Martin Donnelly

Martin Donnelly is a Northern Irish folk artist, from Crumlin in County Antrim. Martin Donnelly grew up in a family with a tradition of singing at family gatherings and sang at an early age on stage with his older brother and sister in the parish hall in variety concerts. His musical journey went from learning to sing and play guitar starting with the compulsory 'House of the rising sun' to the songs of James Taylor and Leonard Cohen. The traditional bug bit in his teens and he added the fiddle and bones, Rock and roll, American country and bluegrass finally led back to his own songs and his own voice and guitar. 'I loved it all from the traditional singing of my uncle Alec Donnelly through the songs of the likes of Leonard Cohen and James Taylor to Hank Williams who I discovered later. I loved the fiddle playing of Brendan Gunn, Andy Dixon and Deirdre Shannon all living in Belfast. At the same time I was singing rock and roll. With The TV Dinners, Belfast's benefit band of the 1980's, and bluegrass with the Black Mountain String Band. I eventually found my way back to myself and began to paddle the uncharted waters of writing and singing my own songs something I had often said I'd never do.' Martin is a powerful and experienced performer and has toured extensively in Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland , as well as in Holland and Norway. The first of his two albums, 'Stone and Light', was released on the Round Tower label 1995. The second, 'Earthbound' (2002), is available through Outlet Distribution. Donnelly has also two CD singles, the first commissioned by the National Trust and named "Spirit of Place'. The second was for the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and is named 'Brentsong'. The songs reflect his life-long connection with the land, sea and skies with the north of Ireland and yet the themes and the images created by the lyrics have a universal quality which transcends borders, islands, nations. The spirit of the music is such that it has moved the serious pagan and the devout Christian to write to him to thank him for his songs .'The Green Man' and 'Caolaidh's Song' are available in sheet music arranged for choirs from Earthsongs in Oregon USA.