Irish Duo Niamh Parsons and Graham Dunne at MCTA

Frostburg’s Mountain City Traditional Arts, presents Irish Folk Duo Niamh Parsons and Graham Dunne on Sunday, October 15, at 4 pm. With a penchant for Irish ballads, Niamh Parsons is considered one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music. Paired with Dublin native Graham Dunne, a versatile guitarist and expert accompannist, their performances are simultaneously haunting, heartwarming, and sublime. 

Described in the Boston Herald as both emotionally haunting and tonally as clear as crystal, Parsons albums have been ‘must-have’ collector’s items for any lover of songs and singing and many consider her one of the best. With 9 Albums to her name, Parsons has gathered a body of songs from many sources, both traditional and modern songwriters.

Growing up in Dublin, Parson’s music-loving parents brought herself and her sister to the local folk club in The Old Shieling Hotel in Raheny, where the young girls were exposed to songs and singing from the likes of The Johnstons, Emmet Spiceland, Sweeney’s Men, Dolly McMahon, Danny Doyle and many of the other musicians and singers that were playing in Folk clubs at that time. ‘My father was a great singer, and on long journeys the family used to sing in the car – I don’t remember a time in my life when I was not singing – I love songs.’

Parsons developed this love into a passion for collecting songs. She is always on the lookout for songs that speak to her – listening to new albums, scouring the Traditional Music Archives in Dublin, sharing notes with a network of friends and other singers. Once she discovers a song she likes, Niamh views herself as the vehicle for the music. ‘For me the song is more important than listening to my voice’, she says. ‘I consider myself more a songstress than a singer – a carrier of tradition.’

 Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1974, Graham Dunne is a multi-talented and versatile musician.  Graham spent a great number of years living in County Clare and while there, was very much involved in the Irish Traditional music scene, having had the pleasure of accompanying a vast array of wonderfully talented local musicians during that time. Dunne and Parsons have a long-standing musical collaboration, having toured together since 1999.

Dunne  is also a musician of eclectic taste, and his musical explorations have seen him dabble in Jazz, Flamenco and Indian music, even going so far as to study tabla for a time, which he now plays at sessions regularly in Dublin. This eclecticism has led to the accumulation of a vast repertoire of material,

Located at 25 E. Main Street, Frostburg, Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University and a founding member of Maryland’s Folklife Network. It receives support from the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. For more information call 301-687-8040.