Emmet Cahill live in concert at stunning Cathedral venue

He released his debut album earlier this year, reaching number one on the Billboard World Music Charts, had the honour of officially opening New York City’s St Patrick’s Day parade with his rendition of Danny Boy, and is about to make his debut performance in Carnegie Hall next March. Emmet Cahill is in demand.

The award winning tenor and lead vocalist with the renowned Celtic Thunder, Emmet returns to his hometown this Friday night for a concert unlike any other in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar.

With proceeds from the night going towards North Westmeath Hospice, and special guests in the form of the award-winning Lynn Singers, a very special event is promised for Culture Night.

“I’ve been singing in the Cathedral for years, I’m known as ‘the fella who sings at Mass’ a lot of the time, and we’re doing it for North Westmeath Hospice,” says Emmet, who adds that he’s excited about performing in the venue.

“I have the Lynn Singers with me, they won the International Choral Festival in Derry last year, and it’s my old singing teacher, Dervilla Conlon, who runs the Lynn Singers – they’re fantastic. They will be doing a few of their own and a few with me, so it should be a good night.”

Drawing on his broad repertoire of popular Irish songs, music theatre, and gospel music to suit the surroundings, as well as more modern tunes, Emmet will also be bringing out his guitar throughout the evening.

“The show has changed quite a bit since I’ve been touring the States and catering for that audience, so I like to bring a bit of that to people here as well, and maybe remind them of the old Irish songs that aren’t done as regularly here. Things are in reverse – Irish music is big over there, and American country is big over here.”

Last year Emmet toured with Celtic Thunder, the world renowned Irish music group, across Australia, followed by a four-month tour in America and Canada last autumn, and also released his own album, Emmet Cahill’s Ireland.

“I released the album in February and signed with Sony Music in the States – my first deal – which was great. I toured from November up to Paddy’s Day, and started in San Francisco and ended up in Florida.

“I did some orchestral concerts in the States for the first time, opened the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, which was cool.

“I got to be the patron this year, it was live on NBC in the States, and it was cool standing on 5th Avenue, with all of the marching bands and floats lined up behind me. I sang Danny Boy and that officially opens up the St Patrick’s Day Parade. Then I was out again in May, July and August. I spend a good part of my year in the States.”

And it just keeps going. In October, Emmet will embark on his first solo tour of Canada, and will also be filming the 10th anniversary show with Celtic Thunder, due to air in the States in March, followed by a tour of that album.

To top it all off, Emmet plays Carnegie Hall on March 16, his first time in the world’s most famous concert hall.

“It’s the night before Paddy’s Day and it will be my first time there. I’m really looking forward to that. We’re doing an Irish night with an orchestra from Tennessee, I’ll have to bring the folks over for that.”

With Emmet’s growing list of accolades, we ask if he has to pinch himself sometimes.

“It’s been busy, but you have to work hard, especially in music because it’s an industry a lot of people want to work in.

“It’s about carving out your own niche in terms of what you do, it’s become very apparent that the old Irish songs still really resonate in the States.”

His album, Emmet Cahill’s Ireland reached number one on the Billboard World Music Charts, as it did on iTunes and Amazon.

“They were all the targets I wanted to hit with the release. It’s amazing how huge the popularity is for older Irish music out there, I’m trying to make it current again. Even with this upcoming hometown concert, it’s songs that people would recognise from years ago but that aren’t as mainstream now, so maybe try and resurrect them here again. I’d love to do more in Ireland if I can. Obviously doing the concert here in Mullingar is something I love to do once a year.”

Church concerts have become a big part of his performance schedule. “Church is such a huge part of the community over there, my whole Canadian tour is in churches. We do concerts as fundraisers for the communities, so it gets everyone involved. A lot of the time schools are linked to these churches, so when you go in and do that, and try to help a community, and they get a positive associated with you coming to their church – that all creates a great rapport and they welcome you back, and you slowly build up your following that way.

“I was working it out recently, bar Alaska and Hawaii, I’ve been in every state four times in the last three years so I’ve seen quite a lot of America and it’s an ever evolving place.”

Has the atmosphere changed since President Trump came to power?

“We’re always asked that, but I’m a singer and if Americans came here and suddenly had a big opinion on politics, I’m sure people wouldn’t be too happy. Certainly it has brought out elements of America that we thought maybe weren’t still there, but on the flipside, it’s made people really aware of the political system. It’s mobilised another element of society, younger people now are much more interested, so if there’s a silver lining to it, then that’s one.

“I like to think that I might give people light relief from what’s going on. Sometimes people come up after the show and say it’s great to come and forget everything for a night, and not watch the news.”

Returning to the topic of his hometown concert in aid of North Westmeath Hospice, Emmet says the organisation has helped his own family in the past.

“It’s something that’s affected my family a lot, the hospice here, in Dublin and Cavan where my family is from, we’ve benefited a lot from the hospice over the years. We’ve had two members of the family pass in the last two years, so they can never get enough support. So it’s nice to do hometown shows and it’s great to link in with these.”

• Tickets €20, Emmet Cahill in concert at the Cathedral, September 22, or northwestmeathhospice.ie.