Leitrim connections at heart of Emer Dunne's US tour

Irish folk singer Emer Dunne, who has strong family roots in Leitrim, has returned home after completing her first U.S. tour across the east coast — a milestone she describes as “a goal of mine and a dream since I was a child.”

The tour saw Dunne and her band perform across four states — Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania — playing Irish cultural and heritage centres and venues along the way. While originally from Mountmellick, Co. Laois, Dunne’s Leitrim connections run deep. Her mother, the late Bridie Baxter, was from Drumreilly, Ballinamore, and Dunne spent much of her childhood and summers in Mohill, where her grandparents lived.

“It was in Mohill that I learned so many Irish songs and folk traditions from my grandfather, Eugene Baxter,” she said. “Those years shaped me musically in a huge way.”

Dunne was joined on stage during the tour by Carrick-on-Shannon fiddle player Shane Meehan, along with Dublin-based guitarist Eamonn Moran, bringing a strong Leitrim and northwest presence to the performances.

Securing an artist working visa for the U.S. marked a major step in Dunne’s career. “It takes a huge amount of groundwork and support at home to reach that point,” she said, paying tribute to audiences across Ireland who have supported her shows, streamed her music and followed her journey. She also acknowledged the assistance of Culture Ireland, which supports Irish artists touring overseas through travel and visa assistance.

Despite losing her mother to cancer several years ago, Dunne said her Leitrim connection was felt strongly throughout the tour. One of the highlights, she said, was meeting members of the Leitrim Society of New York, who travelled to see her perform in Connecticut and New York.

“They were incredibly warm, supportive and full of fun,” she said. “I now feel I have new friends there. Moments like that mean more than people realise.”

Dunne said the experience highlighted the strength of the Irish community abroad. “You really feel how people want to stay connected to home and to Irish folk music, even after living in the States for twenty years or more.”

From a musical perspective, the reaction was everything she had hoped for. “People of all ages were emotional during the ballads, and then up dancing, clapping and singing along for the faster numbers,” she said. “As an artist, that’s exactly the reaction you dream of.”

The tour has left Dunne energised and inspired. “It was an amazing experience,” she said, “and I’m hugely grateful to everyone who supported me — both at home and across the Atlantic.”

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