Touring Ireland 2015

Over the past 8 years its fair to say that the majority of the work has been outside of Ireland. It has been a wonderful time and indeed, time well spent. However upon returning to Ireland in September of last year, it was evident to me that I needed to re-establish myself here at home.
I wasn't sure what my standing was and if anyone remembered me!!! So what was the best way to go about finding out! Well, I decided I would take on some dates around the country and see who, if any would turn up!
After a couple of months promoting, I discovered, much to my relief that the national media at least hadn't forgotten me!! I have devised a show called "The Great Irish Songbook" which is a tribute to some of the great songwriters and singers we have produced from this small island from as far back as I could go. So far the show has been well received and although this Wednesday in Birr Theatre, Co.Offaly will be my last performance of the show this year, I am already receiving bookings for it next year.
It has been wonderful getting back out in front of Irish audiences and performing again. Especially outside of Dublin as there would be less people in the audience I know!!! Aside from my solo gigs, I have had the honour of celebrating Phil Coulters 50 years in the business with his own tour. I am guesting with him in many of his shows and that too has been a great way to reconnect with the Irish audiences.
With all the miles Im covering in Ireland I am delighted that the money we got from the E.U has been put into good use as the main roads throughout Ireland are fantastic. So if your driving late at night and see a little red mini pass you by, chances are its me!!!

I have a busy week ahead as already mentioned with my own solo gigs and two with Phil. But there is one on Friday lunchtime that I am looking forward to. It is a charity lunch for a wonderful children's charity called CARI and I will be performing a handful of songs at it. Its a busy time of year leading up to Christmas for charities and many are battling on all fronts to raise funds. So whatever I can do, I'm always happy to. That being said, you could book your whole diary up with charity gigs, so I try to help those I feel most connected to. I suppose my point being, at this time of year, leading up to Christmas, let us not forget those less fortunate than ourselves. For no matter how tough we think we have it, there are people worse off. Sometimes all thats needed is a kind word,or a smile. Either way, I feel we should all try and do our bit!

I do plan on returning to the States and further a field in the near future soon so don't forget me!! In fact I will have the honour of performing with Lisa Kelly in Peachtree, GA again this Christmas on Dec 13th but solo gigs will commence in 2016 so keep checking into "NEWS AND EVENTS" on my website www.paulbyrom.ie

I hope you are enjoying the new shop. There are lots of fun things there, but don't worry, once I see that its up and running, I will be adding to it all the time.  So keep suggesting items and I will try keep it interesting and fun for you! The calendar is limited edition so when its gone I won't be reprinting. Just a subtle warning to you if your holding off!

Finally, I know some of you have seen my post about the new bus tour thats happening in September 2016. If you are interested all info is on the website and also www.travelconcepts.com
There will only be 40 spaces which I can confirm that a good chunk have already been taken, so act fast! It could be the ideal Christmas gift for yourself and a loved one, or even just for yourself!!!!

Anyway, I hope all is well with you all.
Keep safe and happy

My loves
My Doves
My Eggs

Paul

LETS DO IT AGAIN ! ! !

Well Im delighted to finally confirm that I will be hosting my musical bus tour of Ireland again. After the fun and frolics of Septembers trip, it seemed impossible not to go again!
However this time time there will of course be some changes. It will still of course be as personal and intimate as the last one. My family are excited too and look forward to seeing you all in Ireland. This time they plan on spending more time with you all and Chris and Kelly at Travel Concepts have worked hard on the schedule to ensure this, ad many other great things happen over the course of the week.
I will be doing three performances for you over the course of the week and spending each day with you. Im going to be on all the tours too, so there will be plenty of "Paul time".
As many will testify from the first bus tour, this is a personal trip in many ways and by the end of it we will all know each other much better. I know that many have kept in touch since September and I would like to think that they will spend many years together as friends.
Memories are made of trips like this. Not just for you, but also me. If you have ever wanted to come see Ireland through the eyes of someone who has grown up here and has a deep pride for here, then this is your trip. Don't worry if you are travelling alone, by the time you get on the bus you will have plenty of new friends and travel companions. Starting with me.
Life is far too short, and we are often reminded of this, so act today! Come and visit my homeland. I promise you a great week of fun, music and much laughter!
Here is the link for "COME HOME TO IRELAND 2" with me, your host, Paul Byrom! Book now and avoid disappointment as there are only 40 spaces available with many from Septembers trip already keen to sign up!
I look forward to welcoming you to Dublin on September 6th!

CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR ALL INFORMATION.......

COME HOME TO IRELAND 2 with PAUL BYROM

I NEED SLEEP!!! !

Myself and jet lag are really hanging around together longer than I hoped! Still struggling to sleep after a week of travel. I never understand how you can fall asleep on the couch whilst watching t.v then when you go into bed, your wide awake!! What is that about!
Either way, I have just bought a great book recently and I can't put it down so thats helping me get some shut eye. The book is called "I am Malala" and it is written by a young girl from Swat in Pakistan. She was shot in the head by the Taliban because she dared to speak up about their regime. In particular, their ban on education for girls. Its a marvelous insight into that world, and an eye opener for many who think that all muslims think alike. I strongly recommend it.

Since coming home it has been non stop. I have a series of concerts in Ireland in October and November. These are solo shows, and I'm calling it "The Great Irish Songbook". In the show I will sing songs that I think pay tribute to all the great songwriters over the years to come out of Ireland. Go as far back as Percy French and Thomas Moore, to modern day greats like Jimmy mcCarthy, Van Morrison,Brendan Graham and indeed Phil Coulter, to name but a few.
The challenge with this concerts is getting word out there. I have been Stateside for the past four years and prior to that I was spending a lot of time there too with Celtic Thunder. So reintroducing myself takes a lot of time and effort. Making sure posters and flyers are circulating as well as all media is just the tip. Learning lyrics and making sure all is in place for the actual gigs is most important.
I'm very much looking forward to them but always stress leading up to concerts. There's a lot to be said for being in a production like Celtic Thunder. You simply turn up, know your stuff and sing. However, I'm not complaining. For all info on tickets go to the "news and events section" on www.paulbyrom.ie

On that topic, it was great being back with the guys last week for the gigs in Minot, and Oklahoma. Although I had met Colm and Emmet, I had never performed with them, so it was a real pleasure. I was delighted as we had similar interests and literally all made fun of each other from beginning to end!
It was a strange feeling, because although I had been away from the show for a long time, when I joined up again, it all felt like I had never been away. Certainly things have changed and there are personnel changes, but by and large, it was the same. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to do it again sometime soon.

Upon arriving home, my little dog Bradley nearly lost his life when I walked in. It always amazes me how excited he gets each and every time. Whether I'm away for a few hours or a few weeks. The reception is the same.
I got home on Dominique's birthday and as it was a Monday, we didn't really get to celebrate it. So I will make it up to her this weekend as its a special birthday this year! My mother always said you should never divulge or ask a women's age! Needless to say, she's not in her 20's anymore!!!!!!

I love routine, and for someone who travels a lot, that may seem strange. When I'm home, I am up everyday around the same time. 8.30am I'm out the door for a walk with Bradley, then we come home and have our breakfast. After which, I sit at the lap top for a couple of hours doing work. Lunch, walk, do whatever other bits and bobs need doing, (like developing my new online store, which is close to completion) then I head off to Crossfit at 5pm.
Fitness has become such a huge part of my life as I know you all know. I go nearly everyday to crossfit and even on "rest days" I'll head for a run. Why so much? It's great for the head and body. You never leave the gym or come in from a run in bad form. whatever is bothering you, is gone for the few hours you are working out. Aside from that, in many respects its like a drug. Once you start seeing results you want to keep going. What I've learnt more than anything is, your never too old to start. I can safely say, I am fitter at 36 than I was when I was 21! That's just mad!!!
So being able to balance my career and fitness is a real pleasure for me. Your health is your wealth!

Tonight I'm heading off this evening to take my nephew in to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to watch Ireland take on Germany (the world champions) in a very important soccer match. We call these kinda outings "the lads day out". No women allowed!!! I'm certain it wont be long till he's too cool to hang out with his uncle, but in the meantime, I'm gonna take every chance I get!

