Drawing deeply from the music of her ancestors, she weaves Traditional Irish roots with Contemporary sounds and influences. Her songs are deeply connected to place and where folklore, language, and activism rise in song. Known for her raw and infectious energy, she embodies a fearless warrior-like spirit that inspires and unites audiences around the world.

Her eponymous album secured a place among the Irish Times’ Top 5 Folk Albums of 2022, and earned Sands a Best Folk Singer nomination at the Irish Folk Awards. Other notable projects include the ‘hypnotic and tribal’ (BBC Radio 2)Tírdhreacha agus Fuaimdhreacha(Landscapes & Soundscapes) EP, written and recorded across the four seasons in the four provinces of Ireland andGormacha,a musical odyssey that treads a path between ancient Ireland and our natural world. Sands’ passion for collaboration has led her to perform with some of Ireland’s finest folk and traditional musicians, including Hothouse Flowers, Paul Brady, Susan O’Neill, and Sharon Shannon.

Her innovative musical creations are matched by electrifying live performances – Clare brings her audiences on an exhilarating journey full of hope, celebration and heart. Recent festival appearances include Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), Fête De la Musique (FR), Festival Cervantino (MEX) and Port Fairy Folk Festival (AUS). With a new album being released in Autumn 2026, Clare is showing no signs of slowing down. She stands as a testament to the enduring power of music to unite and inspire – a troubadour for the modern age, whose melodies resonate across generations and cultures alike.

On the new album

‘They Tried To Bury Us’is a collection of songs that gives voice to the silenced: the endangered curlew; Lí Ban of Lough Neagh; lost words of our native tongue; the Rostrevor oak; those seeking refuge on our shores and the Palestinian poets whose words embody defiance and inspire generations. All songs have a deep North of Ireland connection – the album was written across Ulster with an incredible array of musicians based in the Northern counties, alongside producer Seán Óg Graham (Beoga, Karen Casey). It is an album that rises from the earth against oppression and insists that love and hope will never be buried.

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