The Offaly native will launch his new band at a gala night in the Glencarn Hotel, Castleblayney, on 9 March.
This marks a whole new venture for Ciarán, who has been performing as a solo act since launching on the country circuit back in 2012.
It is also the fulfilment of a long-held dream to front his own band.
“I remember being brought along to country nights in The Well in Moate by my father and mother (Kieran and Briege).
"The interest in the music was there from an early age and even then I thought it would be great to be up on stage with a full band,” says Ciarán.
With encouragement from promoter Joe Finnegan, Ciarán began to give serious consideration in recent months to launching a full band on the dancing circuit.
“Joe is putting a huge effort behind the venture and he has lots of plans for us. Rehearsals are going great and I’m delighted with the band.
“Terry Byrne from Wexford, who spent several years with Mike Denver, is on accordion and keyboards, Denise Boyle from Donegal is on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, we have Craig Davis from Castleblayney on bass and vocals, and Declan O’Donoghue from Headford on drums.
"I also play lead guitar and we have an excellent band in place,” reflects Ciarán.
Unique
While the path that has led to the latest phase in his career had its origins back home in Offaly, Ciarán’s journey is unique in Irish country circles.
“Kevin Sheerin taught me electric guitar when I was 13.
"I got great encouragement from John Feeley from Ballinasloe, who was a teacher and professor at the Dublin Institute of Technology during my time at the college.
"John is a superb classical guitar player. I did my master’s in classical guitar at DIT.
“I later spent four years down at the Good Shepherd Campus of Waterford IT, where I graduated with a BA in music.
Dr Eric Sweeney was head of music there. He is a renowned contemporary Irish composer. There were great teachers and lecturers there, and I enjoyed my time in Waterford.
Ciarán secured a teaching appointment at Dundalk IT and was part of the team behind the first applied music course in Ireland, which was hosted at the Dundalk College.
“Students could specialise in the style they were good at. This was appreciated by many of them, as it allowed them their own choice. Some went for jazz, classical, country, bluegrass and blues.
It suited me down to the ground, as I had the advantage growing up listening to various styles.”
Back playing
Though teaching had its own appeal, Ciarán began to miss being out and about and playing some gigs with his brothers, John and Stephen.
“It suddenly dawned on me that I had to get back playing. I married Jean in March 2012, left the teaching post in June of that year and was back doing solo country gigs in July.”
Ciarán’s second single, Willie’s Shoes, was the one that got him noticed as an emerging act on the scene.
It was written by Kevin Sheerin, the legendary steel and lead guitarist with The Hillbillies back in the 1970s.
Written in Stone helped Ciarán carve a further niche in his expanding career.
He was honoured with the best newcomer at the Farmers Journal Country Sound awards night in Athlone a year later.
Looking back now I can see that I was destined to follow the country music trail.
"My special influences over the years have been Ray Lynam, Merle Haggard and Vince Gill.
"Johnny McEvoy is another one I hold in special regard. I have been privileged to have the support and goodwill of Big Tom and Margo.
The first people I brought my debut album to were Big Tom and Rose, out in Oram.
"Tom recorded some brilliant songs down through the years, always singing from the heart and in his own accent.
“All of us were saddened so much with the passing of Rose. She was a treasure. We will be including a Big Tom medley in our dance programme each night and remembering Rose too.
“It was also a great privilege for me to record a duet with Margo and I was so emotional hearing her iconic voice. It was so good of her to join me for the song and the video.”
Ciarán and his wife, Jean, and their two daughters, Sarah Jane (four) and Della (two), reside in Latton near Ballybay, the home parish of Jean.
A new single, Hold Whatcha Got, accompanied by a video filmed in Castleblayney, has been released to coincide with the launch.
• Catch Ciarán Rosney and his new band at The Glencarn, Castleblayney, on 9 March; McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, on 10 March; Country to Country Festival (guest spot) at the Dublin 3 Arena on 11 March, and the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, on 12 March. Read more
Country Sound: Mike Denver entertainer of the year
Country Sound: The Patsy Cline Music and Memories show goes on tour
The Offaly native will launch his new band at a gala night in the Glencarn Hotel, Castleblayney, on 9 March.
