Dear Mairead,

Just received my copy of Imeall in the post today, thanks so much! I first discovered your amazing voice and music because of my wife. She's a Kelley from Co. Clare and during our honeymoon trip to Ireland back in 1998 I chanced to hear an Altan CD playing in a shop in Dublin. Since then we've both been hooked on your music, and we listen to it often. Hope you'll be able to get to Texas one of these days...we'd love to catch a live show. Thanks again!

Cheers

All good things are wished for you. Dick and I often listen to your music and it never fails to lift our hearts. We hope that next year you will get to Florida, USA, so we can see you in person. I bet the wee daughter is growing like a fresh spring flower.
Come see us in Florida. Our town of Frostproof is NOT frost proof!
Regina Bane Bennett

Hi Mairead,
Pat and I are looking forward to seeing you and the boys in Berkeley on the 19th1
Slan
Brian

Dear Mairead, Thank you for taking the time last night to allow a photo with me with the entire group. I wanted to make sure you got those few photos of your father I had taken about 5 years ago during one of his sessions up the road there in Bunbeg. I thought I had some more of him and I will keep searching. The last time I was there at the pub your brother and I talked for a while and took some photos afterwards. Did not have time to ask last night, but I trust you enjoying your role as a parent as much as I do. It is the best title in the world (even better than Most famous person of Donegal. Thanks again for always being so nice and making my birthday this week memorable.
John (from Cincinnati)

Mairead,

My daughter, Tierney, will be performing Ceol an Phiobaire as one song at her vocal recital this May. We are not Irish (we are Mexican) and so we had the song translated and written out phonetically by and Irish language teacher here in Portland, OR USA. I was wondering if you had any particular performance notes or pronounciation tips for her. She is 12 years old and has sung in both Italian (Le Boheme) and French (Carmen) while performing with the Portland Opera and German (Bach) with her choir. She has a good grasp of language and inflection but any advice you have for the non-native speaker would be great.

Also, I will be accompanying her on this song and if you have a chart that would be very helpful for me.

Thanks you in advance for your time. We have enjoyed your music for many years and look forward to the seeing you if you ever make it to the northwest United States.

Matt Dorado

Hi Mairead,

I was down making a visit to my mother today and read her copy of the Donegal News covering your award.

Although she is a bit forgetful of recent events, she reminded me of a long ago incident where our paths crossed.

My brother Danny and I stayed every summer with my mother's family, The Doogans, in the house next door to where your father stayed briefly (the Curran's house) and, for some reason, we got involved with a fight with your brother, Gearóid, and yourself. I say fight, it was more a case of hurling insults that escalated to wildly throwing stones. One of them, flung by Gearóid, must have come within inches of my face and I went crying to my mother and got you and Gearóid into trouble with your father, Francie.

Anyway, apart from the belated apology to Gearóid and yourself, can I offer general congratulations on your recent award and general achievements.

Good luck with the future! My brother, Danny and sister, Bridie, have built a new house down the field from where my Aunt Gracie still lives and I should be back for a few days this summer. I'll look out for any local performances.

Tony Gillespie

Mairead
Hope you enjoyed the night in the Burlington
Good luck in U.S.A
Tony

Ona trip to Baltimore, during a weekend in Ireland, we where invited to see Mairead perform in a small castle in the village with an audience of at the most 50 people. Being from Holland and not knowing her music ( and language) we where stunned by her voice and the emotional impact it had on us, her music is the language of interpersonal contact, honest, genuine and pure. Thank you for letting us be part of this.
Meino de Vries Groningen Holland.

Mairéad, a chara,

Looking forward Altan's US tour. Bringing some family to the gig in Berkeley, CA. Should be great craic!

Will you have any Imeall CDs available at the gig? I'll be buying an Altan CD too. ;-)

Le gach dea-ghuí,
Scott

hello mairead,congratulations on being chosen as donegal person of the year and on the meteor nomination for 'imeall'which i am still enjoying listening to.i'm sure i'm not alone in hoping for another solo cd. all the very best .peter