Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne

Niamh Parsons has come to be known as one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music. Her voice has drawn comparisons to such venerated singers as Dolores Keane, June Tabor and Sandy Denny. The great Scottish balladeer Archie Fisher said of Niamh, "a songstress like her comes along once or twice in a generation." It has been said that Niamh Parsons may not be the most famous Irish Balladeer, but many feel she's the best.

It has been said that Niamh Parsons may not be the most famous Irish Balladeer, but many feel she's the best. Described in the Boston Herald as both emotionally haunting and tonally as clear as crystal, Niamh's albums have been 'must-have' collector's items for any lover of songs and singing. Niamh has recorded six studio albums and one live album to date. For the last 9 years, Niamh has been playing in a duet with Ennis-based Graham Dunne?there is a spiritual bond between Niamh and Graham when they perform, which draws out the essence of the songs.

Growing up in Dublin, Niamh'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."


Niamh developed this love into a penchant 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."

Throughout her career, Niamh has performed with a wide variety of artists, and has appeared at nearly every prestigious folk festival on either side of the Atlantic. As a member of the traditional Irish band Arcady (led by De Dannan's Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh), she sang on their Shanachie recording Many Happy Returns. She appeared before President Clinton and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in Capitol Hill, Washington, joined Grammy Award winner Paul Winter for an album and a summer concert in New York, and performed on "A Prairie Home Companion" when the show broadcast live from Dublin.


GRAHAM DUNNE
Young Dubliner Graham Dunne is a well-known guitarist in the Irish Traditional music scene. He is known for his sensitivity of touch as an accompanist, and his fiery ability as a soloist. Based in Ennis, Graham works as a full time guitarist with Niamh Parsons. For a year he worked with Sean Tyrell with whom he toured Ireland, France and Belgium, as well as working on the music for a documentary entitled "Necklace of Wrens"- a biographical account of the poet Michael Hartnett. In the summer of 1999, he performed in Sean's critically acclaimed musical revival of "The Midnight Court" in Galway's Premier Theatre Venue, The Town Hall. 1994 saw Graham finish his diploma in sound engineering but he decided he would be much more useful on the other side of the desk. Over the last few years, Graham has found himself accompanying such musical legends as Liz Carroll, Paddy Keenan and Tommy Peoples. He regularly worked with the Mary Custy Band who are based in Ennis, where he can often be found in sessions around the area.

For the past nine years, Graham has been working with top traditional vocalist Niamh Parsons with whom he has toured the UK, Germany, Holland, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, USA, Australia and Ireland.

Graham is also the featured guitarist on Niamh's last four albums -'In My Prime' which was nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Album of the Year award and also for the AIFM Album of the Year award in the USA. The second album, 'Heart's Desire', received rave reviews upon it's release in May 2002. Produced by top guitarist Dennis Cahill, Graham can be heard here delivering two sets of tunes - a set of reels and a self-penned set of jigs. Accompanied by Dennis, these instrumentals add greatly to the album's musical content. In addition, Graham can be heard on Niamh's most recent albums, "Old Simplicity" and Live at Flyde.

In 2001 Graham arranged and recorded a set of jigs with famed piper Mick Coyne, on the album 'Both sides of the Coyne'. Graham also enjoys playing jazz with Mick when he is not touring with Niamh.

In summer of 2002, Graham attended the Louis Stewart Jazz School in Kilbaha, Co. Clare where he played the closing concert as part of a guitar quintet featuring Louis himself.

In September 2004, Graham released his first solo CD - GIOT?RA? - on his own label Gramsham Records.