The Floating Opera

Cork’s finest, The Floating Opera have been bringing the best in electric blues to the Irish circuit for more than three decades. An early highlight was playing support to hero, Rory Gallagher, at the Everyman Palace on his final visit to Cork. A cameo appearance on Shay Healy’s legendary RTE TV programme Nighthawks led to invitations to play at festivals and clubs all over Ireland. The band members are notable globetrotters in their portfolio careers, which encompass an impressively wide variety of musical genres and activities, detailed on their individual bio pages below. The Opera is a labour of love, kept fresh through a selective programme of gigs in Cork’s most iconic venues: The Corner House, Coughlan’s, The White Horse, Everyman Palace etc.

The name…

The Floating Opera album represents the best of the repertoire that we have developed over the years, recorded and produced carefully by the band members themselves. We are happy that it is a good representation of our work, with a ‘live’ quality that should appeal to our select, established audience, and find new listeners through broadcast and streaming services.

Áine Whelan

Vocals and guitar, need I say more…

Johnny Campbell

Bass and vocals, the most youthful band member, and its beating heart.

Paul Seymour

Keyboards and vocals, adds colour and conscience to everything we do.

Jerry Fehily

Drums, our little flower, more groove than a 70s vinyl.

Hal O’Neill

Guitars, master of the ranch, and buccaneer of the blues solo.

John O’Connor

Saxes, a musician of notable girth, always has something to say!