This marks a whole new venture for Ciarán, who has been performing as a solo act since launching on the country circuit back in 2012.
It is also the fulfilment of a long-held dream to front his own band.
“I remember being brought along to country nights in The Well in Moate by my father and mother (Kieran and Briege).
"The interest in the music was there from an early age and even then I thought it would be great to be up on stage with a full band,” says Ciarán.
With encouragement from promoter Joe Finnegan, Ciarán began to give serious consideration in recent months to launching a full band on the dancing circuit.
“Joe is putting a huge effort behind the venture and he has lots of plans for us. Rehearsals are going great and I’m delighted with the band.
“Terry Byrne from Wexford, who spent several years with Mike Denver, is on accordion and keyboards, Denise Boyle from Donegal is on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, we have Craig Davis from Castleblayney on bass and vocals, and Declan O’Donoghue from Headford on drums.
"I also play lead guitar and we have an excellent band in place,” reflects Ciarán.
Unique
While the path that has led to the latest phase in his career had its origins back home in Offaly, Ciarán’s journey is unique in Irish country circles.
“Kevin Sheerin taught me electric guitar when I was 13.
"I got great encouragement from John Feeley from Ballinasloe, who was a teacher and professor at the Dublin Institute of Technology during my time at the college.
"John is a superb classical guitar player. I did my master’s in classical guitar at DIT.
“I later spent four years down at the Good Shepherd Campus of Waterford IT, where I graduated with a BA in music.
Dr Eric Sweeney was head of music there. He is a renowned contemporary Irish composer. There were great teachers and lecturers there, and I enjoyed my time in Waterford.
Ciarán secured a teaching appointment at Dundalk IT and was part of the team behind the first applied music course in Ireland, which was hosted at the Dundalk College.
“Students could specialise in the style they were good at. This was appreciated by many of them, as it allowed them their own choice. Some went for jazz, classical, country, bluegrass and blues.
It suited me down to the ground, as I had the advantage growing up listening to various styles.”
Back playing
Though teaching had its own appeal, Ciarán began to miss being out and about and playing some gigs with his brothers, John and Stephen.
“It suddenly dawned on me that I had to get back playing. I married Jean in March 2012, left the teaching post in June of that year and was back doing solo country gigs in July.”
Ciarán’s second single, Willie’s Shoes, was the one that got him noticed as an emerging act on the scene.
It was written by Kevin Sheerin, the legendary steel and lead guitarist with The Hillbillies back in the 1970s.
Written in Stone helped Ciarán carve a further niche in his expanding career.
He was honoured with the best newcomer at the Farmers Journal Country Sound awards night in Athlone a year later.
Looking back now I can see that I was destined to follow the country music trail.
"My special influences over the years have been Ray Lynam, Merle Haggard and Vince Gill.
"Johnny McEvoy is another one I hold in special regard. I have been privileged to have the support and goodwill of Big Tom and Margo.
The first people I brought my debut album to were Big Tom and Rose, out in Oram.
"Tom recorded some brilliant songs down through the years, always singing from the heart and in his own accent.
“All of us were saddened so much with the passing of Rose. She was a treasure. We will be including a Big Tom medley in our dance programme each night and remembering Rose too.
“It was also a great privilege for me to record a duet with Margo and I was so emotional hearing her iconic voice. It was so good of her to join me for the song and the video.”
Ciarán and his wife, Jean, and their two daughters, Sarah Jane (four) and Della (two), reside in Latton near Ballybay, the home parish of Jean.
A new single, Hold Whatcha Got, accompanied by a video filmed in Castleblayney, has been released to coincide with the launch.
• Catch Ciarán Rosney and his new band at The Glencarn, Castleblayney, on 9 March; McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, on 10 March; Country to Country Festival (guest spot) at the Dublin 3 Arena on 11 March, and the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, on 12 March. Read more
Country Sound: Mike Denver entertainer of the year
Country Sound: The Patsy Cline Music and Memories show goes on tour
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