Keep well and chat soon
My Loves
My Doves
My Eggs

Paul

#BYROMBUSTOUR

What an interesting month I’m having! After years of  toying with an idea for over two years. I finally saw it come to fruition this month. The idea was a simple one. Take a musical bus tour around Ireland, with me as the host. Over the course of the week, I would do three private performances for those who signed up for the bus tour. We would visit places that meant something to me personally, and also a couple of my favourite spots in Ireland. After spending four years living in America, I have become even more proud of my country and all it has to offer. So I wanted to share it with as many as possible. That being said, I wanted the tour to be small, so that it would be personable and that by the end of the week, I would know everyone on it and more importantly, they would know me. Thankfully after a month on sale, the trip was a sell out and it was a go! I was tickled pink!

 However I would need help accomplishing this as the logistics were beyond my area of expertise. So I enlisted my good friends Chris and Kelly at Travel Concepts, Massachusetts. They went above and beyond the call of duty and even tagged along to see that everyone’s needs were met. The lure of guinnes and good craic had absolutely nothing to do with it I’m assured!!

On day one we all met in Shannon, a small town outside Limerick where international flights come through. In particular, American flights. Upon boarding our bus, we headed west to the Cliffs of Moher which is one of the most stunning views on the west coast of Ireland. It ranks high on my to-do list for all of you visiting Ireland. However, on our visit, the rain was bucketing out of the sky, and those of us willing to brave the weather in pursuit of pictures and the view, got drenched! All I could think of was, “their getting a real flavour of Ireland now!” I was concerned though that this would be the weather for the week. Much and all as we were all in high spirits, I believe if it continued like this, that spirit would diminish quickly. Sitting on a bus in wet gear is no mans idea of fun.

After getting to Kilarney and checking into our hotel, I was all set to do the first of my performances for the group. The setting was beautiful in Muckross park hotel and the vibes were fantastic. I knew we were in for a great week.

I was nervous about the trip, as I didn’t know everyone coming on it, and was hoping that we would all get on. Either I would jump off the bus within 24hrs, or more likely, be pushed off the bus! Thankfully after day one, I knew this group would be fantastic fun, and I wasn’t wrong. The show went great and they were all extremely enthusiastic.

The next morning I woke to the sun splitting the trees, and I was delighted. Yet aware that in Ireland, we could have snow by lunchtime!! Thankfully that wasn’t the case and the weather was great all week. Unheard of! Perhaps I should bring more tours to Ireland if it’s going help the climate!

We went from Kilarney to Dingle, the home of Fungi the dolphin, then on to Blarney in Co.Cork where many of my friends and family got concerned when they heard I kissed the stone. From there to Cobh. A coastal town in Cork, famed as the last stop of the Titanic before it sank. Many of the victims boarded the boat at Cobh and indeed the museum there was a fitting setting for my second performance. After Cork we traveled to Waterford Crystal to experience first hand the craftsmanship of Ireland that is heralded throughout the world. Followed by a trip to Kilkenny, where I brought the tour to my grandmothers home village “Paulstown”. There we stopped and took pictures at the house where she grew up, and around the back we visited the grave of my great grand parents, whom I’m certain never expected their great grandson to bring a bus load of Australian and American visitors to see them.  I did wonder what they would have thought.

The final stage of the tour was my hometown of Dublin. I say town, although I’m certain many of you know it’s a city. The largest city in Ireland, and home to over 1.5 million citizens. Of that number is my small family and I was delighted that after visiting my school and church where I got married, the group got to meet them. My 96 year old grandmother also turned up to my delight. Later we visited the Guinness factory, where I was shocked to learn, I hadn’t got shares in at this point!!

On the final night, we traveled to Bellingham Castle for my final performance and a special dinner. It was a lovely way to end an extremely enjoyable week. Not just for those who signed up for the trip, but for me. I consider them all good friends now, and we are already talking about next September. So if your interested, keep checking my site and you’ll get all the details there. For those who came, I want to thank you all for the wonderful memories. Whether it be from Sydney or Melbourne Australia, or Texas, St.Louis, Mississippi, Boston, New York, Atlanta or tim buck two, I will remember you all dearly!  

