Karan Casey is a renowned Irish folk singer and songwriter from County Waterford. She began her musical journey in her family home, church choir and school, later studying music at University College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Karan gained prominence as a member of the Irish band Solas before embarking on a successful solo career.  

Karan Casey will be returning to The Everyman in Cork on 1 February 2025, with her show The Women, We Will Rise. This theatrical song cycle, directed by Tom Creed, highlights the stories of Irish women from the past, present and future, celebrating their resilience and contributions through powerful songs and narratives.

Significantly, the performance takes place on St Brigid’s Day, a day that marks the beginning of spring in the Gaelic calendar and celebrates one of Ireland’s most revered female saints, St Brigid. 

This makes it a perfect occasion to honour and celebrate the strength and achievements of women. It’s a show not to be missed! 

Q1. What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did you get started? 

Karan: We always had singing in our house in Ballyduff, Co. Waterford and I was always involved in different singing groups growing up, grúpa ceoil, the local church choir and in various bands, so it didn’t seem like such a stretch to organising my own band and doing gigs. I always just wanted to be a singer from when I was very small and, in fairness, I was encouraged in this direction by my endlessly patient parents and by all the teachers and adults around me, who were so supportive. 

Q2. Can you walk us through your creative process when writing a new song or preparing for a performance? 

Karan: I wish I could give you a recipe for songwriting, but I don’t really have one, other than doing it! Arriving for work every day and trying to get something down is helpful, making it up is fine; it’s getting it down on paper that’s hard and it’s often difficult to carve out the time to write and be creative. To help this process along I often use The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, which is a really beautiful and inspiring book. What also encourages me to write is having a defined project, for instance The Women, We Will Rise is about particular women, so I was able to really hone in on their lives and piece together songs for these extraordinary women.  

In terms of preparing for a performance… There is no recipe for a performance! Anything can happen, which is why I love it and why the whole experience is so addictive and transformative. I do rehearse a lot. I practice and try at least to have lived with a song for a good while before performing it. I think songs and gigs are sacred or special places, so I try to step into those four, five, six minutes tenderly and with humility. I really love being a singer.  
 

Q4. Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your style over the years? 

Karan: My biggest influences are Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. I also love and listened a lot to Maura O’Connell and Mary Black, as well as Áine Úi Ceallaigh, Moya Brennan and Mary Coughlan whilst growing up. I love Bobby McFerrin. Other people like Billy Bragg, Andy Irvine and Dick Gaughan have influenced me politically. And of course, Frank Harte and Mick Moloney were key mentors and friends. Lately I like among others Billy Eilish, Taylor Swift, Niamh Dunne, Pauline Scanlon, The Whileaways, Sean Óg Graham, Phoebe Bridgers, Adele and Raye. I’d say Raye would be good to go on the tare with! In essence I have listened to so much music it’s hard to pick certain people out. A lot of instrumentalists have shaped my musical landscape as well, people like Niall Vallely, Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock. I guess in the beginning you emulate many performers but then try to find your own path. I think the important thing is being open to new music, to keep listening and being enthusiastic and to sing from your heart and from empathy. 

Q5. Why should people come to see The Women, We Will Rise on Saturday 1 February? What makes you excited about bringing this show back to Cork?  

Karan: I think this project encompasses many of the strands of my creativity: it has singing and new songs, new music and sound design, videography and beautiful lighting and it also challenges me greatly on delivering the spoken texts and stories. It also draws together my passion for honouring the many women who have shaped Ireland culturally and politically and hopefully it gives a sense of their great commitment to social justice by displaying their perseverance. We owe an awful lot to the likes of Countess Markievicz, Kathleen Clarke, Julia Grenan and Elizabeth O’Farrell and hopefully this will contribute to lifting their stories from the shadows.  

I’m of course excited to bring this to Cork as this is where it all started, and I have been greatly aided and abetted by The Everyman, who have been so supportive, as were Cork City Council and the Cork Folk Festival. It’s also good to sing to your own!   

Q6. What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting out? 

Karan: I’d say try to enjoy what you are doing and to allow yourself the deep pleasure of your art. And I’d strongly advise NOT working for free in any situation and having one or two good friends who can help you to navigate the scene. Good luck!