Steáfán Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins moved to Canada in 2007 from England with their three children: Oisín, Eilé, and Ayisha. Steáfán, from Northern Ireland, and Saskia, from England, met in the UK and have been performing together for 20 years. When the children arrived, they naturally accompanied their parents to gigs. After a while, it was obvious that the children wanted to share the stage, so Clan Hannigan was born.

Clan Hannigan has played across Ontario. Highlights include Massey Hall (with The Chieftains), Blue Skys Festival, and St Patricks Day @ The Tranzac Club. They collaborated with The Peterborough Singers, Toronto Tabla Ensemble, and the Northumberland Orchestra and Choir.

They toured in the Czech Republic and Austria in 2010, were featured as a gaelic speaking family in two 4th Line Theatre plays: “The Cavan Blazers” and “The Winslows of Derryvore”. They are regular featured performers at Lang Pioneer Village Museum on special events, and were the guests for the Illumination at Sharon Temple in 2016.

Steáfán plays over 40 instruments, many of which he has featured on albums or live by major artists such as Loreena McKennitt, Olivier Schroer, James Keelaghan, Stephen Fearing, IL Divo, Julian Lloyd Weber, Pete Lockett, Bjork, Depeche Mode, Gary Barlow, Uriah Heep, Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, John Kirkpatrick, Luke Daniels, Sin É, LinnTilla, Eileen McGann, Band of Hope, Lammas, Tim Garland, Brian Willoughby from the Strawbs, Jeff Martin, The Tea Party, The Afro Celt Sound System, and many more. He is a respected teacher of Irish traditional music and wrote The Low Whistle Book and CD as well as The Bodhran Book and CD. Having completed the music and sound effects for a 26 episode animation, The Legend of Ponnivalla, now airing on ATN; Steáfán is a freelance musician and photographer.Saskia is also a respected teacher and player of the violin, viola, and nyckelharpa. Her musical abilities on these instruments are wide ranging, from classical to celtic, gypsy-jazz, and songwriter accompaniment. She is an excellent reader of music, charts, and play-by-ear. Saskia completed a BA in Jazz and popular music at Middlesex University, focusing on different fiddling styles. She has played with countless artists in many genres, including Caroline Lavelle, Ron Korb, and Robb Johnson, as well as playing for Uriah Heep‘s 30th anniversary concert, improvising with dancers at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, and learning cello for Michael Bogdanov and the English Shakespeare Company‘s 6 month tour of Beowulf. She has recorded on over 60 albums for other artists and several with her own groups. Saskia is also the All Britain Champion for Irish Fiddle. Canadian performances and recordings include: Sultans of String, David Newland, Donald Quan, 4th Line Theatre (2009-2016), Relic Hunter soundtrack, Canadian Aboriginal Awards 2017, The Chieftains and Toronto Tabla Ensemble, both at Massey Hall. She has worked on the development of Come From Away before it hit Broadway.