Niall McCabe

Raised on Clare Island off Ireland’s Atlantic coast, Niall McCabe has built a reputation for songs of remarkable emotional depth and humanity. Drawing on the storytelling traditions of Irish folk while embracing the spacious textures of Americana and contemporary acoustic music, his work is carried by a voice that has become instantly recognisable to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Whether writing about fishermen, fathers and sons, strangers, or the idea of home itself, McCabe’s songs are marked by quiet observation, emotional honesty and an enduring sense of place.

Following the release of his acclaimed debut album, Rituals, in 2023, McCabe returned two years later with Stranger, a record that broadened both his musical palette and his audience. Traditional Irish instrumentation sits naturally alongside strings, pedal steel and understated band arrangements, creating a sound that feels equally at home in the west of Ireland and the American South. Throughout, however, the focus remains firmly on the songs.

Over the past two years, McCabe’s career has gathered remarkable momentum. In 2025 he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, toured throughout Britain with the celebrated Transatlantic Sessions and appeared as an official showcase artist at AmericanaFest in Nashville. As the songs travelled, so did the audience. His live performances have taken him from intimate listening rooms to stages including Cambridge Folk Festival, Celtic Connections, Galway Folk Festival and Doolin Folk Festival, while support appearances have included Chris Isaak, Mary Black and Sharon Shannon. Earlier international touring with Beoga also saw him perform alongside Ed Sheeran and Johnny Swim.

That momentum continued into 2026 with the release of The Heart Remembers. Written on Clare Island, the song reflects on home not simply as a place, but as something remembered, imagined and carried within us. The recording brought together a remarkable group of collaborators, featuring harmony vocals from Sting and Foy Vance, instrumental performances by Jerry Douglas, and arrangements and co-production by John McCusker. Despite the calibre of the musicians involved, the production remains deliberately understated, allowing the song’s emotional core to speak for itself.

Alongside his own headline touring, McCabe spends much of 2026 on the road with Foy Vance and Amble while work continues on his third studio album. Produced by Jerry Douglas and recorded between Ireland and Nashville, the project brings together the strongest creative partnerships of McCabe’s career to date while remaining rooted in the songs that first began life on a small island in the Atlantic.