Denise Brennan has recorded a song called “Raise A Glass To New Year” written by Gillian Tuite and Keith McLoughlin, recorded by Beardfire Music Studio.
The song is about reflecting on a year gone by and looking forward to a new year. It’s a catchy pop song that will be released on all major digital stores at midnight on Friday 31st December, 24 hours before the New Year.
Denise Brennan is a singer, actress, performer, songwriter, and teacher from Wicklow.
She has toured internationally as a vocalist with Bill Whelan’s Riverdance in America, Canada, Mexico, and at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2003 at Croke Park. Denise has performed as a soloist with The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra and with Woman of Ireland including a summer residency which featured special guests Frankie Gavin and De Dannan at the INEC, Killarney. In 2019, she performed in the Netherlands with Celtic Gold The Show.
Denise trained with Sr. Agnes at St Marys College, Arklow and also with Dr. Veronica Dunne at the Leinster School of Music. She won the Pearl Atock Trophy in the Mezzo Soprano Competition at Feis Ceoil, Dublin. Denise studied Musical Theatre Performance at the famous Guildford School of Acting, London and received her Licentiate in Musical Theatre Performance.
She has had the privilege of playing leading roles in many Irish Musical Theatre Productions such as Beauty and the Beast, Oliver, Wizard of Oz, 9 to 5 and Jesus Christ Super Star to name a few, as well as playing Grace Farrell in Festival Productions “Annie” at Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Denise played the role of Kitty Kiernan in Michael Collins A Musical Drama for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Aims Award.
A talented singer songwriter, Denise’s songs “Two Lone Stars” and her most recent release “Something Special” is available on all streaming platforms. Denise received her Higher Diploma in teaching Contemporary Singing from, The Voice College, London and is currently teaching at Spotlight Theatre School in County Wicklow.
Support Irish artists at this year’s ‘Merchy Christmas’ merch market, happening at The Grand Social, Dublin, 10am-4pm, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th December.
2021, much like 2020, continues to present challenges for independent musicians in Ireland. Indie artists need your support, and what better way to do it than by buying their merch! Enter Merchy Christmas, the Second!
Merchy Christmas is a real-life merch market where all your favourite artists flog their wares directly to you, their fans. Started last year during lock-down, it was the brainwave of Conor Cusack (Saint Sister’s manager at ie:music) and Saint Sister. Chatting about ways to create a personal connection with their listeners and thank them for their support over the year, they had the idea of a public merch stall. After reaching out to their pals like Lankum, CMAT and The Mary Wallopers, it became clear that this was something lots of other artists wanted to be part of. Merchy Christmas was born! Working with Keiron Black and the folks at The Grand Social (longstanding champions of the independent community) they put together a two-day event across multiple floors, which was hugely successful.
Partnering with Dublin Simon Community, who suggested a donation of €5 on the door, a significant amount of money was raised for the charity and the homeless community at their most difficult time of year.
This year the market returns, bigger and better. With over 30 artists confirmed, Mercy Christmas takes place at The Grand Social on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th December. Running from 10am-4pm on both days, it will host some of the Island’s best artists and their finery, available for purchase with cash.
Artists taking part in this year’s edition, include:
Ailbhe Reddy, Gemma Dunleavy, HousePlants, Junior Brother, Kneecap, Kynsy, Lankum, Loah , Maria Kelly , Melts, Myles Manley, Nealo, Niamh Regan, Paddy Hanna, Pillow Queens, Rebel Phoenix, Rob De Boer, Royal Yellow, Saint Sister, Silverbacks, Skinner, Soda Blonde, Somebody’s Child, Sorcha Richardson, Tandem Felix, Tebi Rex, The Mary Wallopers, The Scratch, The Zen Arcade, Thumper, Touts, Vernon Jane & Bicurious, Wyvern Lingo, + more to be announced.
Returning for the second year in a row, Saint Sister share their thoughts, “The last two years have been very difficult. In the absence of any proper guidance we have, time and time again, had to reorganise and replan in order to get by. Merchy Christmas is a small part of the rejigging that all artists have had to do over the last while. Last year, it gave us a boost when we needed it most. Thank God for our community! We’ll see you at the merch stand.”
