Irish Mythen live at Archies with Emily Ulman to deliver raw, powerful artistry

SINGER-SONGWRITER and queer protest folk artist, Irish Mythen is currently touring Australia as part of the Port Fairy Folk Festival and Woodford Folk Festival’s “Small Halls Tour”, which sees them travelling across rural and regional Victoria, literally playing at regional halls, but as part of Irish’s Australian performances, they will perform live at Archies Creek Hotel on Sunday, March 29, accompanied by Emily Ulman, an artist, storyteller, and industry powerhouse.

In an interview with the Irish, they expressed a love of sharing music in regional towns, delivering a tight, emotionally honest set that blends indie rock grit and vulnerability, with expressive lyricism on social justice. “I allow my audience to guide my set,” said Irish. “I’m not an artist who stays back in the greenroom; I’ll wander through the crowd and gauge a sense of what they want me to deliver. If they want to go up, I’ll go up; if they want to go down, I'll go down.”

Irish Mythen (they/them) is an Irish-born, Prince Edward Island–based singer-songwriter whose voice can quiet a festival field or bring it to its feet with real, raw depth in their sound.

Irish has built a global reputation the old-fashioned way - by touring relentlessly and delivering unforgettable live shows. “I’ve always loved touring, and I never used to leave the house without a notebook,” said Irish. “These days I’ll take voice notes and refine my lyrics with sound while I’m on the road.”

Irish isn't an artist who took guitar and singing lessons. “I learnt on my own. As a child, my family moved to the Middle East – a huge transition for a child at only 14 years old, and in coping with change, my mother walked in, handed me a guitar and said, ' Try a hand at this’. She must have felt something because, six months later, I was playing my first gig in Abu Dhabi.”

“Music to me is my therapy, you could say. A way of expression, sharing my experiences, and those of the world around us, a collection of love songs and lyrics on social justice.”  

Irish has appeared on stages from Glastonbury to the Sydney Opera House, shared bills with artists including Rod Stewart and Lucinda Williams, and become one of the most requested return performers at major folk festivals. Their breakthrough album Little Bones earned a 2020 JUNO nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and won Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

The record, Little Bones, pairs sweeping string arrangements with deeply personal songwriting, including songs that confront difficult chapters of Irish history with clarity and courage.

Onstage, Irish is equal parts power and presence - capable of devastating intimacy one moment and rafter-shaking force the next. Whether performing solo or with an ensemble, they create the rare kind of concert that feels communal, disarming and fiercely alive.

“I leave regional shows walking on air,” said Irish.

Irish will be performing at Archies with powerhouse artist, Emily Ulman. For over two decades, Emily has been a defining voice in Australian music, both on stage and behind the scenes.

Known for her raw, evocative songwriting and ability to craft melodies that embed, Emily’s music blurs the lines between indie rock, folk, and pop, always landing with emotional weight.

With a catalogue built on honesty, sharp lyricism, and magnetic performances, her return is a reminder of why she’s been such a respected name in the industry all along. And if you thought she was only good at programming music festivals, wait till you hear her perform.

Irish Mythen is set for a spring release this year. “I’ve seen growth in my writing, and it’s not often we say that about ourselves, so I’ll be back in December, and I’ll be performing my new music.”

Tickets to Irish Mythen and Emily Ulman are available at archiescreekhotel.com.au. Doors open at 2:30 pm for an afternoon Sunday show at 3:00 pm.