Cavan musician Marcus Magee is riding the crest of a wave. On Thursday, his band Marcus Magee & the Hollaw Men prepare to rock the Róisín Dubh in Galway when they launch their highly impressive debut album Rising from the Hollaw. The gig follows a series of sold-out performances, including electrifying headline gigs at Dublin’s Sugar Club (see video clip), the Big Top tent at Cavan Arts Festival, and Whelans’ main venue in Dublin.
The band have had a remarkable and rapid rise following frontman Marcus Magee’s successful recovery from stage 4 colon cancer and a return to playing music, which he says he had “sadly neglected due to the busyness of life, work and family”. Magee formed the band just 18 months ago after receiving an all-clear on his cancer diagnosis. He had an impressive bank of material he dreamed of performing and decided to bring together friends to put on what he thought might be a once-off concert experience. The gig in the Townhall Theatre in Cavan sold out within hours; before long, a second night sold out. The gigs received rave reviews and propelled the band to consolidate, create new material, and embark upon making an album.
The result, Rising from the Hollaw, was recorded in Jam Studios in Kells and is a finely polished collection of original alternative folk and rock songs that is proving to be a hit with listeners. The album includes the spine-tingling track Mac Dee, which features renowned violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire. It received national radio play and considerable international attention on streaming platforms, with Fiachna Ó Braonáin from RTÉ Radio 1 calling it “a beautiful and poignant piece of work”. The song is an ode to the lead singer’s late friend, Mairead McDermott, a woman from Roscommon, who he says appeared in a dream to warn him about his cancer diagnosis.
Magee went on to successfully navigate two immensely difficult years of successful treatment for stage 4 colon cancer. He is now in good health and living life to the full, with family life and music taking centre stage. Marcus will also be a solo support act for fellow Cavan musician Lisa O’Neill on an Irish tour in October.
“At the time of my diagnosis, I had been neglecting my music. My guitar was broken and needed repairing, and life was just hectic. At the same time, I had all these songs and harboured a dream of performing them someday. Little did I know about what lay ahead. It wasn’t long before music became a core part of my healing journey, rediscovering old songs and writing new ones. What has transpired since has been incredible, and I am loving every minute. The music has been like medicine during a very challenging time for me and my family” says the 41-year-old father of three, who recently achieved another major goal by returning to play for his local GAA team.
“It’s been a wild and tough few years, the dream, the medical tests, appointments, fear, anxiety, chemotherapy, surgery and scans. There’s been a lot of learning in it all and I was very fortunate to receive counselling thanks to the Irish Cancer Society. The whole experience has given me a new appreciation for life, for living, for music, and connecting back to myself. I feel so grateful to everyone who has supported me on this journey, my friends, my family, my wife Julie, the doctors and nurses. To play alongside my friends and bandmates has brought great joy and healing”.
“I’m not taking any of it for granted” he adds. “It’s a huge privilege to be healthy and performing music with my wife Julie and good friends. The response has been mind-blowing. This is a project much bigger than me. I feel like we’re celebrating life and just having fun, and even though there are plenty of deep songs, we’re not taking it all too seriously. We’re buzzed to be playing Galway and all these great iconic venues but really, the joy is in the playing and being able to share these songs with people. I’m very grateful for that”.
Rising from the Hollaw by Marcus Magee & the Hollaw Men is available on all major streaming platforms and CD. Catch the band at Róisín Dubh in Galway on Thursday, September 19th. Special guests include Australian guitarist Ben Folkman and the mesmerizing Omen Ceol. For more information, visit www.thehollawmen.com.