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Gráinne 4:500:00/4:50
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Meadow Song 4:120:00/4:12
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Broken Doll 4:040:00/4:04
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0:00/4:33
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0:00/6:43
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0:00/4:06
“Their music has an enchanting otherworldliness without getting swept away in the ethereal; there is a directness and a presence. Breege's vocals are powerfully unapologetic and the duo's lyrics do not shy away in enthralling performances. They are a prime example of the wealth of talent we have and on top of that, it's always a pleasure to work with people as sound as they are. ” - Kate Twohig, Co-Director and Producer of When Next We Meet Music Festival.
The Wood of O
'The Wood of O’, Breege Phelan & Will McLellan, has been mesmerising audiences for the past seven years with their unique original material. If you enjoy haunting, heartfelt vocals that reach into the bottom of your soul, melodic fingerstyle acoustic guitar that flows between genres, then this group is worth a listen. They have been gaining notice at Irish festivals for their unique sound, channelled through the passionate and dynamic vocals of their lead singer, Breege Phelan.
Their sound takes inspiration from their eclectic tastes, citing influences from 60s folk bands 'Trees', 'Pentangle', and Bert Jansch, 'Steeleye Span', rock icons 'Led Zeppellin', modern icons 'Radiohead', to vocalists like Kate Bush, Anne Briggs and Joni Mitchell. Their music also has deep roots in Irish cultural identity: the 6 track EP was written and recorded at home during lockdown and encapsulates this duo’s diverse storytelling ability, with songs inspired by the pirate queen of Irish history, Gráinne Ní Mháille, the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, the Leannán-Sí of Irish mythology, the political Aisling style poems of the 17th and 18th century and of course, the obligatory nod to heartbreak and revenge. “These songs were born over the space of four years and the theme of the EP comes from stories that reflect our interest in human history and Irish mythology & folklore”.
This EP has a distinctly folk sound, opening with the sounds of Gráinne Mhaol’s masts creaking in the wind as she sailed along the Mayo coastline and closing with a rendition of the ancient Irish song ‘Ūrchnoc Chéin Mhic Cáinte’ written by Peadar Ó Doirnín in the mid 1700s, which blends into the atmospheric outro; an original instrumental piece called ‘Macalla’.
In May 2020, they released their first single ‘Meadow Song’, gaining airtime on numerous radio stations. Link to Meadow Song.
They independently released their debut EP ‘MountainSkyMoon’ in June 2022 and by the following June, their song ‘Broken Doll’ was shortlisted in the final 10 songs of Night and Day Music Festival Song Contest.
In October 2024, they supported RTE Folk Award Winner, John Francis Flynn in Clonmel, as part of his Ireland and UK tour.
Some highlights of the Summer of 2026 were performances as part of The Galway Folk Festival, a sell-out show in their home town of Clonmel as part of the Clonmel World Music series and playing in Trees Cafe in Vancouver as part of their singer-songwriter series.
The Wood of O is currently performing as a 3 piece, with the talented Eve Whelan on backing vocals.
Upcoming gigs: Clonmel World Music supporting Karan Casey, November 19th, Raheen House Hotel.
Press photos