After a quick two days of rest, in which I caught up on sleep and time with Dominique and Bradley. I was packing again, only this time the trip is not a solo venture.

December 2010 marked my departure from Celtic Thunder. The show I had been with from its conception for five years. They were incredible years spent building the show and experiencing things I could only have dreamt of. Some of the highlights were performing in such places as Radio City and the White House.

My solo career took off again and after moving to NY with my wife, I had two no.1 albums and a tv special for American and Australian tv. I often checked in with the guys from CT and of course my friendship with Damian only grew stronger as we both chased our solo careers. Hearing of the passing of George was hard to believe and still to this day, accept.

When the producer, Sharon Browne asked me to rejoin the guys for these upcoming gigs it seemed that it was the right time. It worked with my solo schedule and promotion, so why not! Although there will only be two gigs, who knows if I will do more. Or more importantly, if they will want me to do more!!

Although some of the faces on and off stage have changed I expect it to be as exciting and fun. I am a little nervous as I’m not sure if or how I will fit back in, but all involved are lovely people and I am sure I will be made fit very quickly.

When I return to Ireland it will be full steam ahead with my first solo Irish tour. The concept of my show is a tribute to the “Great Irish Songbook”. Where I will sing some of my favourite pieces to come out of Ireland. From the time of Percy French and Thomas Moore to modern day songwriters like Paul Brady, Van Morrison, Brendan Graham, Jimmy McCarthy and indeed Phil Coulter! Im excited to get out to the smaller theatres around Ireland and back to what I consider my musical home, The National Concert Hall Dublin.

It is proving to be an eventful end to the year and hopefully the momentum will carry into 2016.

Thank you all for your continued support and I hope to see many of you again soon.

For now, keep well

My Loves

My doves

My Eggs    

Paul x

Finally I can tell you!

Its been a long time since I've sat down and written a blog to fill you all in on where I'm at, and more importantly, what I'm at!

In September my wife and myself made the very difficult decision to move home to Dublin, Ireland after four amazing years in New York. It came as a surprise to many of you, and indeed to our families and friends. We were well into the long and expensive process of getting our Greencards until one day I asked Dominique, "do you see us being here long term, considering we came for a year". The realism was, that despite having a whale of a time, we both saw our long term future in Ireland. There were a number of reasons, but the most important was the fact that we wanted to start the next chapter of our lives surrounded by family and life long friends. That being said we have life long friends in New York, Boston and throughout the States, but fundamentally, home is home!

Since coming home, it has been a roller coaster. Lots of fun times and one or two sad. In the early summer we discovered that Dominique's wonderful grandmother hadn't long left with us. Joan was a beautiful, fun character who always made me feel part of the family. We had a very similar sense of humour and all she asked of me was to look after her beautiful granddaughter. Needless to say I will always strive to do that. I had the great honour of singing at her funeral mass and it was great to have had so many great times with her since moving home. I suppose in many respects, validating our reasons for moving home.

In September I will be doing my very first bus tour of Ireland. Over the week, 40 of you will get to see what I believe are the finest spots in my homeland. Ireland has so much to offer and I can't wait to show it off. Obviously its a music bus tour, so I will perform 3 concerts for the guests over the course of the week and when the tour reaches Dublin, some of my family will come along and meet them all. Making it a personal experience too! I can't wait and think there will be lots of laughs along the way.

I've also been very busy organising a small tour in Ireland starting the end of October. The show will be themed and is called "The Great Irish Songbook". When living away from Ireland, I developed a new love and appreciation for all things Irish, and in particular our music. Most of the songs have beautiful stories and melodies written by many songwriters we know and a few we may never have heard of. So my show is somewhat of a tribute to the great songs and songwriters of my country. All too often, In Ireland, we are guilty of taking our successful artists for granted, so I hope to highlight them in my show. On the tour I will be going to Limerick,Sligo,Offaly,Waterford and indeed Dublin, with maybe a few more to be added along the way. It will be my first time to do a solo tour in Ireland in many years so I am nervous but extremely excited about what lies ahead.

