Larissa Tormey to release cover of Eddi Reader song

Kayley Hardiman

Larissa Tormey has announced that her new single to be released on Friday, July 15, will be her take on Scottish singer songwriter Eddi Reader’s heartbreaking song Macushla (My Darling).

Larissa, based in Kilbeggan since making Ireland her home over 20 years ago, will release a new album of all original contemporary material in the autumn, but before that, she wants to share her version of the song from Reader’s 2014 Vagabond album.

Larissa has a personal reason for why Macushla has come to hold so dear a place in her heart: “I was asked to record this song by a very special friend of mine, in dedication to his wife. At first, I thought it was the Irish song Macushla, which has been recorded by the great Irish tenors like John McCormack, Josef Locke, and Frank Patterson.

“I’ve heard that song, of course, many times since coming to live in Ireland. It has so much emotion in every line. It could be poetry. But it wasn’t that song at all, but Eddie Reader’s song of almost the same name. And after listening to her song for the first time, it had my heart too!”

Larissa said a booking for a house-concert had led to the friendship that eventually brought the request for her to record Macushla.

“The concert was at Christmas some years back, for this gentleman who I had never met before, but he knew my music and loved my voice. So he got in touch and asked me if I would come and sing for him and his wife and some of their family and friends.

“I did, we had a wonderful evening, and we kind of stayed in touch after that. Macushla (My Darling) is a song that this man’s wife used to sing to him, replacing the names of the characters Joe and Meg in the song for their own. So in many ways, this was their song, you could say.

“Sadly, about three years ago, his wife passed away. Because Macushla holds such sentimental memories for him, he asked if I would consider recording a version of it for them, using his name and his late wife’s name, the same way she used to when she sang it to him. Of course I said yes.

“As you can imagine, this song is something that really means a lot to him now. I’m so glad that Eddie Reader wrote such a beautiful song in the first place, it was a big part of this couple’s love story. And I’m also happy to know that my recording of it can bring a little comfort to this man now, and help ease his grief even just a little bit every now and then.”

Larissa was so moved by the experience of recording that special version of the song that she knew it was one she wanted to share with the world too. She also recorded a version with Reader’s original characters Joe and Meg.

“The version I did for my friends was for them. This version is for the world to hopefully enjoy, but I want to dedicate it to my friends also,” said Larissa.

In what looks to be a busy second half of 2022 for Larissa, with the planning of her autumn album launch at an advanced stage and a Christmas project in the works, she has also announced that she will be joining songwriter PJ Murrihy as a guest at his Tuar Ard concert on August 18.

“PJ is a farmer, like my husband, and a songwriter, like me!”, said Larissa, “and I think that’s why we get on so well!

“We met at a music event and spent most of the night talking about cattle. That night was enough for us to decide to record a duet, which we did, ‘I Wish I Had Someone To Love Me’ (released last April).

“PJ was also one of the performers at my ‘Voices For Peace’ concert in April. When he asked me to join him for his own show with Seamus Shannon, I was delighted to say yes.”