Mary O'Hara - Travels With My Harp


Go to content

Mary O'Hara in Concert

Travels on stage

''Accompanying herself with adept and delicate filigree on the Irish harp, Miss O'Hara is mesmerising'' - The New York Times

Mary O'Hara toured extensively during her singing and harp-playing career and her many international concert tours included performances in all the major concert halls around the world, receiving applause from her audiences and acclaim from the critics. She performed her concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London Palladium, Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Massey Hall, Gaiety Theatre and the Herod Atticus to name but a few. Mary retired from the concert stage in 1994

"Mary O'Hara brings the rare qualities of beauty of sound and heart and musicianship to her singing. She allows the songs to speak for themselves and I get the feeling that she sings them as they were originally intended to be heard - the direct communication between the composer and poet's idea and the listener's ear" -
Joyce Grenfell

In July 2005 Mary returned to the stage in a speaking role when she was asked to address the World Harp Congress held that year at the University College Dublin. Originally conceived as a one-off presentation, her talk was so well received that it led to a new phase of Mary's career with requests to give her 'Travels With My Harp' talk and multi-media presentations in Ireland, England, Wales, Australia, USA and Canada. Mary unexpectedly found herself travelling again to many of the countries she had previously performed in during her singing and harp-playing days



Read about Mary's travels on the international stage in her new autobiography entitled 'Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography' published May 2012 by Shepheard-Walwyn. Click on the book cover (left) for details

A selection of concert tour flyers. Click on image to enlarge

Expand the brochure above to read a selection of concert reviews that appeared in the international press

Above: Poster for Mary's 1978 season of concerts at the Palladium

SONG: Mary O'Hara performing 'Greensleeves' as an encore at her second solo concert at Carnegie Hall on 10th February 1983. The concert was recorded. Click on text for details

"Mary O'Hara is mesmerising"
New York Times, USA.


"Mary O'Hara is simply without peer"
Folk Review, UK.

"She raised to a new high level the art of folk-singing" Washington Post, USA.

"Mary O'Hara's voice has a first day freshness in her singing" Observer Review, UK.

''Many a performer has tried and failed to hold an audience enraptured for more than two hours. O'Hara does it with consummate ease''
The Australian.

''Every opera singer, every lieder singer, every pop star could have learned something vital from Mary O'Hara last night''
Seattle Times, USA.

''Seeing her in concert is to realise why writer's wallow in excess over her''
The Globe & Mail, Canada.

''There is magic and balm for the spirit in her serene art''
The Southland Times, New Zealand.

''Her voice is stunningly lucid, focused, well-projected and delicate''
Daily Telegraph, UK.

''O'Hara has a voice that is both soft and clear; beautifully controlled yet warm and feeling; a sheer delight to hear''
The Herald, Australia.




Below: The poster for the concert. Click on image for the New York Times review

A small selection of concert posters. Click on images to enlarge

Above: Mary in concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 5th November 1977. The concert was recorded and became a bestselling record album. Click on image for more details

Above: Poster for Mary's first concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 5th November 1977. Click on image

Above: Poster for Mary’s first concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 8th February 1978. Click on image

Above: Mary in concert at the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin on the 7th September 1982. The concert was recorded for radio and an album release. Click on image for details

Home | News | Recent travels | Travels in recording | Travels in books | Travels in photographs | Travels on stage | Travels in the press | Travels in TV and radio | Contact/enquiries | Site Map


Back to content | Back to main menu