Briege Murphy

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  • Profile created: July 2007
  • www.bebo.com/BriegeMurphy
Genre:
Label:
Self Published
Hometown:
Forkhill, South Armagh Ireland

About Me

Me, Myself, and I
Lovely Singing, Good Songs, a Joy to hear" - Christy Moore
"She paints pictures with her words" - Frances Black

Briege Murphy was born and reared in the village of Forkhill in South Armagh, in the North of Ireland, where she still lives with her husband and two daughters. Briege grew up on a farm within a large family steeped in the musical tradition. Her mother Brigid was, unwittingly, a collector of songs and stories. Her brother Brian, a well-known traditional singer won the Ulster Championship for traditional singing numerous times. So it is no surprise that music plays a big part of Briege’s life. As a teenager Briege joined her local branch of Comhaltas and often sang in their renowned sessions which is so typical of the Irish scene today. A few years back Briege began to write her own contemporary folk/country ballads and when a demo of two of her songs were played on a weekly BBC Folk Programme, listeners were asking for more. She has recorded three albums to date.

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  • How to buy Brieges CDs

    To Buy Brieges Cd's please visit www.chivalry.com/briegemurphy; or contact Briege directly at briegmurph@aol.com. Alternatively, leave a message here and we'll get back to you!

    1 Comment 138 weeks

  • Quotations / Reviews

    "Imagine Mary Chapin Carpenter, with a distinctly Irish outlook. A storyteller, using sensibly and carefully, the power of words to great effect and delivering her songs in a manner both disarming and unaffected." John O’Regan – Music Journalist, Irish Music magazine, Folk Roots, Rock ‘n’ Reel. RTE, BBC.

    "One of our more modest talents, Briege Murphy’s lyrical songs have been picked by several other singers." Geoff Harden, Northern Ireland music journalist and radio broadcaster, Irish Music magazine and Newsletter.

    “Absolutely superb” Robert Mc Millen, Irish News newspaper.

    “An Irish Nancy Griffiths, Briege’s voice is comparable to the best of the Irish female singers” Living Tradition magazine.

    “Lovely songs, great singing.” The tape is a joy to hear” Christy Moore

    "An enchanting collection of songs" The Argus newspaper Co. Louth

    "If you love warm, sweet singing from the heart, with absolutely perfect arrangements, you’ll love this CD from Co. Armagh native Briege Murphy. Briege’s clear lovely voice is well met by the instruments. It is clear that a great deal of care and experience went into the songs and arrangements, and it pays off nicely”. Paul Carr, the San Francisco Herald, about "The Elm Wood" CD

    "Take time to sit and listen and enjoy the talent that Briege Murphy portrays through her music" The Anglo Celt newspaper.

    "A beautiful album" Tommy Sands, Songwriter and radio host - The Elm Wood CD

    "Briege Murphy has a way with words, par excellence" Sarah McQuaid Hot Press magazine May 2003.

    "She paints pictures with her words" Frances Black Award Winning Irish Singer.

    The Elm Wood (self-released, 2002) by Briege Murphy The Elm Wood (self-released, 2002) By Briege Murphy Briege Murphy is quite possibly one of Ireland's best-kept musical secrets -- unless of course you are Frances Black, who has covered a number of Briege's treasured songs, thereby introducing Briege's music to the wider audience that it so richly deserves. Briege retains enough of her South Armagh accent to instil a distinctly Irish feel to her performances, with a voice that possesses similar indigenous qualities to the likes of Dolores Keane with the added clarity and ease of Mary Black. Those who have witnessed Frances Black's renditions of Briege's songs "How Sweet The Tune" or "Hills of South Armagh" will already be aware of the emotional punch that Briege's songs deliver, and "The Elm Wood" doesn't fail to deliver in this respect either. Right from the first track, "Comfort In A Song," Briege is mining the depths of her passion for music with words that will ring true to many an avid music lover; "I never needed riches / for I was never poor / oh as long as I had the music / I'd be fine." Briege homes in impeccably on the sentiments stirred by music in many of us -- often providing a much-needed lift from the humdrum of every day life. Briege has an undeniable talent for taking note of her surroundings and interpreting their stories through her strikingly poignant lyrics. On "The Ring Of Gullion," Briege paints us a landscape of her beautiful native Ulster, blighted by the military presence of helicopters and watch towers, and laments the exodus of "footsteps" that leave it all behind. The song closes with a forward glance to better times ahead; "though the light is slow returning / we have learned to bide our time / someday birdsong will reclaim the skies again." Briege turns again to her immediate surroundings on "The Maid of Liosamhanaigh," the name being taken from the area in which she lives and the river that passes by her house. With this song, Briege has crafted a fine set of lyrics, very much in the style of an old folklore ballad; "beneath an ancient sycamore / a fair young girl sat weeping / I recognised her beauty / knew the sadness she was keeping." This is a sad tale of a young woman who chooses to flee her home, after an attempt to force her to marry against her will. Ne

    0 Comments 138 weeks

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  • Eoin Kelly
    Eoin Kelly

    Beautiful sound, just discovered it today on YouTube!!

    When and where's the next festival Breige is playing at?!

    5/18/08
  • Seán Jackie O Sirideán
    Seán Jackie O Sirideán

    Simply stunning!! Love the south Armagh song...."No matter near or far the hills round south Armagh..."

    7/30/07
  • Peter Robinson
    luv Peter Robinson

    Beautiful songs, beautiful guitar, beautiful voice.

    7/26/07
  • Mairia Cahill
    Mairia Cahill

    This is one of the best songwriters I have ever heard! Keep er lit Briege!

    7/20/07