After more than 30 years of enchanting the world through her dynamic role in Kíla, Irish music legend Dee Armstrong steps into the solo spotlight with her powerful debut album Deichtine’s Daughter. This rich and deeply personal record, released in Ireland on February 28 and in the UK on March 28, 2025, weaves together decades of musical, visual, and emotional storytelling into a nine-track journey that resonates with myth, memory, and maternal strength.
As a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and longtime creative force behind some of Ireland’s most beloved music and visual art, Armstrong’s path has never been conventional—but always compelling. From shaping the visual worlds of Kíla and scoring for Oscar-nominated films, to collaborating with her own children on fresh compositions, Deichtine’s Daughter feels like a culmination of everything she’s ever been, poured into one extraordinary offering.
We sat down with Dee to discuss the winding road that led to her solo debut, the stories behind the songs, and the magic of music passed through generations.
Interview Questions for Dee Armstrong – Deichtine’s Daughter
Dee: I recorded some of the tracks years ago in the caravan where we were living in North Leitrim. Shortly afterwards in 2006, my former partner died, father of the children, and all hope of finishing the album went by the wayside. I could barely keep up bringing up the kids alone and playing in Kila as it was, and trying to support grieving kids and keeping my own head straight. It was a very difficult time. I managed to finish it off finally a couple of years ago and spent some time mixing. I’m absolutely delighted to have finally got it out!
Dee: The album title comes from a poem by Louis De Paor, a great Irish poet in both Irish and English. Deichtine is Cucullins mother. Louis was imagining if Deichtine’s had a daughter, what would she be like…and then he saw her…walking down the road in Galway, swinging a hurl. He wrote a poem about her and that in turn inspired me to dedicate a tune to the strong warrior girl. Girls and women all over the world continuously have to fight for their rights, the rights of their children, the rights of the planet…you name it, there will be a woman fighting for it. They go mostly unrecognised. At my gigs at the moment I dedicate this tune to the women of Gaza, who are battling daily against the horror of obliteration and genocide. That this situation has been allowed to continue goes beyond all understanding.
Dee: Well it informs it a lot…four of the tunes were written in the caravan, where we were living and it was recorded there. We have a bit of land on the side of a mountain. It wasn’t very soundproofed so wind, rain and birds and in there..low down! It’s a wild place and there used to be a lot of musicians living here. They would go house visiting, as was the way of life here, most nights of the week for tunes, songs, dancing and a bit of craic. Most families had to emigrate in the 50s and 60s because of hardship and the land was poor. It was a tragedy. I always think of the people who were here. There are so many cottages in ruins all over the mountain. 128 families used to live in this small townland, all with huge families. All gone now. I think musicians can’t help absorbing the spirit of where they live. That’s why we have such an incredible range of music in the world. I reckon the way the bodhran is played in Ireland comes from the rain drumming down on us all the time, hahaha!
Dee: Well I do everything by ear as I read music very badly and certainly can’t write it down. So I layer up string sections and harmonies in the studio and I use editing and mixing to further add parts or sometimes new sections. I have always done that with Kila and would have had a big hand in the arranging of the music. So I used a similar process, but I had freedom to just do what I wanted with my own tunes.
Dee: It was brilliant to have them work on it. They are great musicians! We started really writing music together in Lockdown, and we realised we just clicked. It was wonderful to have them playing on the album because I started the album just before their dad died and they were only little kids at the time.
Dee: I studied film years ago, and I wrote, directed, edited and did the music for my own student film in 1993! I did tons of soundtracks for student films at the time and that’s where I learned a lot about it. I find that my music often comes from a story, images or an atmosphere I want to convey, so film music is perfect for me. Working for Cartoon Saloon and with Bruno Coulais was amazing.
Dee: I studied film years ago, and I wrote, directed, edited and did the music for my own student film in 1993! I did tons of soundtracks for student films at the time and that’s where I learned a lot about it. I find that my music often comes from a story, images or an atmosphere I want to convey, so film music is perfect for me. Working for Cartoon Saloon and with Bruno Coulais was amazing.
Dee: Yes I did all the visual stuff for Kila. I felt I couldn’t do my own album cover. Linda Coogan Byrne suggested Paul, and I saw his stuff and loved it. It resonated with me. He has a great style. He asked for a brief and came up with an idea based on that. Fire, sea, magic, strength were all important. There were a few changes.. I had the poor fella’s head melted! But he did a beautiful job. I’m so happy with it.
Dee: As musicians I think we naturally connect the ancient with the present. Especially with roots and traditional music because often very old music is being played and reinterpreted. As with mythology, information passes on. If we spend a lot of time listening, feelings and atmospheres come in and often a new tune with them. That’s how it works for me anyway. Mumming, strawboys etc is street theatre. It comes to your door and enters your house. It’s full of mischief with a wee bit of a dark edge…this tradition is the origin of trick or treat at Halloween. It never died out where I live..in North Leitrim and Fermanagh. I often joined local mumming groups before the Armagh Rhymers, as I love dressing up and making the straw costumes and the craic.
Dee: Micheal Clancy was known as the Man of a Thousand Tunes. He was from Boihy, the townland where I live now. He taught everyone music and played fiddle, pipes, whistle and flute. He was very well regarded and taught himself how to read and write music. He left a manuscript of 1002 tunes he had collected. Some well known, some not. He deserves recognition. The older musicians around here who knew him and played with him want to have an annual festival to remember him.
Dee: Hahaha! I have to finish the documentary. I am nearly finished a short film with mummers in it called A Midwinter’s Tale for a Midwinter’s Night and I’m also going to record another album with the kids. We have a load of new tunes.
Closing Thoughts
With Deichtine’s Daughter, Dee Armstrong doesn’t just share a collection of compositions—she opens a portal into memory, place, resilience, and myth. This long-awaited debut is more than a solo effort; it’s a living tapestry of generations, cultures, and histories. And as Dee looks ahead—to new albums, films, and celebrations of Ireland’s unsung musical heroes—her voice as an artist, warrior, and storyteller rings clearer and stronger than ever.
