Hot off the back of his tour with The Transatlantic Sessions, Dublin singer and bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell has been booked to perform at the 2018 Shetland Folk Festival. He will be demonstrating the talents that led to him winning not one but two titles at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards last year.
A former electrician, who decided to change profession after seeing Christy Moore perform on Irish TV, Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell is being described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years. Daoirí became the All Ireland Champion Singer at the Fleadh in Co. Derry in 2013 and won the Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections in 2015 with the line-up FourWinds. After launching his UK solo career at Celtic Connections 2016, Daoirí Farrell went on to scoop two major titles at 2017’s Radio 2 Folk Awards (Best Traditional Track and the Horizon Award for best newcomer). Variously likened to Paul Brady, Andy Irvine and Christy Moore, Farrell will appear at Shetland Folk Festival to perform his versatile repertoire of Irish traditional songs, humour ballads, songs of exile and popular contemporary songs. As well as bouzouki, Daoirí also plays guitar and banjo, and holds an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.
We look forward to hearing Daoirí’s unique sound which BBC Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe described as “effortless, instinctive, natural…the real deal.”
“Daoiri Farrell delivered seasoned, often traditional repertoire, made fresh with passion, articulation and narrative power….”
The Scotsman
“On only his second solo album this former electrician surely steps into Irish folk legend…”
Daily Mirror
“…an exceptionally good singer and a great bunch of songs”
fRoots
