Paul Brady

On 17 June 2026 at Vicar Street in Dublin, Paul Brady steps on stage with the kind of range that has defined his path from Belfast to the world. A singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, he first cut his teeth between rhythm and blues, folk and Irish traditional music before expanding into pop and rock songwriting. After early bands in Dublin, he joined The Johnstons in 1967, a move that took him to London and New York. Back in Ireland, he linked up with Planxty in 1974, then formed a duo with Andy Irvine that left its mark with the 1976 album Andy Irvine/Paul Brady.

His solo debut Welcome Here Kind Stranger (1978) stayed close to the traditional repertoire, but Hard Station (1981) opened a more contemporary lane where folk-rock, melodic pop and crafted storytelling meet. That thread runs through True for You (1983), Back to the Centre (1986), Primitive Dance (1987) and Trick or Treat (1991). Along the way he has worked with Tommy Peoples, Matt Molloy, Bonnie Raitt, Richard Thompson and Cara Dillon, while many of his songs found new life in other voices. More recent releases Unfinished Business (2017) and Maybe So (2022) continue to balance tradition, acoustic writing and more electric textures. At Vicar Street, expect a set that moves across decades of songs, from roots material to sharp, contemporary pieces, carried by Brady’s knack for melody and detail.