Rising Clonmany duo The Two Bucks to release new single next week
Self-penned track On My Way signals shift from covers to original music
Popular Clonmany two-piece Killian McCarron and Cian McGonigle are set to release their second studio single this Friday, 1 May. Titled On My Way, it is a song they penned themselves.
They have previously recorded songs such as I’m On Fire, Beeswing and Folsom Prison Blues, which they released on an EP alongside their own track New Horizons, a song written by McGonagle that highlights emigration.
They played their first gig in the Rusty Nail in Clonmany and, since then, the duo - known as The Two Bucks - have performed all over Donegal and also played on a trip to Boston for St Patrick's Day.
They appeared on the Clonmany Festival main stage in 2025 and will do so again at this year’s event. The band have been together since 2021 and have supported some of the biggest names in country music at Clonmany Festival, including The Tumbling Paddies. The opportunity for a local act to perform on the main stage, particularly for Clonmany natives, is something rarely seen.
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The duo started out playing to small local crowds in bars, primarily around Clonmany. With the growth of social media, Cian believes it has played a key role in their rise.
“Social media is a big thing. Event companies see us at these events and get in contact with us, and they see videos of us online. I’d say all the social stuff is the biggest advertisement for us.”
The move into original music brings a new challenge for the duo, with Cian tasked with writing to date. The new song, On My Way, will be available on Apple Music and Spotify and made its debut on Highland Radio last week. The shift away from covers towards original material is expected to bring wider attention to the pair.
Cian believes the new song will resonate with people.
“The song is about somebody who feels like they are in a spot in life where they aren’t where they want to be and aren’t getting to where they want to be, whether that’s a job, a college course, or something else,” Cian said. “It’s not bringing them where they want to go.”
With the increasing popularity of not just folk music in Ireland, but Irish music in general - which has seen bands like Amble and Kingfishr rise to stardom - The Two Bucks hope they can be next.
“The Irish music scene is strong at the minute. There are a lot of artists making a name for themselves, playing in pubs and venues. I think the Irish music scene is very strong at the minute and there is a big demand for it.”