Tyrone’s Eoin Maneely talks all-things touring and new tunes

Wolfhound are a five-piece folk band who describe themselves affectionately as ‘four Tyrone men and an Armagh woman’ who are ‘trailblazing a musical revolution’.

The band features Pierce Whitehouse on guitar and vocals, Eoin Maneely on banjo, mandolin, fiddle and vocals, Niamh McGrane on fiddle and whistle, Ross Lavery on electric guitar and vocals and Tristan Ferran on drums.

Having started out under the name ‘The Knights’, they recently embarked upon a transitional period in which they re-branded themselves with their new name as well as a slight line-up change – a move which has been proven to benefit them, as they go from strength-to-strength in establishing themselves as one of hardest working groups on the scene.

Eoin Maneely, aged 31, said that the transition within the band ‘couldn’t have went better’ as he discussed the first gig they played in August following the groups relaunch.

“Our first gig was at the All Ireland Fleadh which was a brilliant start for us,” he reflected. “To perform on such a big stage to such a big crowd at the biggest festival in Ireland was definitely a great way to kickstart our new chapter.”

It has been quite the busy year for the quintet, who also performed in Dubai for a third time this year, as well as a string of festival dates in Holland and Germany.

Eoin spoke of the magic of the international festival circuit and their love for Irish music saying that, “The good thing about Irish music is that it travels all over the world.

“No matter where you perform it, it will always attract an enthusiastic audience.”

Wolfhound play a combination of classic and lesser-known folk and traditional songs.

This year, they released their debut single which was a cover of the Amble track, ‘Mariner Boy’, which was produced by their very own Ross Lavery.

“We are also working on some original material which will hopefully be released next year if all goes to plan,” Eoin explained.

Having gained an impressive following since their official debut in August, fans will no doubt be highly- anticipating original material from them in what is sure to be a busy 2024 for Wolfhound.

“Next year, we’re heading to New York to play four gigs over St Patrick’s Day weekend,” he continued. “We will also be playing in London, and at Irish festivals in Holland, and most notably, Germany, where we will be playing at an Irish festival in the largest cave in Europe.”

With an abundance of ambition and focus driving them, Eoin discusses the bands collective influences.

He said, “We all like a bit of everything between, but as a collective, I would say we are inspired by the likes of The High Kings, We Banjo 3, and The Mary Wallopers.”

With a dedicated following on social media, the band don’t shy away from sharing their experiences from the road.

Since August, they have shared a series of special performances which were filmed live from some of Ireland’s most recognisable settings.

“When Pierce and Niamh joined the band this year, we thought it would be good to share a few live performances online. So, we made our way down to the Titanic Quarter in Belfast where we filmed a version of ‘Black Velvet Band’ which went down well,” he said.

Most recently, the band have paid tribute to the late Shane MacGowan with a special cover version of the iconic Pogues song, ‘Fairytale of New York’, which was filmed amidst the chaos of Temple Bar in Dublin.

“We certainly weren’t the first to have a go at a cover of ‘Fairytale’,” Eoin added. “But, with the recent passing of Shane, and with Christmas just around the corner, it just felt right.

“The live videos are always fun to make, and the response is always brilliant. And we also made a bit of a night of it in Dublin afterwards and went out and enjoyed ourselves.”

From their debut performance at the All Ireland Fleadh, to their most recent trip to Dublin, and with big things coming in 2024, Eoin concludes that, “You could see us popping up anywhere…

“We’ve even played on a boat and in the back of our own van, so the possibilities are endless, really.”

Ahead of a busy year, you can catch Wolfhound on the local stage this festive season as they take to the stage in Sally’s in Omagh on December 23, Tomneys in Moy on December 29 and Sonny McSwines in Letterkenny on December 30.