Well-known in Ireland as a music journalist for both Hot Press and The Evening Herald, Sarah McQuaid has since become a full-time musician in England. As of today, she has released six critically acclaimed records, including her new live-in-lockdown album The St Buryan Sessions.

The Chicago-raised musician began her music career by touring Northern America as a member of The Chicago Children's Choir. She moved to Ireland in the mid-’90s, where she released The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, leading to invitations to write as a regular music columnist.

Looking forward to my spring UK & Ireland tour! Retweets hugely appreciated, and please buy tix in advance if you can. See https://t.co/RhQQizHBy1 for newsletter signup and info/ticket links for all shows. Thank you so much! #concert #livemusic #keepmusiclive #whatson #events -> pic.twitter.com/QvCWsh4fzY

— Sarah McQuaid (@sarahmcquaid) March 22, 2024

It’s in 2007 that she went back to her roots as a musician, launching her first solo tour with an appearance as musical guest on John Kelly’s Friday night arts television programme The View on RTÉ One. The following year, she released an album with Zoë Pollock under the band name Mama. “I owe Zoë a massive debt of gratitude for getting me into songwriting in a serious way,” says Sarah.

“Prior to that I’d thought of myself basically as a folk singer who happened to write an occasional song, but through working with Zoë I not only learned a hell of a lot about the craft of songwriting, but also just the fact of someone of her calibre wanting to co-write with me was what finally gave me the confidence to start focusing on my own original material.”

It is also through Zoë that Sarah met Martin Stansbury, her manager and sound engineer since 2009.

Her latest album, The St Buryan Sessions, was released in October 2021 and recorded in the medieval church of St Buryan. It made it onto Best of 2021 lists on three continents.

Sarah’s upcoming Irish tour will kick off on 19th April in Ennis, Co. Clare, with tickets ranging from €14 to €16. Click here to see more dates.