Matt McGinn (Irish songwriter)

Matt McGinn became a professional musician in 2004 after leaving Queen's University in Belfast where he was reading music. Performing as a multi-instrumentalist and session musician guitarist with Juliet Turner and Gareth Dunlop,^[3][4] McGinn also found work as an engineer.^[5]

A songwriter and performer in his own right, as of 2018 McGinn had written and produced three albums.^[6][7]

In February 2012, McGinn played at the Belfast Nashville Festival, performing 'in the round' with Nanci Griffith.^[8] Later in 2012, and together with other contributors to the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust, McGinn recorded a CD of songs intended to support those with learning difficulties.^[9]

In 2014, he won RTÉ 2FM's competition 'Play the Picnic', giving unsigned artists the opportunity to play Ireland's largest festival, Electric Picnic.^[7][10] In a review of his 2015 album, Latter Day Sinner, Folk Radio UK described some of his recordings as "drawn[ing] comparisons to Glen Hansard but, there's definite hints of Paul Simon in there too".^[11]

In 2016, McGinn teamed up with fellow Northern Irish songwriters, Ben Glover & Malojian and toured Ireland and Europe under the moniker 'Northern Lights'.^[12]

His music production credits include Jack O'Neill, an award-winning album with Guys & Dolls, and the debut album of Na Leanai.^[13]

Matt McGinn was born in Newry, County Down on 26 December 1978.^{[citation needed]} He now lives in Hilltown, County Down with his wife and family.^[2]

Albums

• 2022 – Time Well Spent^[14]
• 2020 – Lessons of War^[15]
• 2018 – The End of the Common Man^[16]
• 2015 – Latter Day Sinner^[17]
• 2012 – Livin'^[17]

Collaborations and EPs

• 2015 – Alasdair Roberts – Missed Flights & Fist Fights^[18]
• 2014 – Ben Glover – Atlantic^[19]
• 2012 – Ben Glover – The Crossroads Sessions^[16]