This brings me on to the big announcement I have. Much as I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy my solo adventure, I have always looked back on my time with Celtic Thunder with great fondness. On a few occasions Sharon Browne has asked me to come back and perform with the group, however on those occasions it didn't suit for one reason or another. On the last tour they did of the States, I was close to rejoining but again, it didn't work out. Damian joined and thoroughly enjoyed it. I must say it was strange seeing him back and not being there with him. Then recently we all met up at a friends wedding in France and had a great time. Singing, laughing and reminiscing on good times from the past. So shortly after, Sharon asked again if I would consider performing with the group. I said I would be open to it. It was mentioned that there was going to be two Celtic Thunder performances in the States this fall and that it could be a great chance to come back and perform with the guys. On this occasion all the ducks were in a line, so I've said yes, and am very much looking forward to it. Whether it leads to more performances or tours together, who knows. We will cross that bridge when we come to it. However for the moment, I look forward to these two performances with Ryan, Colm, Neil, Damian and Emmet C. I hope I will be welcomed back into the fold as I always have been by the "Thunderheads" and I can't wait to see many of you again.
Celtic Thunder have released a press release which I have copied below for you to read. All concert details of the performances will be on their site www.celticthunder.com

My solo work will continue and I am currently working hard on getting some nice dates and venues throughout America for 2016 and perhaps even farther a field.
I look forward to seeing some of you in person, be it at the Celtic Thunder gigs, or my own solo gigs. One way or another I will be keeping myself as busy as ever.
Much love to you all and appreciation for all you have done for me and continue to do. Your support has and will always be appreciated.
For now,
Keep well

My Loves
My Doves
My Eggs

Paul

A Special Evening with Celtic Thunder!

Celtic Thunder play shows in Thackerville OK and Minot ND this fall!

Celtic music phenomenon, Celtic Thunder, will return to the US in October 2015 for two shows only; their first-ever festival engagement at the Norsk Hostfest in Minot, North Dakota and a show at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville OK. Both shows are entitled “An Evening with Celtic Thunder” will feature both past and present members of the Celtic Thunder cast.

Fans will be delighted to welcome back former Celtic Thunder members Paul Byrom, Emmet Cahill and Damian McGinty for these two very special evenings. Paul, Emmet and Damian will be featured as guest artists and will be performing alongside current CT cast members Ryan Kelly, Colm Keegan and Neil Byrne.

Backed as ever by members of the amazing Celtic Thunder Band, Ryan, Colm, Neil, Paul, Emmet and Damian will deliver much loved Celtic Thunder ensemble numbers with selections from their 9 Public Television specials to date. In addition to these incredibly popular ensemble performances, the WinStar World Casino and Resort and the Norsk Høstfest shows will also feature a wide variety of solo hits highlighting each of the 6 principal artists diverse vocal styles, ranging from traditional Irish and Celtic song to more contemporary classics. The concert-style shows will also highlight the group’s fun side with performances of all time fan favorites and Celtic Thunder anthems.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Celtic Thunder members from down through the years! Tickets for both shows are now onsale. Norst Hostfest tickets can be purchased online at hostfest.com, by calling (701) 852-2368, or in person at 1020 South Broadway, Minot ND 58701. Tickets for WinStar World Casino and  Resort can be purchased at Win Star Tickets or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-653-8000.

Celtic Thunder is the brainchild of producer Sharon Browne and since its inception in 2007 has released 11 albums, toured the U.S. and Canada, coast to coast, eight times, and Australia three times performing at over 800 shows to date. Celtic Thunder has also been hailed as BILLBOARD’s “Top World Music Artist,” along with “Top World Music Imprint” and “Top World Album” of in 2008, 2009 and again in 2011. The Celtic Thunder official YouTube channel, “Thunder Tube” has received over 28 million views since 2008. Celtic Thunder is backed by the members of the dynamic Celtic Thunder Band and their shows are known for the use of dramatic effects of lighting and choreography.