Niamh Breathnach is Labour Party councillor for the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown constituency in Dublin, and served as Education Minister from 1993 until 1997.

Her parents, Breandán and Lena, raised Niamh in Blackrock in south Dublin, where she grew up with her four sisters: Sighle, Eibhlin, Fionnuala and Eadaoin.

Her father was a music collector, who would travel around the country with a microphone gathering traditional songs that otherwise might have never been recorded

She married her husband, Tom Ferris, in 1969 and they have two children, Cliodhna and Macdara, and two grandchildren, Tom and Alice.

Niamh is one of only five TDs to have been appointed as a Minister on their first day in the Dáil. She plans to retire from politics when the local elections take place this summer.

And these are Niamh Breathnach’s musical heirlooms:

Our podcast is also available under 'Musical Heirlooms' on iTunes and podcast apps.