Eimear, Alan and David met at Catskills Irish Arts Week. Their friendship and musical partnership developed out of many cross-country roadtrips back and forth and time spent playing at the infamous John D. McGurks in St Louis, MO. They have performed at numerous festivals across the US including Atlanta IrishFest, St Louis Tionól, O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat, and as part of the Irish Rambling House touring troupe.
Eimear Arkins
Eimear Arkins is an award winning musician and singer from County Clare, now living in St. Louis, MO. She has toured throughout the US, Ireland and beyond with acclaimed bands like Cherish The Ladies, Téada, and Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas. She is regularly seen performing with harp player and St Louis native, Eileen Gannon and guitar/bouzouki player and singer David McKindley-Ward. Eimear has also toured extensively with the international music organization Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann on concert tours throughout Ireland, Britain, North America and Canada and with the internationally renowned show Brú Ború. Eimear is a qualified Irish music and dance instructor and has performed and given workshops at festivals all over the world including Féile Séamus Creagh, Newfoundland; Catskills Irish Arts Week; Viljandi Pärimusmuusika Festival, Estonia; St Louis Tionól; Canadian Celtic Celebration, and Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France. In June 2018 she released her debut album, What’s Next? and was awarded “Best Newcomer” from LiveIreland in 2019. In January 2020, Eimear was awarded an Artist Fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Eimear recently released her second album, Here & There, featuring collaborations with David McKindley Ward, Eileen Gannon, Alan Murray and Kevin Buckley.
www.eimeararkins.com www.facebook.com/eimeararkinsmusic
Alan Murray
Guitarist, bouzouki player and singer Alan Murray lives in New Jersey where he has established himself as an in-demand performer and teacher on the Irish music scene. He currently plays and tours around the world with many of the finest traditional musicians and acts today, and has taught classes at such prestigious music programs as Warren Wilson college’s Swanannoa Gathering, Catskills Irish Arts Week, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, The O’Flaherty Retreat, as well as masterclasses in Irish and Celtic music at the University of Louisiana and Connecticut’s Scared Heart University. He recently released a CD with his band FourWinds .
David McKindley-Ward
Award winning musician and singer, David McKindley-Ward, grew up in the DC area steeped in folk, American and old time music. His traditional singing style and versatile accompaniment skills meant a transition to Irish music was a great fit. David has collaborated with Irish singers and instrumentalists alike including Billy McComiskey; Eimear Arkins; Liz Hanley; and Joey Abarta and Brenda Castles as The Sheep Stealers. He has recorded a number of albums with long time friend and songwriter Letitia VanSant. Over the last few years, he has made a name for himself as a touring artist across the US, Ireland and the UK and a regular performer and tutor at festivals including Catskills Irish Arts Week, Baltimore TradFest and The Philadelphia Céilí Group. He recently moved to the Boston area and has found a musical home amongst the fine traditional Irish musicians based there.
Videos:
Eimear & David – The Night Visiting Song
Eimear & David live at The White Horse
Eimear & David live at Focal Point – Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
Eimear Arkins & Eileen Gannon – Promo Video
Let’s Connect:
eimeararkinsmusic@gmail.com