Selkies Sea Shanty Women’s Group

The Selkies are an all women’s sea shanty group from Portaferry, County Down. They are the only women’s Sea Shanty Group in Northern Ireland and were set up in October 2022.

Since their formation, they have become celebrated contributors to Portaferry’s significant maritime culture and history, performing at festivals, concerts, and community events. Whether they’re belting out age-old ballads once sung aboard tall ships scouring the seas or delivering their own take on the genre, Selkies captivate audiences with their rich harmonies and infectious energy.

Once a week, the group meet at the Portaferry Recreation Hub. The hub provides a welcoming space where women can come together to sing, socialise, and share in their collective love for music. 

As their profile continue to grow, Selkies are not just preserving the songs of the past: they’re building a community and demonstrating the unique ability that music has in bringing people together. Their unique energy and spirited performances made them a very special group to work with during the Northern Ireland Now project.

To date the group has performed at a number  events for charity, community events and most recently for the 200th anniversary of the RNLI, and even appeared on the Ulster TV Keepers of the Lough series.

In legend, the Selkie is a mythical legend that tells of people who can shift between seal and human forms by removing or putting on their seal skin.

Note: Not to be confused with “The Selkies” folk group based in Kent, U.K.