About Gerry Tully
Gerry Tully is an Irish folk singer, guitarist and songwriter from County Meath, Ireland. A natural, self-taught musician, he has been performing since his early teens, building a musical life shaped by folk songs, ballads, storytelling and more than forty years of playing in front of audiences.
At sixteen, Gerry played guitar in his father’s band before finding his way into rock bands, traditional duos and trios, and eventually the folk and acoustic music that would become central to his work.
His first venture into recording came in his early twenties with the EP Grist for the Mill. From there, Gerry worked extensively on the music circuit throughout County Meath and Leinster.
In 2002, he toured Ireland, England and Germany with the traditional group Cóisir and appeared on Gantrí, the TG4 traditional music programme presented by Séamus Begley.
He later spent three years touring Europe and the United States as guitarist and vocalist with Derek Warfield, a founding member of The Wolfe Tones. Gerry eventually left the group to concentrate on his own music and songwriting.
Original Music
In 2008, Gerry released his debut album, Leaves Float Down, featuring thirteen original songs. The album received airplay in Ireland and abroad and marked an important step in establishing his own voice as a songwriter.
That same year, Gerry performed alongside Don Baker, Ronnie Drew and Finbar Furey during their Working Class Heroes Irish tour.
He appeared at the Folk en Pagaille festival in France in 2012 and returned the following year to headline the event.
In 2014, Gerry opened Dublin’s first festival weekend dedicated to the music of Leonard Cohen, held at Liberty Hall. That night he also launched his Maverick EP, which included his interpretation of Cohen’s Hallelujah.
Gerry completed a BA in English Literature and Philosophy in 2016. His interest in philosophy, society and the human condition has naturally found its way into his songwriting, particularly in songs such as Strange Beasts and Little Gadfly, while songs including Rise Up and The Fracking Song reflect his engagement with social and political themes.
These songs appeared on his 2017 release Things Heard, alongside folk songs drawn from the traditions of Ireland, Scotland and England.
Songs, Stages and Stories
In 2018, Gerry assembled a band for a sold-out performance of Love, Sex and Death — The Songs of Leonard Cohen at Brogan’s Hotel in Trim.
In 2019, he appeared as a guest of The Legend of Luke Kelly at Vicar Street, Dublin, during the 35th-anniversary concert commemorating the life and music of Luke Kelly. Gerry subsequently joined the show and performed with the group until 2026.
When live music came to a halt during the Covid pandemic, Gerry began performing weekly Facebook Live request shows, building an audience at home and abroad. He was also invited by LMFM to perform his original material online.
In 2020, Gerry was selected for a Meath music initiative involving Sofft Productions and Meath Arts Office, highlighting musicians from across the county. His performance of his original song Strange Beasts was subsequently featured through Hot Press.
Today
After more than forty years of playing, Gerry’s approach remains rooted in the same thing that drew him to music in the first place: the song and the story behind it.
His current solo work includes Folk, Ballads And Beyond, a collection of songs gathered over a lifetime of listening and performing — moving through Irish folk and ballads to the work of songwriters including Leonard Cohen, Richard Thompson, Paul Brady, Gillian Welch and others, alongside Gerry’s own compositions.
He also performs Gerry Tully Sings The Christy Moore Songbook, a live celebration of songs associated with one of Ireland’s most enduring folk artists, approached with the respect and understanding that comes from Gerry’s own lifetime spent playing folk music.
Whether interpreting a familiar song or singing one of his own, Gerry’s performances are shaped by experience rather than polish for its own sake — an instinctive, self-taught approach developed over decades of playing, listening and finding his own way through a song.