrounds to deepen the mythic and pastoral dimensions of her work.
Most recently ‘The Woman in the Moon’ (2022) has been celebrated for its broader stylistic range, incorporating jazz, South American rhythms and atmospheric instrumentation while remaining rooted in Celtic song traditions and mythic themes.
McVittie’s music has been championed by publications including MOJO, Uncut, The Guardian and The Independent, with her albums selected for The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month and twice listed among its year’s best folk records.
Her performances span major festivals such as WOMAD and Celtic Connections, and broadcasts on programmes from BBC Radio to RTÉ Radio 1, bringing her compelling blend of folklore, science-inflected curiosity and sonic experimentation to audiences across the UK and beyond.
LIBRARY TOUR DETAILS Saturday March 14, 11am Rostrevor Book Corner, the Lecture Hall, Bridge Street
Wednesday March 18, 6.30pm Warrenpoint Library, 61 Summerhill
Tuesday March 24, 6.30pm Banbridge Library, 23 Scarva Road
Tuesday March 31, 6.30pm Lurgan Library, 1 Carnegie Street
Thursday April 2, 7pm Bangor Library, Hamilton Road. Thursday April 9, 6.30pm Holywood Library, Sullivan Building Tuesday April 14, 6.30pm Armagh Library, 2 Market Street - featuring Lithuanian singer and musician Jausmë
All events are free of charge and family friendly.
Audience members will be encouraged to participate with their own song or story
BOOK DETAILS
Pre-order for Kindle version of the book: 8th March (digital) and 14th March (hardback) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GLHM6PHR Hardback book available from https://bronamcvittie.corkbots.com/shop/