On Saturday, June 13, Mary Black performed the final concert of her illustrious 50-year career. ‘The Slán Tour’, which began in April, featured sixteen concerts across seven weeks, with dates in Kilkenny, Waterford, Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Kerry, Wexford, Cork, Derry, Utrecht and Dublin. The tour came to a close at a sold-out Vicar Street, where Mary Black was supported by her daughter Róisín O, with both performers welcomed by an appreciative audience.
Widely regarded as Ireland’s leading female vocalist, Mary Black played a pivotal role in bringing Irish music to a global audience. An award-winning solo artist, her commitment to fresh material, combined with her unique interpretations of songs, led to multiple chart-topping and critically acclaimed albums. These include Without the Fanfare (1985), By the Time it Gets Dark (1987), No Frontiers (1989), and the groundbreaking A Woman’s Heart (1992), which also featured Eleanor McEvoy, Frances Black, Dolores Keane, Sharon Shannon and Maura O’Connell. Selling over 750,000 copies in Ireland, A Woman’s Heart remains the best-selling album in Irish chart history. Capturing the emotions, struggles and changing societal roles of Irish women, the album remains amongst the most recognisable in Irish history.
During the performance, guitarist Bill Shanley halted proceedings to invite IMRO Chair Tom Dunne on stage to present Mary with a framed tribute celebrating her career.
Expressing his gratitude for her contribution to Irish music, Dunne said: “On behalf of IMRO, this award recognises your extraordinary contribution. You spoke earlier about songwriters and about people like Jimmy MacCarthy and Thom Moore, who have poured their hearts and souls into their songs. When those songs find their way to a singer like you, something magical happens. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”