Music is full of hope and love for Mohammad Syfkhan, a critically acclaimed Kurdish/Syrian singer and bouzouki player, who has made his home in Co Leitrim after fleeing war and grave personal loss.
The musician says performing gives him “joy and hope” for what is to come, a remarkable attitude given what he and his family have endured. When war broke out in Syria in 2011, tragedy came to his door when one of his sons, Fadi, was killed by ISIS.
It also threatened the lives of the rest of the family, leading them to flee to Europe. Three of his sons were resettled in Germany. He arrived in Ireland in 2016 with his wife, Huda Akrish, and daughter, Noor, Al Huda, as a part of a refugee resettlement scheme, later relocating to Leitrim’s county town.
“Leitrim means everything to me. It’s a place in which I found hope and love. I wrote a song called ‘I Love You Ireland’ [as a result],” he tells Irish Country Living. He is so thankful to the country for taking him and his family in and giving them refuge.
Magic of music
Since arriving in this country, Mohammad, a former surgical nurse, has used the language of music to integrate into the local community, playing at all kinds of events and concerts. He remembers, in particular, a Christmas concert in 2016 in Mosney accommodation, shortly after his arrival in Ireland, as a “blessed beginning” away from the sadness he had felt.
Since then, his joyful singing and music have struck a chord with many, making him the toast of the folk scene in this country. He is also in big demand all over Europe for concerts, with dates in Germany and Denmark pencilled in later in the autumn. Mohammad has played support for Lankum in the Cork Opera House in 2023, appeared on the Tommy Tiernan Show on RTÉ 1, and collaborated with Irish traditional artists of the stature of Martin Hayes, Cormac Begley, Eimear Reidy, Cathal Roche and Vincent Woods.
Mohammad describes his music “as a mixture of Oriental and Western styles” to come up with new varieties, similar to a rose garden, “where you will find all kinds of roses”. It’s certainly lively, captivating music that you can’t help swaying to or thinking about.
Acclaimed singer and bouzouki player Mohammad Syfkhan.
Local concert
After touring took Mohammad the length and breadth of the UK folk festival circuit during August, he is preparing to play a concert at The Dock in his adopted hometown of Carrick-on-Shannon on 27 September following a month-long residency working on new material. The fruits of that will culminate in a world premiere of a new collection of original songs as part of a six-strong ensemble.
It is set to be a special night, which will be recorded for broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM and BBC Radio 3 Music Planet. The writing and arrangement of this new collection has been kindly supported by The Arts Council of Ireland.
“Music helps me not to forget but to hope for a future in which there is no injustice,” Mohammad Syfkhan says in correspondence, because his spoken English is not as good as he would like. However, his written word is full of descriptive expression and humour.
He agrees that there are many similarities between Kurdish music and Irish traditional music. “They have the same story and history. The only difference is the language, but music is the language of the world,” he enthuses, adding that he loves collaborating with Irish artists, with each having a “beautiful soul” and “wonderful musical style”.
Leitrim-based singer and musician Mohammad Syfkhan pictured on a visit to Dublin alongside the statue of legendary Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.
Born into a simple farming family, he says there was no tradition of music, but his brothers did have “beautiful voices”. Interested from the age of 10, he really began playing music in 1980 while he was in college studying nursing.
When he got his degree in 1983, Mohammad moved to the city of Raqqa, Syria, where he began working as a professional singer and started his own band, The Al-Rabie Band, who were much sought after all over the country. Their live sets included Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish and some Western songs, as well as Mohammad’s own original material.
He happily combined his two loves of nursing and music until war broke out in 2011, and the tragic loss of his son changed his family’s future, leading them to the safety of Europe via Turkey, taking the so-called death boats to Greece and then to Ireland as part of a Government resettlement scheme.
Mohammad has previously spoken at length of his confusion and despair with fundamentalists and how their message is a far cry from the teachings of love and understanding that he considers the true message of Islam.
2024 was a big year for the Leitrim-based musician, who released his debut album entitled I am Kurdish in February after teaming up with Nyahh Records.
It was named Guardian Folk Album of the Month and took No 1 spot on Thin Air’s top Irish releases last year. Each of the songs were recorded and mixed with a view to people listening to them at a small party, bigger outdoor concert or live venue. All of them are intended to make people dance, according to the record label.
At the time, the much-lauded performer reflected on his gratitude to the people of Ireland for giving him a safe home and allowing him to be a musician.
“I thank everyone who has stood with me and supported me,” Mohammad commented following his album launch.
“And I especially thank the Irish people who have engaged with my music in such a wonderful way. I consider myself lucky to have come to this wonderful country that has welcomed me and all refugees.”
Mohammad Syfkhan pictured alongside members of the Sultans of Ping at the Night and Day music festival in Lough Key, Co Roscommon earlier this summer.
Three of the tracks featured accompaniment by two fellow Leitrim-based musicians: composer, improviser, sound artist and saxophonist Cathal Roche, and composer, improviser and cellist Eimear Reidy, both of whom will accompany Mohammad again in The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon on 27 September along with Willie Stewart, Ihab Mahna (percussion) and Larissa O’Grady (violin).
While still somewhat pessimistic about the situation in Syria, he considers music to be the food of the soul, allowing him to retain hope and patience that conditions in the country will improve in the future.
