Dawn Doherty
Dawn Doherty was born in New York City and raised in Castlebar, County Mayo. She developed a love of Irish music, having been immersed into music and singing at an early age by her mother Maryanne and father Joe, both with a family history of music. Dawn is an All-Ireland champion musician and singer, competing in the Fleadh Cheoil, an Oireachtas, Readoiri and Scor. Dawn has performed professionally as both a solo artist and as part of CCÉ Comhaltas group throughout the United States and Europe with the Castlebar branch of CCÉ, County Mayo.
Dawn received an honors B.A. degree in Irish Music and Dance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, and an honors master’s degree in music therapy. After graduating, Dawn worked in Cherry Orchard hospital Dublin as a music therapist, working with adults with neurological disabilities, and privately with children and adults with special needs in hospitals, nursing homes and primary schools all over Connaught. After Dawn moved to New York, she pursued a second master’s degree, and graduated with first-class honors from Lehman College University with a master’s degree in science and education, special education, in 2016.
She is the director and founder of Echo Music Therapy and has experience working with adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities, brain injury, mental health, autism and dementia.
Dawn was recognized by the Irish Echo for the 40 under 40 awards in 2019, and she was the winner of the People’s Choice Awards. In October 2022, Dawn receive the Irish American Community Service Award by The American Irish Association of Westchester, N.Y. In 2023, Dawn was honored as Mayo Woman of the Year 2023 by the Mayo Society of New York.
Dawn’s music background is extensive, and she hails from a family of musicians. Dawn credits her grandmother, Sarah Lynskey, for introducing her to the Sean-nós style of singing. She has mastered this style and has performed annually as a guest artist for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Dawn has performed for former Mayor(s) Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph Giuliani and for the former U.S. Consulate General Ambassadors for Ireland Niall Burgess and Jean Kennedy Smith. She has performed in prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, and Wolf Trap, Va., with country and western music star Ricky Skaggs.
Since her time in New York, Dawn started the Dawn Doherty Academy of Irish Music and Singing at the Aisling Irish Community Center and St Mark’s School, Yonkers. Dawn is also the music director of the Aisling Irish Center Ballad Group and is co-director of the Aisling Irish Center Ceili Band, along with her teaching partner Frankie McCormick.
Dawn’s Academy of Irish Music & Singing traveled to Nashville in April 2023, performing on the grounds of the Grand Ole Opry. In June, 10 of Dawn’s students performed at Carnegie Hall, singing with selected choirs from all over the U.S.
Dawn is an advocate for promoting Irish language, and her students recently competed in the Irish language competition at the Mid-Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil in Parsippany.
Her students have had several winnings, most notably winning All-Ireland medal at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil for music and singing in Ireland.
Dawn has truly found a way to merge her love of Irish music and signing and is committed to passing on those skills and her love of music to the next generation of budding Irish musicians and singers.