Laura McCarthy

Laura McCarthy is a folk singer-songwriter based in rural Cork. Having grown up on a dairy farm and studied ecology and organic horticulture, she has a passion for sustainable living and the environment that inspires her music.

Her debut album 'A Landing Place' released October 2025, is a concept album about landscape, ecology and farming. An evocative tapestry of musical styles from its punk rock opening, through lush string waltzes to old-time country, banjo picking, and melodic piano, 'A Landing Place' is a country woman's insight into the current ecological challenges of the Irish landscape and the ecocidal times we live in. It passionately advocates for us to open our eyes to the destruction of nature and value our natural heritage.

In January 2016, she released 'Gan Ainm', an EP of six original songs, recorded with Karen O'Doherty (band member of Mick Flannery), receiving airplay on Raidio na Gaeltachta as well as local radio stations.

Laura won first prize in the Cork Folk Festival Noel Brazil songwriting competition in 2017 with 'Cronin's Plough', inspired by Jim Cronin, an organic farmer who works his fields with horses in Co. Clare. 'Cronin's Plough' attracted the attention of RTE Radio 1 presenter Ruth Smith (Simply Folk), who played it on air and included a link to it on the RTÉ website, describing Laura as one of '..the new generation of Irish folk talent.'

In May 2020 Laura received the Arts Council Covid-19 Crisis Response Award to create a 17 minute music film titled 'Music of the Land' featuring her original folk songs drawing on the local landscape and soundscape of rural west Cork.

Laura is a co-host of the Inchigeelagh Folk Club, at Creedon's Hotel, Co. Cork where she also organises local songwriter nights.