Homecoming Donegal gig excites US-based Mountcharles trad group The Byrne Brothers

Mountcharles trad-family band, The Byrne Brothers, are returning from the States to play a homecoming Donegal Concert.

The four-piece band, comprising three brothers, Dempsey, Finn, and Luca and their father Tommy play the Abbey Arts Centre in Ballyshannon on May 2. 

With over 50 million online views and 370,000 social media followers, The Byrne Brothers have based themselves in Florida for nearly a decade.

Tommy proclaimed: “We are really excited about home. It is eight years since we left Donegal, and since we left, we have played at Disney, at Raglan Road, and from there, we have played all over America. 49 states, all the Irish festivals all over there, and we are excited to bring back our show to Donegal.

“We are so excited to be playing in Ballyshannon. It is going to be a great show, and it is going to be great craic.”

Regarding why The Byrne Brothers have managed to obtain success in the USA, Tommy replied: “First of all, in America, everybody thinks they are Irish, so that is always a good start. Then our show, because there is so much variety, they can not believe that there are three boys and their dad on stage together. Our music is received really well wherever we go.” 

The band has supported big-name acts such as Nathan Carter, The Tumbling Paddies, and The High Kings, along with playing in front of thousands of music lovers at gigs across the US. 

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“When we played in front of 7,000 people, they went absolutely wild for traditional Irish music,” states Tommy. 

As well as praise for his sons, Tommy also gave special mention to his wife, the mother of his three sons, Julie.

“She’s a massive part of the whole show and keeping the boys all together,” gushes Tommy. “Especially when you are travelling across America. 

“She is an amazing cook, so when we come in from the show, she has an amazing meal ready for us.”

The Byrne Brothers are also preparing for a big plans in the future, as Tommy told Donegal Live they are looking to go more “mainstream” with new music released.

He said: “We are going to move to Nashville in the wintertime, and spend half of our time in Nashville and Ireland. 

“We will bring out a new album and hopefully, go mainstream. We are going to be coming back with a style in the style of Amble, Kingfisher, and Mumford and Sons.”