London’s Irish Cultural Centre Marks 30th Anniversary with ‘Ocean Child’ narrated by Oscar Nominated Stephen Rea

Stephen Rea joins West Ocean String Quartet as narrator, alongside Louise Mulcahy, & Michelle Mulcahy to perform Neil Martin’s Ocean Child - bringing Ireland’s lost histories to life through music and story in London Premiere this autumn.

On Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th November 2025, Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea will narrate Ocean Child at the Irish Cultural Centre - the flagship event in the Irish Cultural Centre’s 30th anniversary programme.

This year, the Irish Cultural Centre, based in Hammersmith London, celebrates its 30th anniversary with a year-long curated programme showcasing the richness and diversity of Irish arts and culture in London. The celebration’s centrepiece performance is the London Premiere of Ocean Child on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November. The powerful piece is inspired by the tragic sinking of the RMS Tayleur off Lambay Island on 21 January 1854. A genre-blending concert, it interlaces contemporary classical music, Irish traditional music and motifs, alongside poetic narrative from Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning Irish actor Stephen Rea.

Composed and written by Belfast-born cellist Neil Martin, one of Ireland’s most respected and versatile composers, Ocean Child is performed by the West Ocean String Quartet, an ensemble of acclaimed musicians whose backgrounds span the Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and major international ensembles. The quartet will comprise violinists Aoife Ní Bhriain, Niamh Crowley, Kenneth Rice and Martin on cello. They will be joined by sisters, Louise Mulcahy (pipes), and Michelle Mulcahy (harp), who are widely celebrated for their exquisite musicianship and their deep-rooted connection to the tradition. 

Stephen Rea joins the impressive musical collective to voice the mysterious figure of the Ocean Child -- a poetic creation evoking themes of memory, exile, and the vast power of the sea. Rea is best known globally for The Crying Game, Michael Collins and V for Vendetta, and as co-founder of Derry’s Field Day Theatre Company.

Drawing on the rhythms of sean-nós song and the textures of European string quartets, Martin’s score sits at the intersection of tradition and modernity, creating a soundscape that is both rooted and timeless. 

Originally commissioned by Temple Bar TradFest and made possible through the generosity of Fingal County Council, Ocean Child is regarded as one of the most ambitious and emotionally resonant pieces to emerge from Ireland’s contemporary music scene in recent years.The Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith opened its doors in 1995 as the UK’s premiere centre dedicated to the promotion and welfare of Irish art and culture abroad. Based in west London, the ICC welcomes people of all backgrounds to participate in its three core strands: culture, community, and education.

“Ocean Child encapsulates everything the ICC stands for: artistic excellence, cross-cultural dialogue, and a commitment to work that transcends cultural and disciplinary boundaries,” said William Foote, Centre Director at the ICC. “We are immensely excited to host this spectacular show here in  Hammersmith”

These are the only London performances scheduled for Ocean Child, a must-see event for lovers of contemporary classical and traditional Irish music, Irish literature and the power of live performance to move, challenge, and transform.

For more information, please visit: www.irishculturalcentre.co.uk