Scariff date for Mary

WORLD-acclaimed Irish songstress Mary Black will treat audiences to a selection of her popular songs at the Scariff Harbour Festival this weekend.
Now into its eighth year, the Scariff Harbour Festival is an open-air street festival, which promises a fun-packed weekend of activities, events and entertainment catering to all ages and tastes. The other musical highlights at the festival this year are rock band Aslan, the Tulla Céilí Band and the Antrim-based five-piece traditional band, Beoga.
Mary said she is really looking forward to playing at the Scariff Harbour Festival on Friday.
“Being less busy than I used to be means that I can play at local festivals like this. I love that. That kind of show is always so enjoyable and relaxed. I have, of course, played in Clare many times over the years and most recently in The West County Hotel over a year ago. We are also looking at coming to play Glór again before too long. We always get a great reception anywhere I perform in Clare. I used to come to Clare a lot years ago, on holidays seeking out great music, which has never been hard to find in Clare.
“My closest connection with Clare would be through Maura (O’Connell) and I often came down to her in Ennis when she was still living here. Even when she does come home from the States now, we link up and I usually come to Clare, as she has so many people to catch up when she’s back. We’re in contact fairly regularly, even though she lives so far away and we are good friends and have supported each year over the years through our musical careers,” Mary remarked.
Her friendship with Maura is through De Danaan. “Maura was leaving the band and I was taking over from her. That was some place to fill and I knew it. Before I performed with them at all, Maura phoned me and gave me lots of advice. Most importantly, she told me not to take any s***e from anyone. We became friends from then on. I guess we just always understood each other being in the same business. I admire Maura very much and she is a tremendous singer,” she added.
She and Maura will be doing a gig together in November in upstate New York and at least one other venue. “We have double-billed from time to time over the years and it’s always so enjoyable. We haven’t ever performed together in Clare but who knows what we might do in the future. As singers, most of us are usually open to suggestions.”
Mary admits that she is much quieter workwise than in years gone by.
“That is by choice, though. I did the hard, long tours, flying all over the place and never stopping for long for many years. The pressure is off. I have proven myself and don’t feel I need to anymore. Now I just totally enjoy each show. But I love the break in between tours too. The next tours will be in Holland and Germany later in the autumn. I’m lucky that I perform with such a great band. They help to make what I do so enjoyable too. They are a great bunch of guys,” Mary said.
Her band comprises Bill Shanley on guitar, Pat Crowley on piano, Richie Buckley on saxophone, Nicky Scott on bass and Martin Ditchin on drums and percussion.
Mary is married to Joe O’Reilly of Dara Records and they have three children, Connor, Danny and Róisín. Danny is a member of The Coronas and Mary is delighted that his musical career is going from strength to strength.
“We have a different style of performing but I know he is really good. He has done support for me a number of times and has opened my shows. We all perform informally together, which we always enjoy. We also write songs together and it’s wonderful to have him to bounce ideas and songs off. We are working on some new songs for my next album.”
Róisín is a student of music and geography in UCD and Mary said that she is also a very accomplished singer.
“She sings regularly in Dublin but her gigging career is at its early stages as she’s still young and is concentrating on her studies too. She also plays guitar and piano but singing is her main thing. She has also played support for me.”
Her other son, Connor, is a surveyor and works for Dublin City Council.
“He loves music and can play and sing but he doesn’t perform much formally, only in social settings,” Mary remarked.
Asked if she has one favourite song of all those she has recorded, Mary said, “That’s almost impossible. I really adore loads of them. I’ve worked with great songwriters, Jimmy McCarthy, Noel Brazil, Mick Hanly. So many brilliant songs. But I suppose if I have to pick one it would be Columbus, which to me is a powerful song and I absolutely love singing it. The songs most requested of me at shows would be Bright Blue Rose, Katie, Past the Point of Rescue, No Frontiers and a few others, mainly songs from my earlier or ‘middle’ years.
“I’m into a huge range of music myself. I love traditional Irish music, singing and purely instrumental. I also love ballads and folk songs from all over the world. I’m very much into Jonie Mitchell, James Taylor and Van Morrison but I also love Coldplay. I love some of the music my kids listen to, including, of course, The Coronas’ music. I like the whole Indie style,” Mary added.
All in all, Mary said that she is “extremely happy” with where she is at at the moment.
“I am really enjoying doing the shows and tours that I do. The pressure has gone and I’m very comfortable doing it at a slower pace after all the years of really hard going. I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy that either but to be honest, no-one can do it at that level forever, so it’s good to still perform as regularly as I do but to have more time for me and family and friends too.”
During her free time now, she loves to spend time in their holiday home in West Kerry.
“It’s so beautiful and a real break from Dublin where, of course, my real home is. But Kerry is an escape. I play lots of local sessions down in Kerry, mainly with the Begleys, Seamus and Brendan but we always have great fun and really enjoy ourselves,” she said.
She is spending the weekend in the Clare area after the Friday concert in Scariff and then plans to spend some more time in County Kerry.
Mary Black will perform this Friday in the Sacred Heart Church, Scariff at 8pm. Tickets are on sale at O’Meara’s Pharmacy (061 921028) and Rodgers’ Bar and Off-Licence (061 921012). For further details on the Scariff Harbour Festival, see www.scariff.ie.