Songs from Ireland is a new Irish folk project and record from contemporary folk singer Gráinne Hunt and award-winning guitarist Brendan Walsh. They perform a collection of traditional Irish ballads and folk songs in both English and Irish, carefully arranged by Brendan to give a modern new feel to beautiful old songs.
Gráinne and Brendan met in 2000 when they both attended NUI Maynooth, completing the BA (Music) together there. In early 2018 they joined forces to perform at Shannonside Winter Music Festival and from there, Songs from Ireland was born. Recorded in Soundville Studios, Luzern, Switzerland, the 13 tracks include Raglan Road, Trasna na dTonnta, Song for Ireland and Mo Ghile Mear.
Gráinne and Brendan
Gráinne and Brendan
Gráinne and Brendan
Brendan Walsh
Gráinne Hunt is a contemporary folk singer and songwriter, raised in Monaghan and based in Kildare, Ireland. With consistently on-point, captivating vocals and well-honed, insightful songs, Grainne has shared stages with Glen Hansard and U2, has opened for Gladys Knight, Eagle Eye Cherry and the Bay City Rollers, and has been compared to vocal icons Tracy Chapman and Nathalie Merchant.
Her ‘gorgeous new album’ (Mathieu Norry RTE Radio 1), This Secret, was released in September 2019. ‘[A] seamlessly gentle fusion of Irish folk and Nashville backing, together with Gráinne’s gorgeous, slightly throaty vocal delivery’ (FolkRadio.co.uk), it was recorded with Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Maura O’Connell) and features the skills of Mark Fain (Ry Cooder) on bass and Lynn Williams (John Hiatt) on drums.
2019 also saw the release of an Irish folk album, Songs from Ireland, recorded with award winning guitarist Brendan Walsh. Recorded last year in Soundville Studios Luzern, it includes songs Buachaill on Eirne and Raglan Road.
Despite 2020 cancellations, over the various lockdown periods Gráinne performed for the #IrelandPerforms initiative, joined Axis Ballymun for Cruinniú na nÓg & #SummerSessions, founded songwritercircle.club, created the first #AdventCalendarofSong (solo recordings of 24 Christmas songs released on social media every day in December) which included a collaboration with German choir Cantus Domus on a beautiful version of The Wexford Carol, and joined U2, Glen Hansard, and others for The Late Late Show Charity Busk.