Biography
Though live appearances by Rita Connolly remain infrequent, the Dublin-born vocalist’s warm soprano has graced stage productions, motion pictures and more than twenty recordings, among them the solo collections Rita Connolly from 1991 and Valparaiso from 1993. Her reading of Shaun Davey’s sweeping narrative “Granuaile,” which recounts the exploits of the Irish pirate queen, has drawn capacity crowds across the United Kingdom and Europe; the initial English presentation was captured on film and subsequently broadcast internationally.
The fifth of seven siblings, Connolly began performing at fourteen alongside her sisters in Dublin pubs and clubs. In her late teens she contributed harmony vocals to Paul Brady, Christy Moore and Donal Lunny while also appearing with the Irish groups Midnight Well, Scullion and Stagalee. It was through Midnight Well that she encountered composer and advertising-jingle producer Shaun Davey; their subsequent partnership extended to film and theatrical scores such as The Pilgrim and The Relief of Derry Symphony.
In 1987 Connolly joined the RTE Concert Orchestra for a United Kingdom tour that included several excerpts from Granuaile. Her debut solo album blended sea shanties with Beatles material and classic blues numbers, while the follow-up Valparaiso introduced her own songwriting. Her regular ensemble features guitarist and songwriter Gerry O’Beirne together with Patrick Street, the Sharon Shannon Band, Andy Stewart, National Symphony Orchestra percussionist Richard O’Donnell and her brother Peter Connolly.
The fifth of seven siblings, Connolly began performing at fourteen alongside her sisters in Dublin pubs and clubs. In her late teens she contributed harmony vocals to Paul Brady, Christy Moore and Donal Lunny while also appearing with the Irish groups Midnight Well, Scullion and Stagalee. It was through Midnight Well that she encountered composer and advertising-jingle producer Shaun Davey; their subsequent partnership extended to film and theatrical scores such as The Pilgrim and The Relief of Derry Symphony.
In 1987 Connolly joined the RTE Concert Orchestra for a United Kingdom tour that included several excerpts from Granuaile. Her debut solo album blended sea shanties with Beatles material and classic blues numbers, while the follow-up Valparaiso introduced her own songwriting. Her regular ensemble features guitarist and songwriter Gerry O’Beirne together with Patrick Street, the Sharon Shannon Band, Andy Stewart, National Symphony Orchestra percussionist Richard O’Donnell and her brother Peter Connolly.
Albums
