Maurice McGrath

About: Maurice McGrath

“Just got an album from Maurice McGrath - what a rare gem he is - beautifully crafted songs made from wit and wisdom and a huge dose of soul - and what a vocal“
Mike Harding, Mike Harding Folk Show

“Dubliner Maurice McGrath is that rarity - a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who absorbs the traditional song elements of narrative, fact, fiction and history and distils some eloquent new material in the ballad form..... quietly unique“
John O'Regan, fRoots Magazine

“On the basis of compositions like the The Ghostly Fleet he could easily rank alongside any of our great writers.“
Tradconnect

“In the best 5 new CDs of 2016 on my show“
Kieran Kelly, Dublin City FM

I am a songwriter based in Dublin Ireland. I write songs which are influenced by traditional folk songs and singers. I play guitar, banjo, mandolin, low whistle, and sing. Influences include Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Martin Carthy, Niamh Parsons. I'm also influenced by the singers at the various traditional music and unaccompanied singing sessions such as Howth Singing Circle, Song Central, Malahide Singing Circle and Bray Singing Circle. In December 2016 I released my first solo album Winsome Ways. It contains a selection of self-composed folk songs.

My Songs By Other Artists

In 2014 I wrote a song with a Christmas theme up in Donegal called " All The Valley Down". It was adopted that year by Joanie Madden and her band Cherish They toured the the States with singer Cathie Ryan on vocals. In 2016 it was included on Cherish The Ladies album “Christmas in Ireland” and sung by Scottish singer Hannah Rarity. It has become a staple part of Cherish The Ladies’ Christmas set.
“Hannah Rarity’s vocal notes ring with a pure truth on the Maurice McGrath penned modern carol All The Valley Down“ Irish Music Magazine

In 2015 my song “The Road To La Coruna” was included on Niamh Parson and Graham Dunne’s album “Kind Providence”. Here it is as it appeared on the Mike Harding Folk Show... http://www.mikehardingfolkshow.com/podcast-198/
“A brilliant, brilliant song” Mike Harding

In 2013 my song Glenties was recorded by Fergus O’Byrne of 70’s folk band “Ryans Fancy”. My cousin Fergus and I helped produce a family CD called Make The Circle Wide. Fergus travelled over from Newfoundland and sang a couple my songs including “Glenties”... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFOFG_3yC00

In 2016 my song “A Band Of Gold” was adopted by Scottish singer Helen Flaherty who sings with Belgian band Shantalla. It was released as a single and is part of the bands touring set. In 2016 it was performed at a festival in Siberia Russia...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWEZHbt9Maw

You can contact me by leaving a message at my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mauricemcgrathmusic
Maurice McGrath