Thanks!!!

December 2008

Christmas greetings to everyone. It has been a quiet and relaxing few weeks for Niamh after a hectic schedule, and after profiting from the break to recharge and catch up with family and friends, Niamh will shortly be back on the road and as busy as ever. The Irish Folk Festival tour was a resounding success with many new fans discovering Niamh's music. It was also a pleasure for Niamh to tour with Liadan, Beoga and Griogair and while her table tennis skills still leave a lot to be desired, her poker playing has come on, so be warned!

Instead of accompanying her fellow musicians back to Ireland, Niamh instead flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina where she performed with Carlos in the famous Coliseum Theatre. She then performed solo the following night at Fahy's Irish Cultural centre, before bringing many of Argentina's own Irish music fans onto the stage for an informal session, much to the delight of the large Irish-Argentine community who had gathered. Both concerts were attended by the Irish Embassador to Argentina and were part funded by Culture Ireland.

Niamh is looking forward to returning to Germany in January for another tour, this time as a member of the Carlos Nunez band. Prior to that, however, she will be performing in New York at the APAP conference as part of the Island Heart Artists showcase. All upcoming concerts are listed on the tour page.

We have also been busy updating the promoter's section to include a 7 minute promo video of the band. We have also updated the live photos page to include pictures taken at Yn Chruinnaght this year. Niamh was interviewed recently for Irish Music Magazine, and the interview has been added to the interviews page, along with a few previously unlisted interviews. We hope you enjoy all the additions.

Wishing you all a happy holiday, and all the best for 2009

October 2008

To all new viewers - welcome! To return visitors - welcome back! We have been busy since your last visit, updating the photo gallery and interview section and adding a promoter's page to the gallery, complete with stage plans and high resolution photographs. We have also, unfortunately, had to remove the link to www.tradmusic.com as this wonderful site has been forced to shut down due to lack of funding.

However, not all is doom and gloom, and we're happy to report that Niamh herself is as busy as ever. Recently returned from performing in the official opening ceremony of Celtic Colours, as a member of the Carlos Nunez band, alongside Cape Breton greats such as Jerry Holland, J.P. Cormier, and the Blue Engine String Quartet, she is now in the midst of the hectic Irish Folk Festival Tour, performing all over Germany and Switzerland with the lovely lads and ladies from Beoga, Liadan and Griogair. This gig is not one to be missed, with standing ovations every night since it's opening night in Speyer. Check out the tour date section to see if it's coming anywhere near you!

July 2008

We are delighted to announce that Niamh has recently joined the roster of Island Heart Artists in North America. She joins fellow Irish groups Liadan and the David Munnelly band and is looking forward to performing in the US and Canada in the near future.

She will also be performing in The Irish Folk Festival tour in Germany, France and Switzerland, alongside Griogair, Beoga and Liadan. Gig listings for this tour, along with upcoming gigs with Carlos Nunez, and as a solo artist have been added to the Tour page.

April 2008

This month sees Niamh returning to her home soil for a series of concerts accompanied by Mike Galvin in some of the nicest venues around Ireland. These include a benefit concert for the much loved and respected Cape Breton fiddler, Jerry Holland, who was diagnosed last year with bone cancer which he has been valiantly battling ever since. If you too would like to help please check out the Jerry Holland Fund website.

Niamh has also recently been signed to Glasgow based UK Music Management company Oscar Music Agency.

February 2008

We are thrilled to announce that Niamh has been presented with "The Best Traditional Music Act 2008" award by The Irish World. She flew in from Germany, where she is currently on tour with Carlos, to receive the award in the Galtymore hotel, London, where the black tie event took place. The Irish World is the largest newspaper for the Irish community in Britain, and hosts the annual awards recognising the contributions of rising and established Irish stars both in Ireland and around the world. Niamh returned the following morning to Germany where she is busy performing with Carlos. She has also just signed up for the Irish Folk Festival tour which takes place later in the year all around Germany, and will be performing alongside Beoga, Liadan and Griogair in the 5 week tour.

December 2007

We are delighted to inform you that Niamh's album "�n D� Thaobh / From Both Sides" has been listed in respected music reviewer Colin Irwin's Top Ten Folk Album's of 2007 for MOJO magazine. Niamh is the only Irish artist listed.

If that wasn't enough good news, "Lios U� Bhig�n", the last track of the album, has been included in Demon Music Group's double CD compilation of Irish Music. The compilation entitled "Experience Ireland" includes such luminaries of Irish Music as The Bothy Band, De Danann, T�ada, Gr�da, Cathal Hayden, Seamus Begley and Jim Murray, and Solas. Check here for more information.

Niamh continues to tour with Carlos N��ez and is also preparing for a few Irish dates after the New Year, with guitarist Mike Galvin.

