ABOUT

Featuring Olivia Barrett, Ellen Gibling, and Lizzy Hewitt, Swift Return blends fiddle, harp, and voice in delicate, thoughtful arrangements of Irish traditional and folk music. The trio met at the Irish World Academy in Limerick, Ireland, where they were drawn together by a shared passion for traditional music. Olivia and Ellen’s sounds reflect their immersion in the musical traditions of Canada’s West Coast and Maritime provinces and are grounded in a deep technical expertise. Lizzy’s clear tone and earnest vocals are informed by years of choral, jazz, and folk singing throughout the US and Europe. Swift Return was first formed when the trio was selected to represent the Academy onstage at the 2019 Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow.

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All photos by Renée Yoxon.