New Mayo band breaking fresh ground with debut concert

A new Mayo band are aiming to spread their messages on important topics as they run a concert exhibiting local talent in Tooreen next month.

‘MacHenry and The Dog Roses’ are a three-person band consisting of vocalist Ethan Henry, harp/piano player Elizabeth Burcovschi, and harpist Victoria Burcovschi.

READ MORE: American national savagely assaulted in Dublin says he wants to live in Mayo for good

The group are in their infancy.  Both Ethan and Elizabeth are 18-year-old Leaving Cert students, while Victoria, Elizabeth’s sister, is a 21-year-old medicine student at UCC.

However, they don’t shy away from complex subjects in their work. Their November 2024 debut single, ‘Lost in Space’ covered someone lead man Ethan Henry knew with dementia, while ‘After the Rain,’ their January release, touched on the afterlife.

In conversation with The Mayo News, Ethan spoke on how he hopes their debut singles and future album will strike a different chord to some of the other music on the market.

“I know there’s a lot of love songs out there, and while they might be great songs and everything,” he said. “I think it’s better to talk about other things that actually matter to people and resonate in a different way.”

The Ballyhaunis native also spoke on his relationship with their music.

“I think music is an extremely powerful tool. It can be used to connect people around the world even without them realising it.

“I like to look at music as a way of expressing my emotions and thoughts on things that do matter.  We have another song which talks about war and why it happens.”

READ MORE: What's the connection between Easter Rising rebel and Mayo town?

The band's name pays homage to the roots of Ethan and his bandmates. The Burcovschis’ mother hails from Moldova, and the Eastern European nation's national flower, the dog-rose, is enshrined in the name.

Their early gigs, coupled with the reception to their current music, have given the trio the music bug, and their commitment is epitomised by Victoria Burcovschi’s 6-hour trips from Cork for practice.

Their next ambition of a full album is no mean feat, not least financially as their lead singer recognises all too well.

“By the time you mix and record the album, get it pressed on vinyl, hire out drummers and guitarists, and all the other costs, you’re looking at anywhere up to nine grand,” he acknowledged.

“It’s extremely expensive. We understand that the gig won’t get near those figures. We’d obviously be funding the rest ourselves.”

The band will be hoping that their concert, taking place in Tooreen Hall on March 1, can act as a springboard to propel the band and raise funds for the album.

Henry hopes that the event will be a showcase of local talent, with six acts taking to the stage. Local businesses have also lent a helping hand, with donations for a raffle at the gig.

“Liam Foody has two singles out, he’s gone out to America to record,” he stated.  “Joanne Gallagher made the finals of a Midwest Radio competition, Bandjaxed are great. Magda will be playing their second-ever gig, and it’ll be Daire Caulfield’s first-ever time on stage.”

“Its going to be free admission and there’ll be a place to donate at the door. If they donate 35 euro or more they’ll get our first album for free.”

It may be early days for the band, but listening to their releases so far will strike a universal chord with raw topics like illness and the afterlife.  The band hopes their work can serve as a common point of support for listeners both on the night and beyond.

“I genuinely do think our music can impact people, and that’s what this band was made for,” Ethan said.

“Obviously we want to go on and make this a career, but we also want to try and connect on a different level with people, and make them see their issues more clearly and realise that they aren’t alone.”

“I always think that if people do come, I really hope they resonate with at least one song or topic we talk about.”

The group's Spotify can be found here, while their GoFundMe can be found here.