A chat with Irish Tenor Derek Mc Cormack about his music career and the release of his very first album .

Many people sadly have to live far away from home .
But for the exiles of Erin there is a special place held in the heart for friends and relations .
In our adopted homes around the world many of continually tell our family and our friends that you are never too far from my mind .

This phrase is the title of Derek Mc Cormacks latest album just released here in Australia . On this album there are thirteen songs
performed by Derek with the help of some of his friends including some of the Fureys who will soon arrive here in Australia for another tour to coincide with the St Patricks Day festivities .

Derek Mc Cormack is well known in Australia with tours
when he was a member of The Irish band Barleycorn .
That is the new Barleycorn of course and not the old Barleycorn who sadly met up with such terrible tragedy during the troubles in Northern Ireland .

Derek was first heard on Australian Radio when one of the most popular producers in the country picked up a song called Roisin
that Derek had performed . The song was an instant hit with many of the listeners to the national radio program called ,
“ Australia All Over ” that is presented by a fella by the name of Macca . After Macca played Roisin on his radio show he was
bombarded with weekly requests to play more of Derek Mc Cormack. The demand was so great that the ABC , i.e. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation released a compilation album that included Roisin by Derek Mc Cormack on it . The CD was a big seller and another big result for Derek was an immediate gathering in of new fans all over the country .

I had spoke with Derek when he came to Australia in 1998 as a member of the Fureys band . Derek played rhythm guitar with the boys and sang one song at the gig . When Derek sang Roisin the
audience exploded in applause that heralded Derek being put up
as the toast of the town that evening at the Campbelltown RSL Club . After the show a long list of people stood in line to speak with him .

I found him a quietly spoken man who is very content with life .
He told me he lives near enough to Dundalk to be happy and as far from Dublin to be comfortable with .
In recent times Derek has been responsible for providing all the music on those ferry cruses . He says with a great big smile
that its the perfect venue for him because the people have to listen to his songs , because they have nowhere else to go , unless they’d like to swim all the way back to the pier .
That is the sort of Craic you’d get from big Derek who is very humble about his great gift . Derek is your typical romantic .
A wonderful package of voice and song wrapped up in its Irishness is what you get with Derek .

For the fans of Irish music I’m sure you’ll find this Cd an invaluable addition to your music collection and indeed a rare treasure to keep .

By Paul Mc Cann - " Craic With Mc " Irish Radio - Australia