A dairy farm in the Irish music stronghold of north co. Tipperary, on the border with Limerick, is at the centre of the success story that is indie folk band, Kingfishr.
Kingfishr comprises Enniscorthy native Eddie Keogh on vocals and guitar; Eoghan ‘McGoo’ McGrath from Co. Tipperary on vocals and banjo, who was part of the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland; and Eoin ‘Fitz’ Fitzgibbon from east Co. Cork on vocals and bass.
The lads – who met in 2017 while they were studying hardware engineering at University of Limerick – produce, write and record their music on McGoo’s grandparents’ farm.
Their debut single ‘flowers-fire’ was released the week before their exams and their debut album ‘Halycon’ was launched last August.
‘Shot in the Dark’ is about taking a leap of faith and quitting their jobs to focus on their music.
The famous ‘Killeagh’ hurling tune which reached number one in Ireland twice over the summer, took just 20 minutes to write.
Building success
They said: “We started the band about three-and-a-half years ago and thought we would be back in our jobs in six months.
“Since then everything that has happened has just been ridiculous. We’re still on the farm, we’re still doing our bits and we don’t want to change that. We love it and we have a story to tell.”
Having performed with Bruce Springsteen, George Ezra, Snow Patrol, and Dermot Kennedy as well as at major festivals including the recent Electric Picnic and with an international tour underway, nobody these days is asking the Kingfishr members: “Are ye still at the music?”
McGoo’s grandparents’ farmhouse where generations of farmers and rural dwellers gathered to perform and listen to music, continues to be the band’s studio and HQ.
Kingfishr also have released musical sessions from the farm. The entire ‘Halycon’ album was written there and it is a place to which they always go back.
