Browse Listings

Mark Geary

Folk // Celbridge, Dublin // He him

Irish singer-songwriter Mark Geary left Ireland with a one-way ticket to New York and a heart full of hope over twenty years ago. There, in Sin-é cafe, Mark honed his craft and sang alongside the best of them, including the late Jeff Buckley. Time Out NY said, “His delicate songs about love and defiance recall Richard Thompson and John Lennon.”

With six studio and three live albums, touring and live performances are still Mark’s lifeblood. Geary’s sound is stripped back. He treats his songs with trademark Geary honesty. His lyrics slice right through to the core revealing a life laid bare of human emotional frailty, failed relationships, tenderness, hurt, making amends, desire and parting. His treasured guitar collection is always close at hand, each set up in a different tuning.

Geary has featured on bills with musicians as diverse as Glen Hansard, John Prine, Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Coldplay and The Frames amongst others plus extensive headlining tours in Europe, the US and Switzerland. He has composed the full score for three films and has many songs featured in films and TV programmes.

The single The Forest released in May 2020 is exquisite. Its quietness is cathartic and evocative. It set a new path for Geary’s sound. It builds to a crescendo reminiscent of overflowing verdant Summer Irish forests.

Mark’s single Spectre released in December 2020 is beautiful, dark, haunting and features deftly interwoven layers of acoustic guitars. It was written during a time of intense, unbroken reflection, surrounded by nature. This comes from a place of understanding and forgiveness.”

Irish musicians Side 4 Collective released the single ‘Last Roll of the Dice’ featuring Mark in December 2022. Side 4 is the brainchild of drummer Dave Hingerty (The Frames, Kila, Josh Ritter). Dave said “we were excited to work with Mark on this single and to join him in his creative process”.

At the end of 2022 Mark completed a sell-out month-long residency in the new Little Whelan’s at in Dublin with his band. Mark welcomed special guests each week and curated the shows.

In early 2023 Mark toured both the north and central regions of Italy as well as Ireland. In December he sold out ‘Upstairs’ in Whelan’s and Coughlans in Cork.

Mark’s new album ‘In The Time Of Locusts’ was released in February 2024. Recorded in his cottage in the forest with the help of Ruth O’ Mahony Brady, Glen Hansard, Dave Hingerty, Dave and Karl Odlum.

There’s a lot more to come from this prolific and talented songsmith.