“The Christmas merch sale last year was one of the highlights of the year for me. It was heartwarming to meet people face to face and to hang out and chat with people who like my music and also to other artists and friends. After a year of no gigs or face to face interactions, it was refreshing to be there in person hanging out and buying and selling merch. 10/10 would go again” added Dublin hip-hop songwriter Nealo
The Grand Social are also excited to welcome everyone back to “help artists recover from the ongoing restrictions that keeps everyone from performing, especially this time of year. We are a fully independent venue and every ounce of this project is directly in line with our ethos. It is an amazing opportunity for fans to buy merch directly from the artists they love!”
Admission to the event is FREE, with a suggested donation on the door of €5 to Dublin Simon Community (DSC). Speaking of the initiative, the DSC said “Fundraising at Christmas time is vital to our organisation as the funds generated allow us to support those who need it the most. We’re delighted to be the charity partner for the Merchy Christmas market again this Christmas, and can’t thank all of those involved enough.” This is a cash only event.
COVID 19 AND SAFETY
In line with current public health guidelines all attendees must provide either proof of full vaccination or that they have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months.
Venue staff will check COVID-19 vaccination and recovery certificates on entry. Young people under the age of 18, accompanied by adults, are not required to show proof of vaccination or recovery.
You may be asked to show a photo ID. In line with current Government guidelines, we ask that patrons practice social distancing and wear a face coverings while attending the market.
These requirements are subject to change, and we will communicate any changes as directed and informed by the public health guidelines.
On the back of a successful 8-date tour, including sell-out shows in Belfast’s Ulster Hall and Vicar Street in Dublin, Mary Black has announced the dates for four rescheduled shows; at Kilarney’s INEC (February 18), Theatre Royal in Waterford (February 19), Cork Opera House (February 24) and Limerick’s Limetree Arts Theatre (February 25).
Mary was delighted to be back on the road in October/November 2021 – these were her first live performances in two years and as she said herself “it was magical to be back’.
Mary and her legendary band enthralled audiences playing favourites from her back catalogue, songs we know by heart from ‘No Frontiers’ to ‘Song for Ireland’, ‘Past The Point Of Rescue’, ‘Carolina Rua’, ‘Katie’, ‘A Woman’s Heart’ and many more.
During the tour she still found time to film for ’The Heart of Saturday Night’ and ‘The Restaurant’ and to feature in a documentary entitled ’The Flourishing’ (all to be aired over Christmas).
One of Ireland’s favourite artists, Mary is regarded as one of the most important vocalists of her generation; with multi-platinum selling albums and a string of awards to her name. Mary’s enduring success has proven that her depth of talent and love of singing transcend the generations.
Mary will perform with her band, featuring Bill Stanley (guitar), Pat Crowley (piano and accordion), Nick Scott (double bass), Richie Buckley (saxophone), and Liam Bradley (drums & percussion).
Following on from the success of their previous single ‘Mistake’, Cork Native’s Sparkle are back with yet another energetic anthem titled ‘Too Strung Up’.
Speaking about the track, the band state that: “This song is about trying to leave someone who is addictive and poisonous. They are narcissistic in character and they are a master manipulator. It’s about going around in circles without being able to escape. You are blinded by love”.
The track is a pop/rock anthem with powerful vocals, energetic drum fills, catchy chorus and an electrifying guitar solo. A great follow up from their successful previous release ‘Mistake’, the band are now back with their next biggest thing ‘Too Strung Up’ which prove that they are set to reach new heights in 2022.
Sparkle are a five-piece pop/rock band based in Cork, Ireland. They consist of Caroline Bailey (Lead Vocal) who is also an contestant on RTE’s Last Singer Standing, Jen Bowler (Acoustic Guitar/Backing Vocals), Dave Bowman (Drums/Percussion), Ian Carey (Bass) and Tadgh Sheehan (Lead Guitar).
The female fronted outfit have developed a melodic yet fierce and engaging sound. They like to set the bar higher by incorporating a wide range of influences into their music to make their music unique and stand out from the crowd.
The band originally started out as a two piece making videos online in 2017, one of their first covers was Ed Sheeran’s ‘Castle on The Hill’ which went viral and gained them radio support from Cork’s 96fm.
The band have graced the stages of Whelans, Electric Picnic, National Concert Hall, Dublin Pride, Cork Pride which allowed them to perform alongside acts such as Kodaline, Gavin James and Stephanie Rainey. They also performed at outing festival in Co. Clare and got picked by Trend Micro, who are a company which gave them the fantastic opportunity to perform in Tokyo, Japan as part of their Sko Awards.
