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Born and raised in Limerick City Ireland, Yvonne grew up in a family of singers. The oldest of nine children one of her favorite ways to pass time was to sing. Anything from rebel songs to what ever was popular on the radio during the 60s and 70s would do. Yvonne moved to upstate New York in 1991 and almost immediately began a professional music career. Teacher by day and singer by night along with her original work as a graphic artist amounted to some very busy days for her, soon the teaching job became the one to go, leaving Yvonne with a lot more time to work on her music.


She began by saying that she will only do it as long as it stays fun for herself and her husband Michael, it hasn't all been ups but there have been very few downs for her career so far and she has met all of her closest friends in America through the music.

Some of these include
Frank Jaklitsch who is an extremely talented Singer -Songwriter who Yvonne has worked with since 1994. Frank has been a tremendous influence on the music Yvonne has chosen and she has learned so much about all aspects of the music business from him over the years. Frank has 8 Albums to date and is always working on new music

Scott West is not only a wonderful Fiddler but also a great singer and teller of bad jokes. Scott has worked and recorded with just about every performer and group of Irish Music in the Albany area and further afield. Scott also plays piano keyboards

Bill Engelhardt of the Foothills Trio .Bill and Yvonne first got together for a Christmas Concert Benefit a few years back and found that they had a lot in common in their music ideas. Bill having been a bass guitar player in the Foothills Trio now had a chance to further explore his lead guitar playing.
Bill also sings lead and backing vocals.

John Cromie was also a part of that Christmas Concert as part of another group and it was the first time Yvonne had met him and heard him play the "Penny Whistle" or tin whistle, he also plays with various individuals and groups. John has been the whistle in several recordings in the capital area.
John is totally absorbed by his craft and it would be rare to meet him without a whistle on him, and him willing to give you a tune at the drop of a hat. John Cromie's musical talents have been called on from across the ocean in the home of the Tin Whistle, Ireland. He has been chosen to be the whistle player in a one man play about a whistler.


Yvonne used the live recordings of Finnegans Wake Festival to make her first CD "Yvonne Mahar Live" The musicians she used for this festival were Sam Whedon a very accomplished singer song writer who lives and works in Schoharie County NY. At his farm in the valley Sam creates wonderful music and it was a great pleasure for Yvonne to get to work with him, also playing on the CD is Stephan Orsini who plays the acoustic bass and is a full time student of music. This young man is a perfect partner for Sam's guitar playing. Joining them on the recording is Sean McGloin on fiddle, who is a member of "The Shieling" a traditional Irish group who are becoming increasingly visible on the folk music scene.
Sean has had a long career in music starting to play the fiddle as a child and continues to learn new music and instruments including the pipes.



Yvonne has always been a strong singer of ballads, preferring to sing accapella as she did growing up, she always includes two or three solo songs in her sets. Although she has a great love of the music of her own country and of the songs written by Irish writers such as Mick Hanly and Jimmy McCarthy, she will always have a surprise song up her sleeve, from American Folk to Blues if it's a good song it deserves an airing.

Yvonne has been a steady listener to the WAMC radio show "Hudson River Sampler" Hosted by Wanda Fischer. This show has been a great inspiration to Yvonne and has acted like a crash course in American Folk and ethnic music from all cultures for her eager ears. Wanda never fails to provide food for thought about the music styles of our area and further afield from the Adirondack folk songs to African folk.

Yvonne with Bill and John has been a guest on North East Public Radio's "Off theRecord" hosted by Rachel Philips, she was chosen as News Channel 13 Artist of the week in February 1998, She has been a regular guest on WVCR's "Proud to be Irish" and at the other side of the Atlantic she has been a guest on Radio Luimni a radio station out of Limerick City which goes out all over Europe via satalite. Yvonne has been played on many radio stations at both sides of the ocean and has been a recent feature in the news papers of her homeland as well as positive reviews of her CD by "Irish Music Magazine" and other publications. Yvonne feels there is too much music in the world to restrict yourself to just one kind, what she grew up with is a solid base on which to grow and explore from. A lot of the songs from her homeland are sad songs dealing with immigration, famine and war. People love to hear these songs and Yvonne loves to sing them but she always manages to keep the feeling light with either herself or Bill shaking out a sing-a-long or clap-a-long song. She feels there is a lot to put right with regards to peoples understanding of her country's history and present day situation, the media has not always been as equal in its reporting of the events in the "Troubles" as they are today. When she sings a song about the history Yvonne will explain the events the song talks about and will always answer questions later. She works with anything from one guitarist to a full band depending on the gig. She will draw on the talents of the audience to "help her out with a song" and often she will have musician friends who come to hear the show and bring their instruments along.

WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE TO SAY

"Jewel of the evening was still the balladeering of Yvonne Mahar, now of Albany, but five years out of Limerick city. The real thing. A haunting, plaintive voice suited to the agony of Irish history, which is what most of this music is about. She grew up next to a famine graveyard, where the stones were all tumbled down and the names long ago rubbed away . The mournful, the lost, is in her blood. "
March 17, 1997 Fred LeBrun, Albany Times Union.

"Yvonne Mahar from Limerick City obviously loves to sing, she took her love for singing across the Atlantic to Albany New York where she now lives. Yvonne has a clear musical voice which is sure and confident when she is doing something which has been done definitively before" (Irish Music Magazine)

Yvonne Mahar is making a name on the Festival circuit, materially she favours the lyrical approach to Irish folk music relying on composers like Jimmy McCarthy, Mick Hanly, Noel Brazil and Cathie Ryan to name a few. With her clear strong voice an comparison with Mary Black is obvious. Sean McGloins subdued fiddle and Sam Whedons guitar add subtle deft touches instrumentally. Yvonne Mahars crystal clear vocals make for laid back pleasurable listening and the best is yet to come Check her out.

John O' Regan , Broadcaster Freelance Journalist (for Rock'N'Reel Mag UK With the emergence of Yvonne Mahar as a leading name in the US celtic Circuit yet another Parishioner is on the road to glory. " John O' Regan Limerick Ireland, Parish News.

"The Multi Talented Yvonne Mahar. Certainly one of the Most Interesting people in the Irish Music Scene".
Eamonn Mc Girr for Proud to Be Irish Radio

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