The Irelands, photo by MikkiH@m2pics.com

By Will McGuirk

Makers don’t stop making. Even a global pandemic won’t stop makers making and thankfully so. For the rest of us, going forward will require new thinking, creativity, innovation, outside, inside, other side of the box thinking and it will be to the makers we will turn. Here in Durham Region, our artists are woodshedding new ideas and finding new outlets for their creativity. We take a peek behind the stage curtain to see what musicians are doing as shows have been cancelled worldwide.

Each photo will link to the Unison Benevolent Fund.

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Cheryl Ireland, recently voted Best Local Musicians in the 2020 This Week Readers Choice Award, and her husband, Emerson, are staples on the Oshawa/Durham Region music circuit, playing and hosting gigs and open mics. They are familiars too, to the music scene, as employees of Long & McQuade on Simcoe St. N. They have been affected on several levels by the Covid-19 pandemic so we checked in with them.

Slowcity.ca: What are you doing during this break from live music, any new hobbies?

The first few months of Covid were a difficult transition period for us. We were forced to cancel over 100 shows with The Irelands, The Emerson Ireland Band, and The Autumn Smoke combined. We went from very busy to inactive almost overnight. It took some time to get back into the swing of creativity. We have both been revisiting our love for reading, painting and visual art. I have also been working on my video editing chops.

Q: Who are the members in your band?

The Irelands consist of Emerson Ireland and Cheryl Ireland who are a married couple. In The Irelands, we both sing and play guitar. I am also the drummer in Emerson’s band (The Emerson Ireland Band).

Q: Where are you from?

We are from Oshawa, Ontario, although Emerson was born in Cordova Mines, ON, and I was born in Newmarket, ON.

Q: Have you been able to perform together in any capacity - if yes how?

We were lucky enough to secure a month’s worth of gigs at Chatterpaul’s during August. Our last show was with the incredible Hy-Hope Farm in Pickering, ON. It was an amazing afternoon, and we had a tremendous amount of support from the community. It was a really nice way to “head out” of gigs for now. The owners at Hy-Hope Farms are wonderful supporters of local music, and we would love to show them our appreciation.

Q: Where and when was the last gig you played before Covid-19 guidelines on shows kicked in?

Our last gig was at The Regent Threatre in. Oshawa, Ontario. We performed as the opening act for “The Bowie Lives” On March. 7th, 2020.

Q: Do you have any recorded music available online, if yes where?

Absolutely! Emerson Ireland’s music is all available on YouTube under his name. Cheryl Ireland’s music is on all streaming platforms under her name.