Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer

Not too many gigs these days, busy in the kitchen down at Pat Shortt's Bar in Castlemartyr in East Cork.

Mike Hanrahan spent many years in the music business as a performer, songwriter, guitarist, singer, producer and administrator before exploring and understanding his other passion, cooking. He trained at Ballymaloe Cookery school, worked with some private catering companies, a Gastro Pub in Dublin and then returned to work as a teacher at Ballymaloe Cookery school and organic gardens with Darina Allen, Rachel Allen and Rory O’Connell. He joined the team at Pat Shortts in September 2010 as head chef.He is deeply committed to cooking local produce and using his Ballymaloe skills to create a unique pub food experience.Needless to say you will hear him perform his songs, the odd time, at the pub.

Mike's early music work began in Ennis, Co. Clare withTumbleweed, a duo with acclaimed Irish vocalist and Grammy nominee Maura O Connell who now works out of Nashville US. He then spent 15 years with the world renowned Irish music group Stocktons Wing, writing songs, recording several albums and performing across the globe
He was writer , producer and guitarist with Ronnie Drew for ten years from 1997 to 2007 and music director, performer and producer with the acclaimed show “An Evening with Ronnie Drew and Eleanor Shanley”.

He has two solo Cd’s, Someone Like you and What You Know.
He has recently worked with Leslie Dowdall, Eleanor Shanley, Sean Regan, Cork singer songwriter Sean Kelleher, Roy Buckley.Maura O Connell , his brother Kieran and Tommy Hayes. He was Music director and guitarist for the very successful show The Legends Of Irish Folk which featured Finbar Furey, Liam Clancy, Paddy Reilly, Johnny Mcavoy, Jim McCann and Ronnie Drew.

Beautiful Affair written by Mike for Stocktons Wing voted top 75 all time great Irish Songs by RTE radio. Voted no.7 Best Irish Song poll for the last 25 years @ Today FM radio.
He was chairman of the board of The Irish Music Rights Organisation for six years protecting the copyrights of Irish songwriters.

He left the music business for the food industry in 2007.