REVIEW: A triumphant home-coming for Ballymore Eustace's singing starlet Megan O'Neill as she performed acoustic gig in Mick Murphy's last night
Photos by C Dennison
It was a home-coming to remember for Ballymore Eustace native singing sensation Megan O’Neill as she returned to her home town to play an intimate gig for her fans in Mick Murphy’s Pub in Ballymore Eustace last night Monday, February 25.
The quaint and very popular local pub Mick Murphy’s was full to capacity with fans and patrons all keen to listen to talented Megan as she performed for the renowned Ballymore Acoustic Gigs (BAG) run by Roy Thompson.
Speaking to KildareNow just before her performance, Megan, 28, said that she was delighted to be able to perform in her home town after spending so much time performing abroad. She told KildareNow: “I’m working on the next album which will be out in 2020 we’re working with the Dunwell brothers Dave and Joe who are amazing. It’s so good to be back home in Ballymore Eustace, I’ve missed it and my family so it’s great to be here. I do love coming home to Ireland to perform, you can’t beat an Irish audience.”
Indeed, the atmosphere in the pub was electric on the night as Megan gave a stellar performance, belting out her hit songs ‘Ghost of You’ ‘Walls’, ‘Coming Home’, ‘Treading Water’, her cover of Big Little Town’s ‘Girl Crush’ and much more and soon enough the crowd was singing the words back to her.
Talented Megan also explained the backstory behind many of her hit songs including ‘Walls’ which she wrote after a bad experience in which her home in London was broken into, while her song ‘Any Younger’ was co-written by the UK duo the Dunwell brothers Joe and Dave.
Photo C Dennison[/caption]
This coming weekend Megan is due to perform a small tour of Germany where she will perform in Schwalbach on March 1, as well as in Hanover on March 2 and in Cologne on March 3, 2019.
She is further booked to play at the massive Country to Country Festival in O2 Arena, London in early March 8 and 9 before returning to Ireland for a gig in McAuley Place on April 5, another eclectic music venue in Co Kildare. Doors open 8.30pm, tickets available from Megan’s website, Jam Music, Naas or directly from McAuley Place, Naas.
Megan has recorded and performed with many leading musicians in Nashville, as well as performing with Irish singer Gavin James at JJ Abram’s Oscar Wilde party in LA.
A former student of Scoil Mhuire NS, and Cross and Passion in Kilcullen before attending university at UCD studying psychology under scholarship with the UCD Choral Scholars before deciding to embrace her great love of song-writing and performing on stage.
After university, Megan moved to Nashville to further her singing career, before moving to London a few years ago. She has gathered a great following playing in leading venues in London and the UK with a gig at Country to Country Festival in O2 Arena, London in early March 8 and 9.
After her gig in Naas on April 5, Megan heads north to Belfast to perform at Ards International Guitar Festival on April 7. Meanwhile, there's plenty more exciting gigs coming up in Mick Murphy's pub in Ballymore Eustace as next Monday March 4 singers Frankie Lane and Paul Kelly will perform live at BAG from 8.30pm with tickets on sale for €15.
Check out Megan O'Neill's fantastic cover of 'Girl Crush' now on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music.
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