They have supported acts such as Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Niamh Kavanagh and Johnny Logan to name a few.
The band are currently at work on their upcoming debut studio EP.
Sparkle are unique because of the interplay between Caroline and Jen, who both do an excellent job fronting the band and fill up the room with passion, charisma and undeniable energy.
Their live performance is captivating, with the group being able to connect with the audience in a personal way.
For fans of: The Cranberries, The Coronas, Fleetwood Mac, Ed Sheeran, Paramore.
The band take these influences and blend them to create their distinctive and unforgettable sound.
With previous support from RTE 2FM, RTE 2XM, IMRO, Shannonside FM, HotPress, Planet Radio, Cork’s 96fm and Cork’s Red FM to name a few, Sparkle are definitely a band to keep all eyes and ears on.
Renowned singer-songwriter Oliver Cole surprises us with an early Yuletide gift in the form of ‘Cuddle A Puddle – A Very Christmas Tale’.
Cole explains the story… ‘Cuddle a Puddle tells the tale of a true Christmas romance. A love story that blossoms and melts but leaves the heart warmer and wiser for next year”
Oliver has just released a download only live album ‘Live At The Grand Social’ which is available now on Bandcamp.
Cole returns to normal duties in the New Year with another single from his critically acclaimed ‘Father, Brother, Son’ album.
All proceeds from the sale of ‘Cuddle A Puddle’ will go to Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.
Gavin James, whose songcraft has been the key to unlocking 1.5 billion streams, 6 million monthly listeners at Spotify, 32 Platinum and Gold records across the globe, has just announced his Irish headline tour to coincide with release of his upcoming 3rd studio album.
From previous hits such as ‘Always’ and ‘Nervous’ to his more recent releases ‘Sober’ and his brand new single ‘Greatest Hits’, which is currently in the top 5 radio airplay charts in Ireland, playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and been championed at radio worldwide in Brazil, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium, France, Germany and Japan.
Gavin’s talents have been embraced by countless big names. He has played shows with Niall Horan, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, as well as his own sold-out world tour which started in 2019 and ended with a sold out 3Arena Dublin show, one of the last shows in Ireland before lockdown. Since then, he’s released his number 1 Irish album and airplay-charting ‘Boxes’ EP.
Dubliner Gavin James has come a long way from his early days busking on Grafton Street. His international touring has resulted in 250,000 ticket sales for his headline shows across the world, including two nights at Dublin’s 13,000 capacity 3Arena. Last month, he made a triumphant return to the live arena, when he played to 40,000 people in Switzerland. Gavin is currently finishing his 3rd album and he kicks off 2022 by headlining the New Year’s Days festival at Dublin Castle on New Year’s Day and he will be joining James Blunt on his UK Arena tour staring on Feb 3rd followed by his Irish headline tour dates in April.
TOUR DATES 2022
IRELAND JAN 01 Dublin, NEW YEARS DAY FESTIVAL
IRELAND
April 02 Opera House, Cork April 03 Opera House, Cork April 12 Opera House, Wexford April 15 Leisureland, Galway April 16 Leisureland, Galway April 17 Royal theatre Castlebar April 18 Millennium Forum, Derry
April 21 Telegraph Belfast, Belfast
April 22 Knocknarea Arena, Sligo April 23 INEC Arena, Killarney April 29 LakeLand Session Mullingar May 01 Limerick King Johns Castle
Tickets on sale Friday December 10th at 10am from ticketmaster.ie
Irish born singer-songwriter Megan O’Neill has just released her stunning cover of “Fairytale of New York” across all digital platforms today, the 3 December.
Speaking of the single Megan O’Neill said “’Fairytale of New York’ has always been my favourite Christmas song and a bold choice to cover, I will admit! I was really hesitant about covering such an iconic song but I knew that if I was going to go for it, it had to be so uniquely my own and a far cry from the original sonically. I think myself and Mark Caplice (producer) have managed to capture something special here. Our haunting version of this song really captures how heartbreakingly sad the story actually is”.
Deemed a “rising star” by uDiscover and Timeout Magazine London, Megan O’Neill’s songs have received great attention over the past year – including her recent single Ireland, which hit over 400,000 views on social media during release month and was shared by major media outlets Joe.ie, Her.ie, Image Magazine, Irish TV and more. The video was also picked up and shared by none other than Olivia Newton-John as well as being added to the RTE Radio 1 playlist for three weeks running.
