The High Kings perform at Mullingar Park Hotel on Friday December 7.

High Kings bring ballad tradition to Mullingar

Hot on the heels of their ‘Decade’ world tour, The High Kings are coming to the Park Hotel in Mullingar in December for a concert that is sure to be a blast.

Ten years performing, The High Kings move the Irish ballad tradition into the here and now, capturing the hearts of music lovers of all ages.

True to what is great in the tradition, the contemporary quartet have received the stamp of approval from Christy Moore and Ronnie Drew, the lead singer of The Dubliners.

A perfect pre-Christmas night out, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of seeing The High Kings perform live, perhaps December 7 this year is the time to do so.

The High Kings are Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden and George Murphy.

Formed in 2007, the band brought out a self-titled debut album, released in 2008, that reached number two on Billboard Magazine’s World Music chart.

Their follow-up album in 2011, Memory Lane, also rose to the top of Billboard’s World Music Chart, and during their second tour of the US, that year – having graduated from playing small venues to larger halls – everyone involved realised the fan-base was growing into something that no one had predicted. Subsequently, the group’s tour of Ireland sold out within hours.

“The gigs were getting bigger and bigger,” as they put it themselves. “We felt we were breaking down barriers.”

More was to come in 2013 with the group’s third studio album, ‘Friends For Life’, which featured original songs among the traditional fare.

With ‘Grace & Glory’ in 2016, the band widened their appeal and fanbase.

Last year the band continued intensive touring of Ireland, the UK and America, in tandem with a rapid growth in their digital and online profile.

It was also the year that the band reached their 10th anniversary, and they released ‘Decade’ a compilation celebrating outstanding songs and performances, as well as embarking on a world tour with the same name.

The departure of original High King Martin Furey and the arrival of young-gun George Murphy has brought a new hunger to the High Kings and their audiences.

Their concert in Mullingar promises to be a joyous celebration of the music and song of yesteryear, this time performed in a contemporary style and arrangement which still remains true to the original.

Mullingar Park Hotel, Friday December 7. Doors open 7pm, concert starts 8pm. Tickets €30 from ticketmaster.ie and hotel reception 044 9337500.