Leading Offaly singer nominated for one of music's most prestigious awards

THERE was great pride in Birr and South Offaly recently when it was announced that opera singer John Molloy had been nominated for a Grammy Award.
There are various categories in the Grammys, including pop, rock, jazz and classical. Winning one of these prestigious awards can boost an artist's career, reputation, and record sales.
Birr's John Molloy has enjoyed a long and celebrated career on the national and international stage and a Grammy award could turbo-boost his career to even loftier heights. The awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on February 1 next.
John is considered to be one of Ireland's leading Bass singers. His Grammy nomination comes on the foot of being one of the principal soloists in an opera double bill by acclaimed Athlone-born composer Emma O'Halloran.
The soundtrack for the new opera 'Mary Motorhead/Trade' is one of five nominations in the Best Opera Recording category for the 2026 Grammys. This category awards Grammys to the conductor; producer; composer, director, principal soloists and librettist of what is described in the nomination criteria as “a world premiere opera recording."
John received his nomination for his powerful performance of the role of the Older Man in the operatic adaptation of an award-winnng play by Mark O'Halloran called 'Trade' which was subsequently made into a film 'Rialto.'
John said being nominated was a bolt from the blue. He said he thought it was “all a joke” when conductor Elaine Kelly video-called him and her first words were “Congratulations Grammy nominee.” He said he will be travelling to Los Angeles for the ceremony.
The cast and creative team of 'Mary Motorhead/Trade' organised a get-together to celebrate the fantastic news over the weekend, and to make plans for their trip to Los Angeles.
John said his role in Trade was a very emotive one which had a lot of resonance with his own life story. “The opera double bill is just a fantastic body of work and when it was recorded live in Kilkenny I think we all knew there was just something very special about it,” he remarked.
Local audiences will have two chances to see John on stage between now and Christmas when he returns to Birr Theatre & Arts Centre with the Irish National Opera this Saturday, November 29 to play the role of Kecal in Smetana's comic opera 'The Bartered Bride;' and he will also perform with the Cambiata Chamber Choir and Orchestra in a performance of Handel's Messiah on Sunday, December 7, in St. Brendan's Church on Wilmer Road.

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