text: Rob Jastrzebski photography: Marnix Heijnemans saturday, 15 & 16 april 2000

Interview Máirin Fahy, the fiddle athlete from Galway
"I was born in a family and a region that was entirely dedicated to traditional Irish music", Máirin explains. "It is all in the family: my grandfather was one of the founders of the famous Ballinakill Ceili Band, both my mother and my aunt played fiddle, my brother Gerard performs as a piper with Lord of the Dance and my other brother Terry and my sister Yvonne are gifted percussionists. We all love music, especially the traditional stuff, which is the root of most of my songs."
	Máirin Fahy

In September 1996, Máirín joined Riverdance. She describes that moment as 'rather unexpected': "It all came very suddenly. I was asked to join the show only three days before I had to play in the first performance. That didn't give me much time for preparation! But fortunately I was able to adjust to the style of the show in time. The music wasn't easy in the beginning, since it was quite different from what I was used to play. So it really was a challenge to do it. But I Liked it and I still do. Playing with Riverdance is really a great experience." Máirín and her bandmembers lead a very busy life, due to the combination of activities. Due to her Riverdance-job she has taken a 'time-out' with Reeltime, but she tries to keep online with her solo-activities as much as possible.

Chris explains: "Sometimes things are difficult to combine, because it is too much altogether. For example, the recording of our second Reeltime-album was difficult because Máirín was also involved in Riverdance at that moment. But we managed to complete the CD and the release was a big success."
	Máirin Fahy in her band Reeltime

Máirín says she is not certain yet how long she will stay with Riverdance, but she is hesitating to join the troupe when touring to 'the other side of the world'. "The show is scheduled to travel to the far east later this year, which means that the troupemembers will not be able to go home for at least six months or so. When you perform anywhere in Europe it is much easier to go home for a while."

Máirín has been in the far east before with Riverdance, so she has experience in travelling around the globe. She says to be very impressed by her trip to Japan and by the reaction of the audiences over there. She has also been in New Zealand and once she performed for the Royal family in Monaco. Máirín says she is working on a second solo-album now and is intending to release it during the summer when possible. According to her first album, we may expect another piece of exciting and thrilling fiddle sounds.
text: Rob Jastrzebski photography: Marnix Heijnemans
	Máirin Fahy

message from Máirin Fahy to the CelticCafe		read the next interview with Liam O'Flynn