October 2007
Work with the Carlos Nunez band has kept Niamh as busy as ever over the last few weeks, with delighted audiences in France, Mexico, Germany, Tunisia and Japan enjoying her performances. As she finishes the last of the concerts in Japan, she is also preparing for the first of her own UK performances to promote her album's release. Niamh will be playing support to Flook in the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith, London at the end of the month. For all the latest dates, please check the tour page.

Her album is also now available on ITunes.

August 2007
It's been another busy period for Niamh. Following a month of successful gigs with Carlos Nunez in July, she has now officially joined the band as their fiddler and adds concertina to the mix. She also had a successful debut in Petr Pandula's Magnetic Music concert series, with audience members following her to the Ballyshannon Folk Festival to attend her workshop.

At the Ballyshannon festival, Niamh was delighted to be chosen as the featured artist on this year's poster, designed by Barry Britton. She joins Mair�ad N� Mhaonaigh, Liam �g � Floinn, Sharon Shannon and R�nan � Snodaigh, all of whom have been featured in previous years.

She opened for Altan, accompanied by Mike Galvin, and received a standing ovation - an unusual feat for an opening act. She followed this with performances, both as a solo artist and with Carlos Nunez at The World Fleadh, and performed encores on both occassions.

She continues to receive lots of airplay and great reviews. Her CD is now being distributed by Claddagh Records following Gael Linn's decision to shut down it's distribution. Check out both the review and tour pages for updated information.

June 2007
June has been a busy time for Niamh. Her album is continuing to attract attention and has been receiving lots of airplay all across Ireland, the UK and internationally. It has also been very favourably reviewed - check the press page for a sample of the latest reviews.

While performing over the last 5 weeks to appreciative Riverdance audiences, Niamh has also been busy learning music for her upcoming shows with Carlos Nunez. The tour page shows the latest concert listings. Make sure you check it out.

"�n D� Thaobh / From Both Sides" Niamh's album is now available on CD Baby for international customers.

May 2007
Over the past month Niamh's newly released album "�n D� Thaobh / From Both Sides" has been receiving rave reviews from the Irish press and widespread airplay all over Ireland, as well as sneak previews in the UK, France and USA. She has been busy promoting the album with a successful series of gigs all across the country and has recently signed a UK distribution deal with Copperplate Distribution.

Niamh's album will go on release in the UK on the 14th of May and has already caught the attention of Folk Radio UK.

Niamh continues to perform accross Ireland over the coming months. She will be opening for Altan at The Ballyshannon Folk Festival, and will be giving workshops over the weekend. She is also returning to perform with Riverdance in Letterkenny and Killarney.

Check out the recent reviews on the Press Page, and the gig listings on the Tour Page.

Make sure you come back soon for more news on the UK launch!

March 2007 :: Album Launch
Niamh successfully launched her debut album at the Gathering festival in Killarney this weekend to a packed room. The invited guests who included many well known musicians were treated to a 30 minute performance by Niamh and Guitarist Mike Galvin, who features on the album.

Following the launch, Niamh and Mike played support for Dervish at the festival�s final concert to a rapturous audience.

December 2006 :: Album Launch
After eight thrilling but gruelling years of touring with Riverdance in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Gt. Britain, Japan and Taiwan, as well as performing to Irish audiences in Dublin (2005) and Killarney (2006), Niamh decided to take a break earlier this year to concentrate on a solo career, and has taken the opportunity to fulfil a long held ambition by releasing her first solo album ��n D� Thaobh / From Both Sides�.

The album is an opportunity to showcase Niamh's virtuosity on both fiddle and concertina, and she is joined on the album by well-known musicians Brendan Begley, Robbie Harris, Eoghan O Neil, Mike Galvin, Cathal Synnott and Conor Shiel..

The album certainly has variety - besides the expected mix of Irish tunes (jigs, reels, hornpipes, slow airs etc.), there are also tunes from the United States and Canada (Cape Breton), a set of Hungarian folk tunes and, incredibly, a classical piece for concertina by an Italian composer along with some lovely compositions of Niamh's own.

The first of many launch gigs will be held in Killarney as part of the Gathering Festival line-up, and Niamh will be following this with an Irish tour to promote the CD including Whelans in March. For a full list of gigs, please check out the tour listing page.

<< May 29th, 2006
Following the announcement that Riverdance will be performing in Killarney, the first time Riverdance has performed outside Dublin in Ireland since 1996, we are delighted to announce that Niamh will be coming out of Riverdance 'retirement', to star with the show in her home town. Check out the local newspaper articles and photos from the Killarney launch by visiting the Press page.

<< May 2006
After leaving Riverdance in December following eight years of continuous touring, Niamh has been busily working away on material for her album, while getting back into the Irish music circuit. She was part of the line up of musicians involved in the 6th Gathering Festival in Killarney in February, and will also be involved in the World Fleadh festival in Ballybunion in August. She was also present for the launch of Riverdance in Killarney, and was interviewed and photographed by local press. To read the interviews and check the photographs taken at the launch, visit the Press page.