Naisrín is one of the younger daughters of Treasa Ní Cheannabháin, a native of County Galway and a fine singer in the sean-nós tradition, and Saber Elsafty, an Egyptian doctor.
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She was raised with her sisters and her twin brother in the Conamara Gaeltacht in the West of Ireland.
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Naisrín grew up in a multicultural and multi-religious household, celebrating both Christmas and the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr (the end of Ramadan).
In 2008 she slipped across the Egyptian border into Gaza with her daughter Naisrín Elsafty and a niece in order to distribute €7,700 collected by the Galway-Palestinian Children's Fund.
She comes from a musical family, being the daughter of Treasa Ní Cheannabháin, one of the most admired singers of the region, and having sisters, including Naisrín Elsafty, who are also admired performers.