Traditional Traveller singer Rosie McCarthy, 18, is taking a gap year from her studies in Macroom to focus on a performance and film career. McCarthy, who sings unaccompanied in English and Irish, has performed at the National Concert Hall, the Triskel Arts Centre, and Áras an Uachtarán for President Catherine Connolly this summer.
Upcoming Performances at Autumn Festivals
McCarthy’s upcoming schedule features a performance at the Kinsale Literary Festival, Words by Water, in October. She will join poet and storyteller Paddy Doyle for an event titled ‘Bonfires of Remembrance’ on Friday, October 2, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the OHK in Kinsale, according to festival organizers. Tickets and information are available at the Words by Water website, where the full brochure for the October 1 to 4 festival can also be found.
Following Kinsale, McCarthy’s autumn and winter calendar includes appearances at the Samhain Festival in Clonakilty, the Collective Social Futures Festival of Social Science at University College Cork, the Dublin Trad Festival, and Celtic Connections. In addition to her singing engagements, McCarthy is slated to act and sing in a new film starting production this autumn.
Origins in Family Singing and Film
Singing has been part of McCarthy’s life since childhood. “I’ve been singing since I was small really,” McCarthy said, noting that family occasions always featured a sing-song. She learned her songs mostly by ear from her community. “Growing up, everyone would have their own song, and you just kind of get your own,” she explained. Musically, she cites country artists Randy Travis and Dolly Parton alongside traditional Irish singer Tom Doran as influences.
McCarthy’s transition into professional performance began through acting. In 2018, she secured a role as an extra in Carmel Winters’ film Float Like a Butterfly. That performance led to participation in The Wheel of Dreams, a mobile-phone documentary directed by Toma McCullim featuring nine Traveller girls from West Cork. During the filming of that project, folk singer Clare Sands saw McCarthy sing and offered her a mentorship, which subsequently drew interest from Traveller visibility groups.
Documenting Traditional Traveller Songs
McCarthy subsequently met fellow traditional Traveller singer Thomas McCarthy, who traveled across Ireland to document classic Traveller songs. She appeared in the resulting RTÉ One documentary, Songlines, which highlighted the oral and aural traditions of Traveller music. McCarthy also contributed vocals to the soundtrack of Oein DeBhardúin’s play, Why the Moon Travels.
“You don’t see many Traveller girls doing what I’m doing,” McCarthy observed. “There are a few, but not as young as me, I suppose. And I’m getting all the old songs that are kind of being lost. That’s what Thomas is collecting, all the songs. And Mary Delaney as well – I sing a few of her songs. All the songs that are dying out – we’re trying to keep them alive.”
Reviving Ancient Traditions at Kinsale
The ‘Bonfires of Remembrance’ event aims to preserve ancient Irish traditions. Paddy Doyle will set the scene with stories while McCarthy matches songs to the narrative in a spiritual format utilizing candles. The collaboration upholds “cuardíocht,” the Irish custom of neighbors visiting one another to share stories, music, and songs. McCarthy noted that the practice is similar to the “scríocht” nights she attends in Ballinagree for keeping traditions alive.
Quick Facts on Rosie McCarthy
- Age: 18
- Hometown: Macroom, County Cork
- Key Credits: Songlines (RTÉ One), The Wheel of Dreams, Why the Moon Travels soundtrack
- Upcoming Festival: Words by Water (Kinsale Literary Festival), October 2
Common Questions About Rosie McCarthy and Traditional Songlines
What is ‘Bonfires of Remembrance’?
‘Bonfires of Remembrance’ is an event at the Kinsale Literary Festival featuring storyteller Paddy Doyle and singer Rosie McCarthy. It combines story, poetry, and song while inviting audience members to share tales of deceased loved ones.
How did Rosie McCarthy begin her career?
McCarthy started as an extra in the 2018 film Float Like a Butterfly, which led to a role in the mobile documentary The Wheel of Dreams and a subsequent mentorship with folk singer Clare Sands.
What traditional practice is highlighted in the Kinsale event?
The event highlights “cuardíocht,” the Irish custom of neighbors visiting one another to share stories, music, and songs.
Where can tickets for the Kinsale Literary Festival be found?
Tickets and event details are hosted on the Words by Water website.