Mayo man plays iconic country music venue that hosted Taylor Swift

Mayo musician Niall McCabe has described his recent performance at the iconic Country and Western venue the Grand Ole Opry as ‘surreal.’

The singer-songwriter, originally from Clare Island, travelled to Nashville to perform on the stage that once hosted iconic names such as Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.

READ MORE: Mayo airport announces changes ahead of summer season

Mr McCabe received rave reviews from the Tennessee audience for his performance and received a standing ovation at the 4,000-capacity venue.

For him, the dream of treading the sacred floorboards and performing at one of the true homes of country music was one which had been a long time coming, particularly given the fact 2025 marks the 100-year anniversary of the venue opening

“The Opry was a big deal in our house growing up,” said McCabe. “To be invited to sing there during its centenary was surreal. I was thinking about my family, about Clare Island… it felt like one of those rare full-circle moments.”

According to the website The Tennessean, Mr McCabe’s performance maintains a strong link between Ireland and ‘Music City’, as Nashville is often called.

“Circumnavigate west around Northern Ireland’s tip to find Niall McCabe’s home of Clare Island, Ireland, population 130, off the country’s northwestern edge,” journalist Marcus K Dowling writes.

“Sit with the crooning, guitar-strumming performer long enough and the roots that tie him in 2025 to artists like Uncle Dave Macon and Ernest Stoneman making waves with hillbilly blues and folk songs 100 years prior becomes obvious.”

Mr McCabe was joined on stage by Grammy winner Ron Block, an experience he described as ‘incredible’ given the constant backing track of Block’s band Union Station in his home growing up.

“It felt like Irish folk and American roots music were all converging in that moment,” he stated, “like the music I’ve always loved had somehow carried me to that stage.”

He has since returned home to Ireland and will be performing a four-date tour as part of his new album launch.

His Westport show in the Town Hall has sold out. However, tickets are still available for his gigs in The Everyman Cork, Button Factory Dublin, and Monroe’s Galway.

Those who want to listen to more of his music or listen to ‘Stranger’ when it releases on May 9 can do so here.