Cara Dillon

Kendal Brewery Arts Centre, 122a Highgate, Kendal, LA9 4HE Cumbria Kort

lau. 19.09.2026 19:30

Miðar / Skráning

Standard Theatre Seated

Few voices linger in the soul like Cara Dillon’s. A towering figure in Irish music, she has earned global acclaim and countless awards, including the Meteor Award for Best Irish Female and four BBC Folk Awards. For close to 30 years, she has occupied a singular space in folk music. Her voice—deceptively delicate yet emotionally devastating—evokes something timeless and elemental.

Central to her remarkable career is her husband and collaborator, Sam Lakeman, whose role as composer, producer, and performer has been pivotal in shaping Dillon’s sound. Their intimate live shows feature acoustic sets drawn from her extensive discography. Classics like “Black Is the Colour” and “The Parting Glass” appear alongside new material from ‘Coming Home’, her landmark 2024 release, which seamlessly weaves spoken word and song in a profound meditation on identity and emotion.

From her early days in Óige and De Dannan, through the major-label corridors of Warners and Rough Trade, her music has travelled far beyond folk’s usual borders and continues to defy boundaries—from chart-topping remixes, Disney soundtracks, to the hit TV series Derry Girls.

As Mojo magazine once wrote, Dillon possesses “quite possibly the world’s most beautiful female voice.” With ‘Coming Home’, she affirms that legacy—not simply as a singer, but as a storyteller of rare emotional depth; her voice, as always, lingers long after the last note fades.

Flytjendur

Cara Dillon
In the world of music, few luminaries shine as brightly as Cara Dillon. Known for her captivating live performances, this Irish singer seldom fails to leave audiences spellbound with her breathtaking voice and emotional delivery. Born in Dungiven and surrounded and infused with the rich cultural heritage of her native County Derry, Cara has risen to become one of the finest exponents of traditional Irish song anywhere in the world. Possessing a rare and unique voice that has been lauded since her very beginnings winning the All Ireland singing trophy aged only 14. Together with her husband and musical partner, Sam Lakeman, she has successfully steered an eclectic musical path defying the typical pigeonholes that hinder most artists in her genre. Celebrated for entwining traditional and contemporary elements she has earned both commercial success and astonishing critical acclaim.

Her most recent album "Coming Home" was shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Music Prize in November 2024. The subsequent live show, which features a stunning blend of spoken word, song, and storytelling, has enjoyed 3 sell-out UK and Irish tours since Cara first performed her new pieces in Autumn 2023. Including selling out the Grand Opera House in Belfast, The Guildhall in Derry and Kings Place in London among others.

"This is a beautiful piece of work that pulls at you like a vintage Heaney poem." - NI Music Prize

"It might just be the best album she has ever released." - The Irish Independent

"This immersive tapestry stops you in your tracks: it demands that you listen." - RnR

Cara's reach is truly global with fans to be found all over the world. She’s won countless awards and accolades including “Album Of The Year” at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, The Meteor Music Award for “Best Irish Female”, and Tatler’s “Woman Of The Year in Music” and has appeared in prestigious concert halls and at festivals the world over. Her breadth of appeal stems from a remarkable career that continually places her home and culture at the very heart of her music and began with her singing with the likes of De Dannan and Óige as a teenager, being signed to legendary indie record label Rough Trade, providing the title track and narration for a Disney film, appearing with Symphony Orchestras in England, Scotland, Ireland and beyond, all leading to contemporary superstars such as Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, and Sam Smith citing her as an influence.

Whether she's singing her native traditional songs of lost love and emigration, or original compositions, you will be hard pressed to find a more emotive and captivating performer. Cara Dillon is at the very top of her field and one has the feeling she'll remain there for a very long time.