Harmony in Blue 2026

Susan McManamon & Ger Wolfe
Harmony in Blue 2026
Sherkin Island.
July, August

North Shore evensong
Bright notes bounce from wave to sky
Harmony in blue.

Harmony in Blue is a project with connection through unaccompanied singing in harmony at its heart. An initial pilot programme in 2023 proved successful and led to further development of the group in the summers of 2024 and 2025. Through participation in workshops, rehearsals and in live performance events the group have grown both in numbers and in confidence. They make beautiful harmonies together, inspired by the spectacular surroundings of Sherkin Island.

Come! Hear voices blend
Weaving words, tunes, harmonies
A haiku of song.

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This year, the group will learn and rehearse together newly composed choral harmonies for songs by singer songwriter Ger Wolfe. At the end of the programme, they will perform both themselves and in collaboration with Ger and West Cork vocal collective The Ferns. 

Margaret O’Connor, Sherkin Island

The final performance with Ger Wolfe was a brilliant finale to our summer of singing last year. Susan gets us in the groove really quickly and whether we are shy singers or more sure of our voices we are singing in harmony in no time. Being in community by the sea in this way is a real delight!

Tina Reed, Sherkin Island

Thanks so much to Susan, The Ferns and Ger for an incredible weekend of singing. It was such a fantastic opportunity to be part of, and so amazing doing backing vocals with Ger, what a great experience! And I’m so excited to realise I’m part of a group without even knowing – Harmony In Blue! Brilliant!  

Susan McManamon, The Ferns & Ger Wolfe

Susan is a musician and choral music director who has worked in participatory music projects in the community for ten years.

The Ferns are a West Cork vocal quintet who share a love of close harmony singing. Together Mary Callaghan, Tess Leak, Eithne O’Mahony, Simone O’Rourke and Susan McManamon explore the joy of great folk, traditional, contemporary and original songs using acapella harmonies.

Ger Wolfe is a multi-instrumentalist and a stalwart of the folkroots singer-songwriter scene for many years. He has just released his 10th album, this time it’s a collection of ‘Songs From Freeman’s Ballyvourney Collection’. which is enjoying a great welcome from fans of traditional singing and new listeners alike.
Susan, Ger & The Ferns love coming together with Harmony in Blue on Sherkin Island to collaborate on each others songs.

CREDITS

Haiku by poet Nollaig Rowan
Poster image of print and stitch on cotton by Patsy Atkinson
Images by Deirdre Ní Luasaigh