BIIRD is an all-female Irish folk music band formed in 2024 by Lisa Canny, a seven-time All-Ireland champion on harp and banjo. The group describes itself as “an Irish traditional music collective collaborating with Ireland’s leading designers and stylists to change the perception of trad worldwide.”[1]
On St Patrick’s Day in 2024, the 11-piece group performed their first gig to a crowd of 10,000 at Trafalgar Square in London. They have since performed at the Belfast TradFest, Galway International Arts Festival and the All Together Now festival, and have appeared on Irish talk show, The Late Late Show.[2][3][4]
In 2025, following a meeting with Ed Sheeran at a pub session at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford, they were invited to join his Loop Tour in New Zealand, Australia and North America as a support act along with fellow Irish acts Amble and Aaron Rowe.[5]
In May 2026, it was announced that the band would be one of the support acts for Westlife‘s 25th Anniversary World Tour.[6] In the same month, it was reported that the band were working on their debut album at Decoy Studios in Suffolk.[7] The album is part funded by Ed Sheeran.[8]
References
- ^ Cardona, Dylan (5 April 2024). “New trad supergroup BIIRD announce debut show in the London Irish Centre”. Hot Press.
- ^ Gill, Sarah (28 December 2025). “BIIRD: ‘Trad music has stood the test of time, it’s bigger than all of us and it never will die’“. Image.
- ^ “BIIRD swoops in for Arts Festival”. Galway Advertiser. 12 June 2025.
- ^ Mullally, Una (30 August 2025). “Lisa Canny on Biird: ‘Irish people are looking for something more authentic’“. Irish Times.
- ^ Corr, Alan (23 September 2025). “Sheeran picks three Irish acts as support on US tour” – via www.rte.ie.
- ^ “Westlife 3Arena residency is a big Irish celebration”. RTÉ. 1 May 2026.
- ^ Fox, Matt (17 May 2026). “The girl group who’ve sold out venues and toured the world – without releasing a record”. BBC.
- ^ Mather, Alison (28 May 2026). “Review: BIIRD and Spodo Komodo at Thekla Bristol”. 365Bristol.com.