Irish Balladeer Dan McCabe Returns For His Biggest Australian Tour Yet, Building On A Remarkable Rise From Lockdown Viral Star To International Concert Drawcard
by Paul Cashmere
Irish singer-songwriter Dan McCabe will return to Australia in July 2026 for his third national tour, marking his most ambitious run of local dates to date. Tickets are on sale now for the six-city trek, which follows two previous sold-out visits that established a deep and enduring connection with Australian audiences.
McCabe’s trajectory remains one of the most striking success stories to emerge from the pandemic era. In May 2020, while working at Naas General Hospital in County Kildare, he began uploading self-recorded performances of traditional Irish ballads to YouTube as a personal outlet during lockdown. Within three months, one clip had amassed more than 50 million views, while his broader catalogue of performances drew more than 12 million views across platforms.
The response transformed a healthcare worker with a family lineage steeped in folk music into a national figure. Ireland’s state broadcaster RTÉ quickly took notice. A performance of Luke Kelly’s Song For Ireland on The Sunday Game, dedicated to frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19, became a defining television moment and accelerated his profile across Ireland and abroad.
Later that year, President Michael D. Higgins invited McCabe to Áras an Uachtaráin, where he performed The Parting Glass on New Year’s Eve in memory of those lost during the pandemic. The invitation confirmed his place within a long tradition of Irish balladeers whose voices have resonated far beyond the pub and parish hall.
Since that breakthrough, McCabe has built a substantial live following. His concerts across the 32 counties of Ireland consolidated his reputation as a powerful interpreter of traditional material, delivered with a contemporary sensibility that draws on folk, rock and pop phrasing. In September 2025 he fulfilled a personal ambition, performing the Irish national anthem before a sold-out crowd at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, a milestone that underscored his transition from viral phenomenon to mainstream concert attraction.
Recording projects have followed the same upward curve. His debut collection, Songs For Ireland, The Lockdown Laments, captured the intimacy of his early online performances and introduced his voice to a broader market. The 2024 album Back To Life, recorded at Dublin’s renowned Windmill Lane Studios, debuted at number one on iTunes and expanded his repertoire to include revered standards such as The Fields Of Athenry, Grace and Ride On.
While best known for his interpretations of traditional ballads, McCabe has also begun to move into original material. The 2024 single Pieces, Love Or War signalled a shift toward a more contemporary songwriting direction, with further original recordings planned.
Australia has become a key territory in that growth. His previous tours here tapped into the country’s strong Irish diaspora and its broader appetite for roots music with emotional weight. Each successive visit has drawn larger crowds, moving him into larger rooms and cementing a word-of-mouth following that extends beyond expatriate communities.
The July 2026 tour will see McCabe perform in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth. Promoters Troubadour Presents describe the upcoming shows as his most expansive Australian run yet, reflecting both demand and confidence in his continued trajectory.
For Australian audiences, McCabe’s appeal lies in the authenticity of his delivery. His voice carries the tonal gravitas associated with Ireland’s great ballad tradition, yet his stage presence and arrangements position the material within a contemporary live framework. That balance has enabled him to bridge generational lines, drawing both long-time folk enthusiasts and younger listeners introduced to him through social media.
With international touring expanding to include Newfoundland in early 2026 and ongoing dates across Ireland, McCabe’s third Australian tour represents another step in what has become a sustained international career. What began as a bedroom recording during lockdown has evolved into a global touring schedule, major studio releases and national ceremonial performances.
Tour Dates
Friday 3 July 2026, Melbourne, Prince Bandroom
Saturday 4 July 2026, Sydney, Liberty Hall
Sunday 5 July 2026, Brisbane, The Triffid
Wednesday 8 July 2026, Hobart, Altar
Friday 10 July 2026, Adelaide, Jive Bar
Saturday 11 July 2026, Perth, Magnet House
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