The Meath lady is celebrating 30 years in showbiz and the release of The Country Collection, a double CD featuring 40 of her most popular and requested songs from over the years – marking another milestone in her enduring career.

The mid-1980s saw the arrival of Mary on the national scene. It was the era of pirate radio, when country and pop stations could be found on the medium-wave radio band, up and down the country.

Many of these stations filled the void vacated by an out of touch national broadcaster and they proved masters at giving countless thousands the kind of music they wanted to hear and not what RTÉ thought they should listen too.

One of Mary’s lucky breaks was securing management by Sean Reilly. The Dublin-based Cavan man had guided Ray Lynam and The Hillbillies through their most successful years and had a fine grasp of the country scene.

Sean also spotted the early potential in a young Daniel O’Donnell. He took over the reins of management and the rest is history.

It is no coincidence that the country career of Mary Duff has dovetailed so well with that of Daniel. She has toured with Daniel in various countries around the world over the years and is currently on tour with him in Branson, Missouri.

“I suppose in the eyes of so many countless thousands of people who come to Daniel’s shows, I have become closely associated with these shows as the guest performer for so many years. The shows have developed over the years and are now at the top of the tree when it comes to professionalism and attention to detail,” says Mary.

Early solo success came through such songs as Yellow Roses and Daddy’s Hands: “These are must-do songs for me at this stage,” reflects Mary. “Daddy’s Hands was one that audiences and listeners took to from the outset. Yellow Roses is one of my most popular songs. It was composed by Isla Grant and tells a great story.”

The new collection features a vast array of country classics, including San Antonio Rose, Walking After Midnight, Rose Garden, 57 Chevrolet, Coalminer’s Daughter, She’s Got You, Jealous Hart and A Picture of Me Without You. There are also five duets with Daniel O’Donnell, which they perform on a regular basis during Daniel’s tour shows.

The duet numbers are Hey Good Lookin’, Somewhere Between Your Heart and Mine, Together Again, Have You Ever Been Lonely and Top of The World.

Mary, whose dad Tom was a member of the Meath panel that won the All-Ireland senior title back in 1954, can be very pleased with The Country Collection. This is a lovely showcase of her kind of country.

It is now available countrywide on Rosette Records through all the various outlets. More details can also be had from www.rosetter ecords.com CL