Having just returned from Canada where she spent the last year performing and making her mark on the Canadian music scene, including TV apperances and touring, Irish singer-songwriter Clare O' Mahony is back in Ireland. With influences ranging from Tracy Chapman to James Taylor, Clare has already received airplay on LA's Folkscene radio show as well as New York and Boston stations. Clare's debut album Secret World, features 10 original tracks, 2 of which were produced and recorded by Declan Sinnott (Christy Moore, Mary Black). Clare has already shared the stage with artists such as Ron Hynes (Sonny's Dream), James Blunt and Colleen Power.
Clare's music has awarded her the opportunity to play live on one of largest radio stations in the US/Canada - Chicago's WGN in March 2006, as well as playing several dates in the Chicago area, including Woodstock Opera House, and the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
From her beginnings in Cork, Ireland, Clare has since travelled to New York to play in the Living Room along with Niall Connolly, Rachel Loshak and more. After this Clare travelled to Newfoundland, Canada, where she was one of 7 Irish songwriters chosen to take part in the first annual Atlantic Crossroads Festival - a concept where Irish and Newfoundland songwriters come together to collaborate and perform, with the Newfoundland songwriters including Ron Hynes, Pamela Morgan, Darrell Power (Great Big Sea), Jim Fidler, Colleen Power and Hugh Scott. One of the highlights of this trip was singing the well known "Sonny's Dream" with the writer of the song to a packed house at St. John's Arts and Culture Centre.
Clare recently took part in the Songsmiths tour (Killarney, Dingle and Cork shows) as part of Cork Folk Festival along with Ger Wolfe, Annette Buckley, Gavin Moore, Ron Kavanagh, John Leo Carter and Mick Flannery. Clare has also been asked to return for the September leg of the Songsmiths tour. Clare was also chosen to play in a special A&R (including Sony, Atlantic) showcase gig on April 30th set up in association with FMC and Cork 2005.
Clare’s song “What do you want now?” was recorded for a compilation album entitled Unlabelled featuring artists such as Niall Connolly, Jennifer Lomasney and Ian Whitty amongst others. Clare took part in the Listener’s Choice song competition on Cork Campus Radio as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival and was one of six songwriters chosen to perform at the showcase gig in the Lobby as a result. Having put a band together after attending Colaiste Stiofain Naofa’s Music, Management and Sound course, a more diverse sound was created and Clare and band reached the semi-finals of the Murphy’s UnCorked Battle of the Bands 2004. Clare was also supported by New York based songwriter Rachel Loshak on her visit to Ireland in March of 2004 and performed in the Cork Folk Festival in September of 2004.
"A singer-songwriter with a bright future" - Sinead Lohan
"..the voice is great and the song writing is great" - Kieran Goss
"A truly fine and talented songwriter. The songs are extremely well constructed, the voice and delivery is well controlled, mature sounding, soulful and authoritative. Overall I was entirely captured by the songs" - PJ Curtis (Grammy winning producer)
"Her songs are finely crafted little gemstones gentle on the ear" - Paul Dromey (Evening Echo January 22nd 2004)
"Her songs have a poignant quality which makes one feel that one is eaves-dropping on her most intimate thoughts" - Don O' Mahony (Evening Echo January 2004)
"Some of the most haunting and delicate songs.." Mark McClelland (Evening Echo August 19th 2003)
Hi Clare, great to have you back to play the June sessions, once again it was a great night of music, downside was the idiots that did'nt listen. Will give you a shout next time i get to Cork. Liam.
Please feel free to drop by and check out the TEASERS, just uploaded, from my forthcoming debut album. And don't be shy - message, comment, criticise, "Hello, how's the weather?", etc...!
Bonjour!!!! Hows the form? Trying to ease myself into this myspace thing. have the tunes up but still need to customise the page. Tunes are sounding Great Clare! Antóin
Hey Clare, no problem with the Feb. sessions, i will get you another date soon, with bad weather it was a great night, five acts played and another act that just came to look on, they will play another night. So it looks like we're going to keep busy. I'll be in touch. Liam.
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