Onóir: lockdown videos to Derry sell-out concerts

When four Donegal lads filmed a video of themselves singing Dick Shannon’s ‘The Auld Triangle’, little did they think one day they’d be performing at sell-out concerts in Derry.

Well that is exactly what has happened to Tom McHugh, Diarmaid McGee, Declan Gaughan and Deane Connaghan, who is from Mountcharles - collectively known as Onóir.

Speaking to Derry News following their “absolutely electric” concert in the Millennium Forum earlier this month, Declan, who is from Frosses said they were “blown away” by the reception they got from the Derry audience.

And it appears the Derry ones have taken Onóir to their hearts because their show on Sunday (March 3) was sold-out.

Declan said: “We were looking forward to our first Derry concert for about four months, from the date we got confirmation it was booked.

“It was absolutely electric. It was one of those nights you go out and everybody there was just on the edge of their seat. They were hanging on every word. It was what you want every single gig to be like.”

Explaining Onóir’s genesis, Diarmaid, who is from Rossnowlagh said: “Declan and Tom would have played music together before the lockdown and Deane and myself played music together.

“We all knew one another as friends around Donegal Town but we never played music together.

“During lockdown, in August 2020, we just got together to make a video for the sake of passing an afternoon. That video of the four of us singing ‘‘The Auld Triangle’ went on to be seen by three and a half million people within about a week or ten days. So, we decided there might be something to it. 

“It was a male harmony version of ‘The Auld Triangle’ recorded in a place called Murvagh Forest here in Donegal. That is how we started but to be honest we didn’t do anything else until exactly a year later. Then we made a second video and then exactly a year after that we made a third,” said Diarmaid, who laughed when asked if Onóir had been channelling Adele. “I wish we had her bank balance.”

According to Diarmaid, Onóir’s sound is harmony based with a Celtic feel to it. 

He added: “We really rely heavily on the mix of the four voices. Our wee fingerprint is definitely that blend because every voice in the group has a different background. 

“Tom has a background in ballad singing. Declan has a background in rock music. Deane is from a soul music background and myself, I was into musicals before this. So, four very different voices singing live music.”

Tom, who is from Inver, explained that his father was a drummer in a band in the 70s and 80s.

“So I started off playing drums. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I started singing and playing a few chords on the guitar.”

Declan recalled how his brother brought a guitar home one time years ago and it all started from there.

“My brother was playing in a rock band so one day I started picking up his guitar when he was at work and he didn’t know I was doing it. I just went from there really. My influences started off being Oasis then Metallica and it just got heavier from there.” 

Diarmaid recalled his grandfather and father liking singing.

“I got the ‘Garth Brooks Live in Dublin’ VHS tape, when I was five, from Santa and that sparked something in me. I have wanted a Cowboy hat and a wireless mic ever since.

He added: “The Millennium concert was absolutely incredible. There’s nothing like a Derry Audience. It is an easy job because all you have to do is sing the first four words of a song and the audience takes over.”

Onóir are flying to the States for a tour at the end of July. Updates on all of their concerts can be found on their Facebook page.