Megan O’Neill released her second full length studio album this year (March 12th, 2021) – titled ‘Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty’. This much anticipated album follows her last release, ‘Ghost of You’ (June 2018) which hit #1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts in the UK and Ireland, and two EP’s previous to this (‘Coming Home’, 2015 and ‘Stories to Tell’, 2017).
‘Time in a Bottle’, the bonus track off the new album, featured on episode one of hit Netflix TV Show Firefly Lane. One week later, she performed the song live on the RTE Late Late Show – reaching an audience of approximately 2 million and the single charted that same weekend in Ireland across all genres. Time in a Bottle was the highest new entry on the Irish Homegrown Charts at the end of February and playlisted by RTE Radio 1.
Alongside her releases as an artist, Megan O’Neill writes for many other artists across the world in multiple genres. Over the coming 12 months, she has some incredibly exciting releases on the horizon with artists in the UK and Ireland – yet to be announced. Megan also works independently as a songwriter with multiple publishing houses, writing to brief for sync projects and for other artist projects.
To date Megan O’Neill has toured the UK, Ireland, US and Germany. She has performed at private Oscars’ parties in LA alongside Gavin James (on invite from JJ Abrams) and has had her song ‘Don’t You’ featured on ABC’s hit TV Show ‘Nashville’ (Season 3). Megan has also opened shows for the likes of Sir Tom Jones, Lighthouse Family and Jamie Cullum to name a few.
Megan O’Neill’s stunning cover of “Fairytale of New York” is out across all digital platforms now.
20 years since the untimely passing of Mic Christopher, in honour of his memory some of his closest friends re-visit ‘Heartbreaker’ – a Mary Janes song that never saw the light of day.
‘Mic Christopher had only just turned 32 when he slipped beyond the veil, into that timeless mysterious place beyond this earthly plane. His passing was sudden, leaving his family and friends broken and dumfounded: how could such a life force, such a bright, vibrant soul suddenly be no more? It made no sense, and here, 20 years on, we still feel that same baffling shock and sorrow.
What happens when in mid conversation fate steps in and steals your best friend away? Well, the conversation continues, somehow, although it’s changed completely; Mic is still a very real and present force to all assembled friends here, and we all hold the line open, even when the static fades.
How do we honour and remember him? We sing his songs… when words fail and fall short, we sing his words, in his melody, in his style, in his inimitable voice, we remember him by mirroring and mimicking the honourable rock star: hips out, head up, big voice, that high soaring tone, that swagger, courage, plume and strut, part Elvis, Jim, Fela, Marley, and Drake, to name a few from whom his cloth was cut. All we have now are his songs, the ones he recorded and others unfinished, incomplete beauties that we go back to, when a song is still in that first draught unfinished state, it holds a magic, an expectant potential, asking to be finished, all roads still open, to be pulled back out and re-examined. But when it’s author is no longer here to finish it, some might say leave it. And they might be right, but when the song was so near completion and so good that it already sang true and bright, the job might fall to his closest friends to pull it off the old cassette and back into the light.
We’ve gathered here his friends: Mary Janes, Frames, Kíla, Gemma, Lisa, Paddy, Mundy and many more; singers who knew and loved him, others who admired him from afar, to mark this, the 20th year of his departure, by simply doing the only good thing we know how to. We gather to honour our friend with our singing and playing.
Mic had the cool – whatever that is, he had it. And when I think of him now, it’s that broad-shouldered, long-fingered, sloping, stalling, desert boot-wearing, smiling silhouette I see walking just out of reach.
Go Mic… we still believe in you.
“May your heart always be joyful, may your song always be sung,
And may you stay forever young’” Glen Hansard
‘Friendship is stored in the most precious place of our being and that it can resonate even after death is very reassuring to me … an absolute treat to be involved in re-recording a few of our old friend Mic’s songs, to have him in the headphones was very special …’ Ronan O’Snodaigh
It was late Autumn, November 29th, 2001 and the myriad of people who had grown to love Mic Christopher commenced grappling with the news he had left us. In nothing short of a tragic accident, Mic had fallen and hit his head, suffering catastrophic head injuries.
