‘A voice like a blue spark’

Thomas McCarthy, Irish Traveller Singer & TG4 Amhránaí na Bliana/ TG4 Singer of the Year

About

I am a sean-nós singer and traditional musician.

I also work in experimental forms of music. I have composed music for various projects, including the recently released 'To the Moon', a critically acclaimed film by director Tadhg O'Sullivan.

Projects

16|10|20 Contemporary Music Centre/linda buckley Playlist

Delighted to be among several Irish folk and new music artists selected by composer Linda Buckley for a Contemporary Music Centre Ireland playlist.

https://www.cmc.ie/amplify/episode-17-linda-buckley

15|10|20 Music for film ‘To the moon’ by Tadhg O’sullivan

I’m excited to relate that a film which I was involved in composing and recording music for premiered in Venice recently. ‘To the Moon’, directed by Tadhg O’Sullivan, is a ‘feature-length cinematic ode to the moon’. The film will be showing at Telluride Film Festival this year also.

2|6|19 composition for experimental Archeology project

This is a piece I composed for the launch of an experimental archeology project, a project in partnership with University College Cork. The piece is a setting of a short poetic text, in Old Irish (6th or 9th century, we are not sure), about the sea.

The boat is a reconstruction of an Iron Age boat which was discovered with other prehistoric boats in 2014 at the bottom of Lough Corrib, Galway, making national and international news. More info on the project at: https://www.facebook.com/Pallasboy2015

26|4|19 new electronic composition

I’ve been working away on finishing a setting of a text in Irish and an electronic piece, both which are for an experimental archeology project. The launch will be later in the Summer in Galway. Really enjoyable project. More on this soon!

EVENTS

20 Feb 2024 Guest Singer, The Gab Storytelling Collective, Callanan’s Bar, Cork

21 Oct 2023 ‘Circling the Square’, Poetry Festival, Thurles

5 Oct 2019 Cork Folk Festival, The Goldie Chapel, with Eoin Stan O Sullivan

14 Sep 2020 Culture Night, Scully Fest, Newmarket, Co. Cork

21 Aug 2019 Fota House, supporting Róisín Elsafty

22 Aug 2019 Heritage Week, Cork City

2O Sep 2019 Culture Night, Cork City

27 Sep 2019 Drimoleague Singing Festival, West Cork with Thomas McCarthy

10 Aug 2019 Scully Fest, Newmarket, Co. Cork

24 May 2019 Old Butter Roads Festival, Watergrasshill

18 May 2019 World Fiddle Day Scartaglin, Co. Kerry

10 Feb 2019 Cork Singers’ Club, An Spailpín Fánach, Cork City