Long story short

Gráinne was born in Boston, where she began playing Irish music from an early age. Her parents brought her in a baby basket to sessions and céilís as an infant, and they traveled with her to her first All-Ireland Fleadh in Listowel, Kerry when she was just seven months old. After receiving a fiddle at age four, she began taking weekly lessons with Séamus Connolly, the renowned All-Ireland champion fiddler from Clare. Her lessons with Séamus continued for several years, and she went on to win All-Ireland honors of her own.

Along with her brothers Daniel and Patrick Murphy, pianist Peter Barnes and Séamus Connolly, Gráinne recorded her first group album when she was fifteen years old. She and her brothers then began performing across the U.S. at festivals and events, including the Lowell Folk Festival, the Gaelic Roots Festival at Boston College, and St. Patrick’s Day at the Clinton White House. 

After extensive performing in her teenage years, Gráinne became more focused on academics, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in literature and a law degree from Duke University.  She then worked as a lawyer for two years before packing her bags and moving to New York City, where she was warmly welcomed by New York’s Irish music community. Many of the musician friends she met in New York feature on her recent album, Short Stories, her first solo recording endeavor.

Gráinne is a member of the band Cherish the Ladies and also performs as a solo musician.