Talented songbird Emer winging her way to Portaferry next month with her folk music

Talented songbird Emer winging her way to Portaferry next month with her folk music

23 July 2025

AN acclaimed folk singer is bringing her ‘Folk Threads’ show to Portaferry next month.

Emer Dunne, from Laois, will be performing in The Portico of Ards at the annual Sails and Sounds Festival on Saturday, August 2.

Audiences can expect a heartwarming evening of timeless folk songs including Wild Mountain Thyme, Sweet Sixteen and Grace, along with a few contemporary surprises.

Emer will be joined by talented musicians Niall Hughes (guitar) and Shane Meehan (fiddle) for this special acoustic trio performance.

Described by Hot Press as “an entertainer through and through”, Emer’s Folk Threads show weaves together Irish, Scottish, English and American folk songs with energy and vitality.

Following the success of her No1 debut folk album, Hourglass, produced by the renowned Bill Shanley, who has worked with Mary Black and Paul Brady, Emer has continued to rise, earning three No 1 songs in the Official Irish Charts and glowing national attention.

She has completed three headline Irish theatre tours, alongside two years performing with folk legends The Fureys, and Emer joined The High Kings in Australia last summer.

This autumn, she will embark on her own US tour.

Emer gained widespread attention after performing on RTÉ One’s Today Show, and her voice continues to feature across national and local radio, including RTÉ Radio 1’s Rising Time and the Ronan Collins Show.

Her work has been praised by Irish Music Magazine, Hot Press, Irish Independent, Irish Country Living and more.

“We are really looking forward to our show in Portaferry — it’s my first time performing in this beautiful venue, and I look forward to playing for and meeting the audience there,” Emer said.

“The show is packed with well-loved folk songs, and there’s something for everyone to sing along with and enjoy.”

Don’t miss the chance to catch this rising star and her skilled musicians live in Portaferry.  

Tickets are available on The Portico of Ards website or over the phone on 028 4272 8808.