The Holland Handkerchief

Those of us in the trade have long been familiar with Mary McPartlan as a producer, director, PR ace and general impresario. But there was something else about Mary that only a select group of friends and acquaintances knew: the lady can sing. Happily, thanks to this impressive debut CD, the rest of us now know it, too. Solid, strong and tender, her voice is at its best on “big” songs like ‘Lord Gregory’, ‘Slieve Gallion Braes’ (in a gorgeous a cappella version with Mary Staunton and Martina Goggin on harmonies) and the powerful title track. Shane MacGowan’s ode to nostalgia, ‘Rainy Night In Soho’, gets a fine airing here, too, as does the grand old chestnut ‘Aura Lee’.