Mary Dillon (born 1964) is an

Irish folk Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there we ...

singer from Northern Ireland, known for her work with the traditional band Déanta. She launched her solo career in 2010 with the release of an EP entitled ''

Army Dreamers "Army Dreamers" is a 1980 song, the third and final single to be released from the album ''Never for Ever'', by Kate Bush. It was a UK top 20 hit in October 1980. Background "Army Dreamers" was released on 22 September 1980 and peaked at numb ...

''. She is the sister of singer Cara Dillon.

Early life

Mary Dillon was born in Dungiven, where she still lives with her two children, a son and a daughter. She was raised in a musical household and one of her five siblings is fellow folk singer Cara Dillon. She has never pursued singing as a full-time career and currently works as an English teacher at St Cecilia's College in Derry.

Music career

Mary Dillon started singing at an early age and by her mid-teens, she had twice won the All Ireland Singing Competition at

Fleadh Cheoil The Fleadh Cheoil (; meaning "festival of music") is an Irish music festival run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), a non-profit organisation. The festival includes live music events as well as competition. Each year a single town or cit ...

na hÉireann. In the 1990s, she recorded three albums with the Irish traditional band Déanta. In 2010, she released a digital-only EP containing covers of ''

'' by

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...

, ''Undone in Sorrow'' by

Ola Belle Reed Ola Belle Reed (August 18, 1916 – August 16, 2002) was an American folk singer, songwriter and banjo player. Early life Reed was born Ola Wave Campbell in the unincorporated town of Grassy Creek, Ashe County, North Carolina, to Arthur Camp ...

and ''

Streets of Philadelphia "Streets of Philadelphia" is a song written and performed by American rock musician Bruce Springsteen for the 1993 film ''Philadelphia'', starring Tom Hanks, an early mainstream film dealing with HIV/AIDS. Released as a single in 1994, the son ...

'' by Bruce Springsteen. In 2012, she joined fellow Irish folk singers Niamh Parsons and Tíona McSherry to form an a cappella group called Sí Van.Irish Masters at Ulster Fleadh 2012
Retrieved 12 November 2012.

Discography

Solo

* ''

'' (EP) (2010) * ''

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...

'' (Album) (2013)

As a member of Déanta

* ''Déanta'' (1993) * ''Ready for the Storm'' (1994) * ''Whisper of a Secret'' (1997)

Collaborations and guest appearances

* Cara Dillon – '' Cara Dillon'' (2001) * Cara Dillon – ''

Sweet Liberty ''Sweet Liberty'' is a 1986 American comedy film written and directed by Alan Alda, and starring Alda in the lead role, alongside Michael Caine and Michelle Pfeiffer, with support from Bob Hoskins, Lois Chiles, Lise Hilboldt, Lillian Gish, and ...

'' (2003) * Eamon Friel – ''Waltz of the Years'' (2003) * Various Artists – ''Boys of the Island'' (2005) * Cara Dillon – '' After the Morning'' (2006) * Cara Dillon – '' The Redcastle Sessions'' (2008) * Eamon Friel – ''Smarter'' (2009) * Sullem Voe – ''All Naked Flames'' (2009) * Krista Detor – ''Barely'' (2015)

Notes and references

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dillon, Mary 1964 births Living people Folk musicians from Northern Ireland Women singers from Northern Ireland People from Dungiven Musicians from County Londonderry