Paul Brady to play his first ever Newry gig

Well-loved ‘elder statesman’ of the Irish musical community, Paul Brady, will play his first ever Newry gig when he takes part in this years Iúr Cinn Fleadh.

In what promises to be a landmark moment for the annual music festival, Paul brings his highly popular songs to Newry Town Hall on 7th September.

A child of the 50s, Paul may be from another generation. But he’s held in high regard by a current crop of musicians from Glen Hansard to Hozier.

A former member of the Irish folk supergroup Planxty, Paul carved out a solo career that drew the attention of legends like Bob Dylan and David Crosby.

Fans love Paul’s treatment of such traditional tunes as Arthur McBride and The Homes Of Donegal - and his own compositions like The Island and The World Is What You Make It.

Paul was into a wide variety of music while growing up in Strabane. The swing and jazz tunes of his parents’ generation were followed by 50s rock and roll, 60s pop and Motown - all against the backdrop of Irish traditional music.

Paul learned to play the piano by ear. By age 11 he had begun to play guitar. Mid-teens saw him take summer jobs playing music in Bundoran.

But it was around 1965 at college in Dublin, that he began to develop as a singer and performer. In 1974 he joined Planxty - the band that launched the careers of Andy Irvine, Liam O‘ Flynn, Donal Lunny and Christy Moore.

Later, Paul played as a duo with Andy Irvine. Working with other artists has become a pattern throughout his successful solo career.

That was shown well on his 2000 release Oh What A World. Regarded as one of his best ever records, it featured collaborations with the likes of Carole King, Will Jennings and Ronan Keating. Paul’s 2015 album The Vicar St. Sessions Vol 1 featured many of his contemporaries including Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler and Bonnie Raitt.

‘We’re immensely excited to be welcoming Paul Brady on his first ever performance in Newry,’ said Fleadh committee member Aileen McCusker. ‘Each year Iúr Cinn Fleadh steps up a level, and once again we’re planning for a great event.’

Tickets

Early bird tickets have just been released and can be purchased - for a limited period - at the special price of £30 (normal price £35) via www.iurcinnfleadh.com