Album Notes

Máirtín was found under a stone and brought up in a tree with many others! Of late he has been learning his trade from a little man named Larry the Leipreachán who is well learned in the ways of Éireann’s past. Mairtin is a singing, dancing, storytelling bodhrán player!!!

Storytelling has been in his family for generations, and Máirtín is, himself, a two-time National Irish storytelling champion.

The False Start was recorded in Leap, Co. Cork by Paddy Nichols with the help of Ronan Leonard and released in 2005 after a re-master from El Jay, Johnny Cash's sound engineer for 18 years, in Kansas city, KS. It is an album of all the songs that brought Máirtín through his growing years of University in Cork living most of his afternoons in Westcliffe with the lads and lassies.

Máirtín is also a professional actor and appears in the new Ken Loach film The Wind That Shakes The Barley which won the TOP AWARD ( the coveted Palme d'Or ) at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. The movie is about the Irish struggle for independence circa 1922 and Mairtin plays the character Seán. It was released in the United States on March 14, 2007.

Also an accomplished DANCER, Máirtín has been known to light up the stage with his footwork during performances. His energetic "Brush Dance" just has to be seen to be believed!

When he is not on one of his solo tours, Máirtín is the lead singer for one of the best Irish Traditional Music bands to ever cross the Atlantic known as The Fuchsia Band, from County Cork, Ireland. Máirtín is also now touring with the famous Folk singer, the Legendary Jimmy Crowley