User:Brendan 'Benny' McCarthy

--Brendan &#39;Benny&#39; McCarthy (talk) 11:38, 26 November 2013 (UTC)Benny McCarthy was born in Deelish, Dungarvan in 1975. He grew up playing Traditional Irish Music and studied Button Accordion with Bobby Gardiner who had been teaching in Co.Waterford at the time. Benny was a member of the Knocknagow Ceilí band alongside Jack Ryan, Pat Ryan, John Nugent, Billy Clifford and other local musicians. They recorded an album in 1994. In 1994 Benny won the All-Ireland Oireachtas on both Button Accordion and 10 key Melodeon.

In 1995 Benny alongside Daire Bracken, Dónal Clancy & Donnchadh Gough founded the band Danú, a band that would go on to become one of the leading Irish bands. Benny is the leading member of Danú and is their manager also. Danú released several albums over the years and were signed to Shanachie Record Label in the USA between 2000-2005, they released 5 albums for Danú in that time. The band also released a live DVD called 'One Night Stand' from premier Irish music venue Vicar St in Dublin.

In 1998 Benny alongside Knocknagow Ceili band members John Nugent and Pat Ryan released a new album and group called 'Rattle The Boards' they released 2 albums over the years. In 2005 Rattle The Boards did a short tour in the USA and in 2007 they toured accross Western Canada to sell-out audiences.

In 2003, Benny and the members if Rattle The boards teamed up with celebrated Clonmel Visual Artist 'Des Dillon' to form a theatre show called 'Teac A Bloc' The show saw traditional irish music combine with clever theatrics and puppetry. After their hit performances on Irelands leading TV show 'The Late Late Show' they toured all over Ireland to sellout Theatres for several years. The releases a CD(2005) called Teac A Bloc-Music from the show and DVD(2006) called Teac A Bloc-Traditional Irish Madness.

Over the years Benny went on several tours across Europe as a solo performer as part of Florian Furst's annual tour called 'Pure Irish Drops', He recorded accompanying albums for some of these tours 1999 (Young Generation Tour) Benny McCarthy, Michelle O'Brien(Fiddle) & Aine Fitzpatrick(Flute) 2006 (Music Of Deise) Benny McCarthy, Dónal Clancy(Guitar) & Fionn Mac Goillachuda(Fiddle) 2008 (20th Anniversary) Benny McCarthy, Sean Ryan(Whistle) & Cormac Cannon(Uilleann Pipes) 2011 (Harmonicas & Harmonies) Benny McCarthy, Dónal Clancy(Guitar/Vocals) & John Murphy (Mouth Organ)

Benny managed and helped out rising band 'Caladh Nua' from 2008-2010, he was very instrumental in getting this band on the touring circuit.

In 2009 Benny founded Raw Bar Collective, a group with Conal Ó Gráda(Flute), Dave Sheridan(Fiddle), Colm Murphy (Bodhran) and Nell Ní Chroinín (Singer). The recorded a live album in the beautiful old pub 'The Millhouse' in a little Waterford village of Millstreet. The album is called 'Millhouse Measures'

In 2011 after the Pure Irish Drops tour (Harmonicas & Harmonies) Benny along with Dónal Clancy, John and Pip Murphy(Mouth Organ/Harmonicas)formed 'The Tin Sandwich Band' featuring the great sounds between Melodeon & Harmonica's and the music of the South Eastern counties of Wexford & Waterford. They called the album 'By Hook or by Crook'

In 2012 Benny teamed up with Comedian/Actor Jon Kenny, visual artist Des Dillon and Flautist Conal Ó Gráda to create a brand new show and theatre style. The show is called Mag Mell and it features a great cast of performing artists of all talents. --Brendan &#39;Benny&#39; McCarthy (talk) 11:38, 26 November 2013 (UTC) ==

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