After a successful spring including musicians Mark Geary and Declan O'Rourke, we present the second installment of SongLives, bringing the richness of the busking tradition of Dublin's Grafton Street to New York City. Some of Ireland's best contemporary songwriters will tell their stories up close and acoustically in the Irish Arts Center's Donaghy Theater.

Friday, September 28 | 8pm
WALLIS BIRD AND NIALL CONNOLLY

"The sheer visceral energy of Wallis Bird could kick-start an entire economy."
-THE IRISH TIMES

Appearing at the Irish Arts Center in her New York debut, Wallis Bird is a double Meteor Award-winner in her native Ireland. An exceptional guitarist, her self-affirming songs display an unusual emotional breadth that defies categorization. Bird's new self-titled album is her third and follows Spoons (2007) and New Boots (2009) which saw her garner critical acclaim and tour with the likes of Billy Bragg, Gabrielle, The Feeling and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

"Niall Connolly writes literate songs rich in graphic details, better still he writes convincingly from his own experience and his heart. We don't have enough like him."
HOTPRESS

A founding member of Big City Folk Collective, Niall Connolly is a compelling live performer whose listeners are regularly moved to tears and laughter. Steeped in the richness of his experience, the deftness of his pen, and the strength of his imagination, Connolly's lyrics evidence the well-honed craft of an honest and watchful storyteller. His songs spiral through time from the marshy landscapes of Cork, Ireland to the overspill of the modern metropolis. Connolly's songs have been covered by more than 20 acts from Nashville to Newfoundland and have featured on Australian and Norwegian TV. He is currently work on his sixth studio album.

Friday, November 30 | 8pm
MUNDY, WITH ANTHONY MULCAHY

"Mundy comes from a very long historicalline of great Irish performers, singers and songwriters; it's a list of awesome musical royalty."
Richard Hawley, singer-songwriter

In 1996, "To you I Bestow," Mundy's debut single for Epic, appeared on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet which went on to sell 11 million copies, launching the career of the Offaly-born singer-songwriter. His "Mexico/July" went to number 1 in Ireland, followed by his cover of Steve Earle's "Galway Girl." One of Ireland's most popular performers, Mundy's 5th studio album Shuffle (2011) is his love song to his favorite American songwriters.

Opening for Mundy is County Waterford's Anthony Mulcahy, who relocated to New York in 2006. His debut album Lazy Days (2010) will be followed in the fall by For My Sins.