Finding a Call Beyond the Clouds of Galway
Two-and-a-half years ago, Léna Descottes (29) faced a turning point that would redefine her life as a traditional-music performer. After years of playing across Ireland, she found herself sleeping in her car for six months when the place she called home was converted into an Airbnb. Her story isn’t just about wandering; it’s about resilience, identity, and a decision to stay where music felt like belonging.
“I wouldn’t say that I was homeless because if I had called my parents in France, they would have given me money to stay in a hotel,” she recalls. But Descottes chose a different path, one that meant hard nights on friends’ couches and the occasional squat. Even with two degrees, fluency in two languages, and four instruments, she faced a reality that challenged her independence and sense of self.
Two Lanes, One Passion: Irish Traditional Music
Descottes had been drawn to Irish traditional music since adolescence, influenced by cousins who danced to sounds from Guadeloupe and Martinique. She started visiting Ireland every summer, absorbing every trad session she could find. “From the first tune I knew that [Irish traditional music] would be a big part of my life,” she says. The pull was so powerful that she eventually decided to pursue it full-time in Ireland, enrolling at the Irish World Academy in Limerick and later moving to Galway.
Safety, Community, and a Woman in the Session
In a country she describes as safer for women, Descottes found a welcoming space in Irish trad circles. She notes a stark contrast with France, where sexual aggression can be more pronounced. “In Ireland you can be by yourself in the middle of the night with an instrument worth €7,000 on your back,” she explains, highlighting a culture where women musicians often lead sessions and mentorship exists among peers. The warmth and safety of these sessions helped her to rebuild confidence and craft a path as a performer living through uncertainty.
Love, Loss, and the Call of Inishbofin
After a period of recovery in France—where she dealt with lung issues and eczema worsened by poor sleeping conditions—Descottes realized the freedom to reinvent herself lay in Ireland. She embarked on a goodbye tour along the west coast, returning to places she had long wanted to perform. A pivotal moment occurred on Inishbofin, an isle off the Connemara coast. There, two friends invited her to join a trad session, and she felt a sense of belonging that she hadn’t experienced since leaving home.
“I called my parents after two weeks and said I’m not coming back, you can give back the keys to the flat,” she says with a mix of humor and gravity. Since then, she has settled on the island with Colman King (39) and his family, sharing life on a farm, continuing to perform across the country, and starting a side project that reflects her evolving identity: making and selling sheep rugs.
A Practical Life in a Dream Island
Life on Inishbofin comes with its own set of challenges. Descottes must navigate the logistics of island living—often traveling to the mainland for specific foods and supplies, a routine that costs her time and money. Doctors diagnosed a degenerative disease last year, leading to dietary adjustments and the careful management of inflammation. Yet she remains pragmatic: “Sometimes I spend a day a week going off the island getting all the different things I need. It costs me a fortune, like €100 a week for specific food that I would find in France in any supermarket.” The reality is that the dream of constant ease on a remote island is tempered by real-world costs and trade-offs, but the balance clearly tilts toward a life that centers on music, community, and a slower pace that suits her artistry.
Why Ireland, Why Now
Descottes’ arc is more than a personal success story. It sheds light on the human side of cultural migration, the vulnerability of artists who travel with their art, and the ways local communities can offer safety nets, mentorship, and creative fuel. Her journey from a precarious existence in Galway to an anchored life on Inishbofin demonstrates how a place can become a home through music, shared moments, and the willingness to reinvent oneself in a language that isn’t one’s own.
The Road Ahead
As she continues to perform, teach, and bring new crafts to life, Descottes embodies the resilience of artists who refuse to give up on their passion. Her story is a reminder that traditional music is not merely a repertoire but a living practice that can sustain people through hardship. On Inishbofin and beyond, she remains a testament to how music can bridge cultures, heal wounds, and craft a home where there once was only uncertainty.
