Dark folk trio Saltaire have released their new single, Matty Groves. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
Saltaire are comprised of singer/cellist Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz, guitarist Ian Kinsella and bodhrán/bouzouki player Conor Lyons.
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Kaitlin, a performer with 2025 RTÉ Folk Award winners Natalie Ní Chasaide and Iarfhlaith Ó Domhnaill, has also played with the Frankie Gavin and De Dannan alongside fellow Saltaire member Ian Kinsella.
Conor is a founding member of The Bonny Men and performs with both Cullen-Verhauz and Kinsella in Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin's live band, with all members featuring on his debut solo album The Deepest Breath.
Their new release is their take on traditional folk song Matty Groves and features banjo player Ryan McAuley of ALFI.
Matty Groves follows the recurrent folk motif of a noblewoman who, having ended up in a transactional or non-consensual marriage, claims some semblance of autonomy by having an affair with a man 'beneath her station' - a serving man on the estate.
Speaking about the song, Saltaire vocalist and cellist Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz says, "We draw a lot of inspiration from boundary pushing folk bands of the 60s and 70s like Pentangle and Fairport Convention.
"The Fairport version of Matty Groves has always riled me up - it's mischievous and dark, and sexy in a folky sort of way, so we used that as the springboard foundation for our own interpretation.
"This particular melody, commonly used in different adaptations of Matty Groves shares its tune with the traditional Appalachian folk song Shady Grove, so we were really fortunate to have our friend and master five-string banjo player Ryan McAuley bring that old-time character to the track."
Saltaire will launch Matty Groves at The Turks Head Basement, Parliament Street, Dublin on Tuesday 19 August at 7pm. Tickets are available here.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Kaitlin: I’m from New York, I love a good sea swim with good friends, and I believe in the restorative power of taking yourself on a solo date to the movies.
How would you describe your music?
Ian: I suppose it’s a kind of folk music. I’ve heard some people describe it as alt-folk and dark-folk also. I guess there are different learning curves and instrumentation between us (classical, American folk and Irish trad), which have shaped a sound that doesn’t neatly fit into one genre.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Conor: Planxty for the musicality, Frank Harte for the songs, and The Chemical Brothers for the rhythm.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Kaitlin: My first live gig that I can recall was Bob Dylan in Madison Square Garden in 2001. I'm afraid I was too young to truly appreciate the magnitude of that.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Ian: The first CD I ever bought was Mariah Carey’s Christmas album. There are too many ironies to get into on that one!
What’s your favourite song right now?
Conor: The Man Who Sold the World, Nirvana unplugged edition.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Kaitlin: This is one of those impossible questions to answer decisively and definitively, but for the last while my favourite lyric has been from Townes Van Zandt's Lungs and it goes: "Fingers walk the darkness down, mind is on the midnight; Gather up the gold you found, you fool its only moonlight . . . " Although truthfully that whole song is my favourite lyric.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ian: Tough question but based on the context I think the themes of loss and change in Livin’ Thing by ELO might see me through this hypothetical conundrum.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Our music can be found on all streaming platforms as well as beloved Bandcamp! Instagram (@saltaire__) is probably the best place to keep up to date on what we're at, live dates, releases etc. For more in depth updates (but very sporadic - three a year max), you can also visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter mailing list.
Alan Corr
