Glasgow-based fiddle player Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín took to the stage with Irish pop band The Corrs at the OVO Hydro on Sunday night, stepping in with only a few hours’ notice after Sharon Corr was forced to withdraw from the performance.
The 29-year-old, originally from County Mayo, Ireland, had just one sound check to prepare for the show at the 14,000-capacity venue.
Despite the whirlwind nature of the invitation, Éadaoin described the experience as “absolutely unbelievable” and praised both the band and their fans for their warm reception.
Contacted by a fellow musician on Sunday afternoon, Éadaoin managed to squeeze in a planned folk workshop in Edinburgh before driving back to Glasgow.
She used the car journey to familiarize herself with The Corrs’ music, listening to their back catalogue in a bid to prepare.
“It was just boom, straight into it,” she shared on BBC Radio Scotland’s Drivetime program. “There was only about an hour left on sound checks, so we just ran through as much as we possibly could.”
She also worked through some of the material with the band’s guitarist before stepping out in front of thousands of devoted fans.
Although Éadaoin had never played The Corrs’ music before, she was familiar with their iconic hits.
“I think there wouldn’t be a person in Ireland that wouldn’t have listened to The Corrs,” she said, adding that the intricate fiddle parts presented a unique challenge. “I just threw myself in and tried to do the best I possibly could.”
The Corrs, who achieved massive success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with over 40 million albums sold, are nearing the end of their year-long tour.
The band took a hiatus between 2006 and 2017 but have remained beloved by fans worldwide.
Éadaoin praised The Corrs as “kind and welcoming” and reflected on the crowd’s generosity during the show. “They genuinely have some of the best fans in the world.
The crowd in Glasgow was amazing, so kind and welcoming—it made it so much easier,” she said.
Her impromptu performance was a testament to her talent and adaptability, making it a night to remember for both her and the audience.
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