Karan Casey - Solo Career

Solo Career

Karan left Solas at the beginning of 1999 to pursue her solo ambitions. She then moved back to Ireland, although frequently travelled between her home in Cork and America. In 2000 Karan collaborated with several other vocalists on Seal Maiden: a Celtic Musical. It was a musical version of the film "The Secret of Roan Inish", designed for children. It concerned the mythical creature called the selkie (in this case, a seal-woman). Casey's songs were arranged by her friend and regular collaborator Iarla Ó Lionáird.

In 2001, Casey finished working on her second solo album, The Winds Begin to Sing (2001) which was well received by critics and propelled Casey into a stable solo career. She released Distant Shore in 2003 and toured extensively throughout the Americas and Europe. In 2005, Casey released Chasing the Sun featuring Irish traditional and folk songs which she learned from her mother and maternal grandmother. Chasing the Sun, included a number of songs written by Casey herself as well as songs by young Belfast musician Barry Kerr. The album was well received and was the last to be released on the Shanachie and Vertical labels so that Casey, husband Niall Vallely and other associated acts could release her music independently.

In 2006, Casey joined her previous band Solas to guest on their live DVD and album, Reunion: a Decade of Solas. On the recordings, Casey was joined by all of the band's past members and current members from the period. She joined Deirdre Scanlan (Solas vocalist 2000-2007) and Antje Duvekot along with the male vocalists from the band.

In 2008, Karan Casey and her husband set up Crow Valley Music to release Karan's latest album, Ships in the Forest in Europe. The album was released on Compass Records in the Americas.