In the wake of Mic’s departure, he has continued to influence artists with the most laudable gift a troubadour could leave behind, his songs. In November 2002, through the persistent work of Karl Odlum and brother David, captaining a large assembly of Mic’s musician friends, ‘Skylarking’ Mic’s first solo album was released to critical acclaim. This album contained inspirative anthems such as ‘Heyday’ and ‘Skylarking’ which posthumously plunged Mic and his devastating story into hearts and homes across Ireland and the world.
For the ten years prior to a solo career, Mic rode point with his band The Mary Janes. Mic’s time in the group would see him travel to all ends of the world from post-war Bosnia to Australia, America and Scotland and would fertilise the creation of a multitude of prodigious songs, many remaining unreleased to this day. With impenetrable friendships forged, the highs and lows of four young men struggling in a rock band were traversed, and the writings of these years remained stored on cassette tapes in tattered cardboard boxes, stowed beneath beds.
Once again, a large cohort of Mic and The Mary Janes’ friends have assembled from across music fields and beyond to honour a deeply missed friend, recording a previously unreleased song from The Mary Janes titled ‘Heartbreaker,’ produced by David Odlum. Time hasn’t changed Mic’s melodies or words, which stand as true today as they did lying on pages in verdant ink the moment they were penned. Through the hands of musicians and voices of singers, a collective of the pure hearted have come together and built a virtual shrine to a man who after twenty years, is still as alive in each one of us, as the days we would muse one another.
RELEASE DATE : December 3rd 2021 across digital platforms
Annette Joy has released a charity single ‘Fly Away Home’, with all proceeds going to EPIC Empowering People In Care
Speaking of the single, Annette says;
“Would you agree that Christmas is all about children, magic, hope and wonder?
Will you remember the 796 Tuam babies and all the Forgotten Children of Ireland this Christmas?
‘EPIC’ EMPOWERING PEOPLE IN CARE charity will benefit 100 percent from all proceeds of ‘Fly Far Away’
By downloading ‘Fly Far Away’ for as little as 99cent you can help keep the memory of Ireland’s Forgotten Children alive this Christmas.
Not only that ….If enough people download ‘Fly Far Away’it will enter the charts, be playlisted, then played on every radio station in the country.
I truly believe the people of Ireland are as horrified as I am at the atrocity of Ireland’s mother and baby ‘homes’ and of all Institutional abuse suffered by the Forgotten Children of Ireland.
By downloading ‘Fly Far Away’ the people of Ireland can show support and solidarity for all the Forgotten Children who deserve to be remembered… especially at Christmas time.
‘Fly Far Away’ a song written for the 796 Tuam babies who remain in a disused sewage tank in Tuam, and the 9000 children who died in these ‘homes’.
Catherine Corless’s relentless courage and determination brought this atrocity to light…let’s keep the babies memory alive this Christmas.
For every child who was in an Industrial school, for every girl and woman who entered a Magdalene Laundry. For every child who was born in a Mother and Baby’ home’.
We as a nation can unite and show our support so that those who were forgotten will never be forgotten again.
Christmas No 1 for the Forgotten Children of Ireland,
Will you help keep their memory alive this Christmas?
Paul Dunworth is a modern Folk Songwriter from Newcastle West, Co.Limerick, Ireland.
His colorful arrangements are built on a contrast between raw passionate vocals and melodic guitar accompaniments.
His last EP ”Through A Forest” released in 2019 received positive reviews with Hotpress magazine stating ”It’s clear Dunworth is comfortable with his music’s direction and he excels in his performance of it. His gritty vocal delivery cuts through the layered folk instrumentation naturally, embedding itself immediately in the listener’s ear.”
Having studied music at the London Guitar Tech, Paul is a versatile guitarist comfortable performing in multiple genres.
His new EP ”Echoes” soon to be released in January is all about distilling those diverse influences into something very personal and closer to home. Paul has performed at such venues as Shepard’s Bush empire London, Levis’ Ballydehob and De Barra’s Clonakilty among others.
“Robert’s Cove is a small quaint village situated south east of Cork city. It is 12km from Carrigaline where I used to reside and when I visited Robert’s Cove myself and my wife would take walks up along the shore line by the cliffs and feel a sense of peace and tranquility. The song was written to express this love of these surroundings. A truly magical place (The video features my wife walking). Shot at Robert’s cove at 6 in the morning by Micheál Rowsome and audio was mixed/mastered by Brian Casey @wavefield studios Clonakilty.”
