By Ruth Dowds
A LOCAL singer songwriter is preparing to represent Co. Down in RTE One’s Songs of Ireland, in the same month she launches her debut album.
Sarah McCreedy, who was raised in Bangor and now lives in Holywood, can be seen performing the iconic song of this part of Northern Ireland, The Star of the County Down, on RTE One on Saturday, May 25 at 8.40pm.
The 31 year-old has been singing and songwriting from an early age and will appear in the RTE show alongside presenters, Mike Hanrahan and Pat Shortt, also performers.
Just a week later, Sarah, who achieved a PhD from the University of Cork just two years ago, will launch her first album – Why am I still here? – at Bangor’s Court House, on May 31, though it will be released on May 24.
Revealing the details of her appearance in the RTE series, Sarah said it ‘was great fun’ being one of the performers who met Mike and Pat in their camper van to put her spin on the popular song.
“The series showcases my interpretation of The Star of the County Down, with Mike and Pat accompanying me,” she said, explaining that it was filmed in Bangor’s Court House venue last year.
“It was a very welcome surprise because they got in touch with me completely out of the blue to represent Co. Down because they are getting people involved across all the different counties.
“They gave me a lot of creative freedom to interpret the song in my own personal way,” she added.
“I started singing from the age of 10 and sang with the Sullivan Singers, because I was at Sullivan Upper School and began writing songs from about 12 or 13.”
At around the same time, she began to teach herself accoustic guitar, learning from ear, following in the footsteps of her father, James McCreedy, who was in the bands Motion Picture and Dark Tower which performed locally in the 1980s.
“I started to do it more professionally from about 19 or 20 when I finished university.”
Sarah reflected that though her academic studies weren’t music specific, they did prove creative fodder for her songwriting proclivities.
“I did an English degree and a Masters in English Literature and then the PhD in American Literature so it did form part of my inspiration.
“Since I finished the PhD in 2022 I have focused on my music and writing the album.”
Sarah said her influences largely stem from the 1970s, being of the flavour of Fleetwood Mac and Joanie Mitchell, and also of closer contemporary, American singer songwriter, Phoebe Bridgers.
The musician’s new album was recorded at Gatehouse Studios in Belfast with the help of Matt McIvor, producer and songwriter with whom Sarah doubles up with in a band, Fall Coffee Collective. Together, they have performed in venues such as Feilty’s bar in Bangor, among many others.
Another singer songwriter, Eilis Philips, an English woman who has been living in Bangor for several years, will join Sarah at her Court House launch.
