Squeezing Kilkenny in between Morocco and London sounds like quite the exotic lifestyle, but that’s exactly what singer and songwriter Niamh Bury is doing next weekend.
One of the most captivating new voices on the Irish folk scene, Dublin-based Bury found her 2024 debut album Yellow Roses, released on Claddagh Records, ranked #3 on Mojo’s Best Folk Albums list for that year. She’s toured Ireland, the UK, and Australia, sharing the stage along the way with Flyte, Maddison Cunningham, Ye Vagabonds and Dermot Kennedy.
Dubbed a ‘folky Cat Power’, Bury has two dates in Kilkenny this coming weekend, both with fellow Dublin-based Zoé Basha in support.
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Basha is a musician, composer and carpenter. Her original pieces and traditional songs explore the pulse of American ragtime, the sway of Appalachian mountain songs and the fervour and solemn ornamentation of Irish traditional songs. Of French & American origins but with some pretty persistent travelling shoes, she’s been between Ireland and the travelling life for the last decade.
At the time of release in April 2025, her debut offering Gamble was named Folk Album of the Month, subsequently picking up a shortlisting for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance at this past February’s Grammy Awards.
Side note: This year’s Best Folk Album went to I’m With Her for Wild, Cleere and Blue – the trio were previous guests of the Kilkenny Roots Festival as part of the 2015 programme.
On Friday night, you’ll find the pairing live at Fennelly’s of Callan (Bridge Street), with a show on Sunday at The Salmon Pool in Thomastown (also recently awarded funding under the Grassroots Venue scheme).
