Folk

Long regarded as one of Ireland's finest songwriters, it's only in the past five years that Jimmy MacCarthy has come out from…

Long regarded as one of Ireland's finest songwriters, it's only in the past five years that Jimmy MacCarthy has come out from behind the anonymity of writing material for other people (notably, Christy Moore, Maura O'Connell, Mary Black and Mary Coughlan). And among the the younger Irish pop acts, Ronan Keating and The Corrs are generating royalties for the Cork man. His ear for elegant folk/soft rock melodies and his eye for poetic imagery have ensured that his songs have stood the test of time. His second album, The Dreamer, is soon to be reissued on his own label. In the meantime, you can catch the normally elusive Jimmy MacCarthy at Dublin's HQ tomorrow night.

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture