Fergus McGee hails from the picturesque village of Loughanure in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht and now lives in Letterkenny. He is married to Rita and has one son, Kevin and one daughter, Órla. A fluent Irish speaker with a great love for old ballads in Irish and English, Fergus regularly features at traditional sessions and concerts all around Donegal and beyond. Fergus has two 12 track albums to his credit. The first “My Gaeltacht Home” was released in 2006 and his follow up “The Cottage with the Roses Around the Door” was released in July 2008, Fergus is also a song writer and among the songs that he has written is the title track to his first album “My Gaeltacht Home”. His second album also has a song penned by Fergus entitled “An Aisling” which is in the Irish language. Other songs that Fergus has written include “The Wedding Blessing” which was sung on the day of the marriage of his son Kevin to Angela. Fergus has a keen interest in all aspects of Irish culture, music, song and the language. Among the artists who influenced his singing and style were Tommy Makem, Christy Moore, Francie Brolly, Mickey McConnell and a number of local traditional singers and storytellers.



The first CD “My Gaeltacht Home” enjoyed a tremendous amount of airplay on the local Highland Radio and RTE Radio na Gaeltactha. The latest CD “The Cottage with the Roses Around the Door” has attracted a huge interest and the title track is regularly requested on a number of local radio stations from listeners on the internet from as far away as Delhi in India, Florida and Boston in the USA and several parts of Canada. The new CD has also enjoyed airplay on RTE Radio 1 on Fáilte Isteach which is presented on Saturdays by Donnacha Ó Dulaing. Both CD’s were launched in Fergus’s home village of Loughanure and the venue was packed to capacity on both occasions. Among those who provided entertainment were Seamus McGee and his band, Francie Brolly, Johnny Haughey and his band, Fergus Cleary, Niamh McGlinchey, The Solans, The Madden Family from Cavan and local artists including Neily Phaidí Boyle, Condy Boyle who played for many years with Margo and the Keynotes, Seamus Curran, Peadar Ó Baoill, Hughie Boyle and a host of other traditional musicians, singers and comedians. Among the special guests at the launch of the latest CD was Anthony Molloy who was Donegal’s All Ireland winning captain 1992 and music journalist, Donal K O’Boyle who has had a lifelong association with the Eurovision Song Contest and the Irish language writer Pádraig Ó Baoill who has been the author of several books.



Both CD’s were produced by Seamus McGee at SMG studios in Arduns, Gaoth Dobhair. Included on the new CD are a number of very old songs of Ireland which were predominantly composed by Donegal and Ulster songwriters and poets. The tracks include A Sprig of Irish Heather which was composed by the renowned Tyrone writer and poet, Felix Kearney. The Foothills of Sliabh Bán which was composed by the legendary Dungiven singer/songwriter Francie Brolly. Francie has given permission to Fergus to change some of the words in the song which allows Fergus to give special mention to Donegal’s one and only senior All Ireland winning captain, Antony Molloy. There is one monologue/recitation on the CD entitled Maolmurra – The Ballad of Doe Caslte which was composed by Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde from Cruckathee near Creeslough. Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde was noted for the stance he took on the Irish language and was represented in court by no less a man than Padraig Pearse. “Going Home” which was composed by the Navvy Poet, Patrick Mac Gill pays tribute to Glenties. There are two songs as Gaeilge. Loch an Iúir was composed by the Late Paddy Eoin McGarvey who was one of Louhanure’s most prolific historians and writers. Fergus was highly honoured when he was asked by the McGarvey family to include this tremendously well composed song which pays tribute to his native village on his new CD. The second of the two tracks in the Irish language, An Aisling was written by Fergus himself. Other old favourite including “When Two Lovers Meet”, “Lough Sheelin Side”, “The Coast of Malabar”, “The Lake of Coolfin”, “Co and Leave Me – I Don’t Mind” and the title track “The Cottage with the Roses Around the Door”. A great deal of work went into the traditional arrangement of the CD and the end product is very enjoyable.