With a second album due for release in early 2026, and the love of music, friends and family here in Ireland, Mohammad Syfkhan has many reasons to be optimistic.
See @mohammad_syfkhan on Instagram.
Music is full of hope and love for Mohammad Syfkhan, a critically acclaimed Kurdish/Syrian singer and bouzouki player, who has made his home in Co Leitrim after fleeing war and grave personal loss.
The musician says performing gives him “joy and hope” for what is to come, a remarkable attitude given what he and his family have endured. When war broke out in Syria in 2011, tragedy came to his door when one of his sons, Fadi, was killed by ISIS.
It also threatened the lives of the rest of the family, leading them to flee to Europe. Three of his sons were resettled in Germany. He arrived in Ireland in 2016 with his wife, Huda Akrish, and daughter, Noor, Al Huda, as a part of a refugee resettlement scheme, later relocating to Leitrim’s county town.
“Leitrim means everything to me. It’s a place in which I found hope and love. I wrote a song called ‘I Love You Ireland’ [as a result],” he tells Irish Country Living. He is so thankful to the country for taking him and his family in and giving them refuge.
Magic of music
Since arriving in this country, Mohammad, a former surgical nurse, has used the language of music to integrate into the local community, playing at all kinds of events and concerts. He remembers, in particular, a Christmas concert in 2016 in Mosney accommodation, shortly after his arrival in Ireland, as a “blessed beginning” away from the sadness he had felt.
Since then, his joyful singing and music have struck a chord with many, making him the toast of the folk scene in this country. He is also in big demand all over Europe for concerts, with dates in Germany and Denmark pencilled in later in the autumn. Mohammad has played support for Lankum in the Cork Opera House in 2023, appeared on the Tommy Tiernan Show on RTÉ 1, and collaborated with Irish traditional artists of the stature of Martin Hayes, Cormac Begley, Eimear Reidy, Cathal Roche and Vincent Woods.
Mohammad describes his music “as a mixture of Oriental and Western styles” to come up with new varieties, similar to a rose garden, “where you will find all kinds of roses”. It’s certainly lively, captivating music that you can’t help swaying to or thinking about.
Acclaimed singer and bouzouki player Mohammad Syfkhan.
Local concert
After touring took Mohammad the length and breadth of the UK folk festival circuit during August, he is preparing to play a concert at The Dock in his adopted hometown of Carrick-on-Shannon on 27 September following a month-long residency working on new material. The fruits of that will culminate in a world premiere of a new collection of original songs as part of a six-strong ensemble.
It is set to be a special night, which will be recorded for broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM and BBC Radio 3 Music Planet. The writing and arrangement of this new collection has been kindly supported by The Arts Council of Ireland.
“Music helps me not to forget but to hope for a future in which there is no injustice,” Mohammad Syfkhan says in correspondence, because his spoken English is not as good as he would like. However, his written word is full of descriptive expression and humour.
He agrees that there are many similarities between Kurdish music and Irish traditional music. “They have the same story and history. The only difference is the language, but music is the language of the world,” he enthuses, adding that he loves collaborating with Irish artists, with each having a “beautiful soul” and “wonderful musical style”.
Leitrim-based singer and musician Mohammad Syfkhan pictured on a visit to Dublin alongside the statue of legendary Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.
Born into a simple farming family, he says there was no tradition of music, but his brothers did have “beautiful voices”. Interested from the age of 10, he really began playing music in 1980 while he was in college studying nursing.
When he got his degree in 1983, Mohammad moved to the city of Raqqa, Syria, where he began working as a professional singer and started his own band, The Al-Rabie Band, who were much sought after all over the country. Their live sets included Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish and some Western songs, as well as Mohammad’s own original material.
He happily combined his two loves of nursing and music until war broke out in 2011, and the tragic loss of his son changed his family’s future, leading them to the safety of Europe via Turkey, taking the so-called death boats to Greece and then to Ireland as part of a Government resettlement scheme.
Mohammad has previously spoken at length of his confusion and despair with fundamentalists and how their message is a far cry from the teachings of love and understanding that he considers the true message of Islam.
2024 was a big year for the Leitrim-based musician, who released his debut album entitled I am Kurdish in February after teaming up with Nyahh Records.
It was named Guardian Folk Album of the Month and took No 1 spot on Thin Air’s top Irish releases last year. Each of the songs were recorded and mixed with a view to people listening to them at a small party, bigger outdoor concert or live venue. All of them are intended to make people dance, according to the record label.
At the time, the much-lauded performer reflected on his gratitude to the people of Ireland for giving him a safe home and allowing him to be a musician.
“I thank everyone who has stood with me and supported me,” Mohammad commented following his album launch.
“And I especially thank the Irish people who have engaged with my music in such a wonderful way. I consider myself lucky to have come to this wonderful country that has welcomed me and all refugees.”
Mohammad Syfkhan pictured alongside members of the Sultans of Ping at the Night and Day music festival in Lough Key, Co Roscommon earlier this summer.
Three of the tracks featured accompaniment by two fellow Leitrim-based musicians: composer, improviser, sound artist and saxophonist Cathal Roche, and composer, improviser and cellist Eimear Reidy, both of whom will accompany Mohammad again in The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon on 27 September along with Willie Stewart, Ihab Mahna (percussion) and Larissa O’Grady (violin).
While still somewhat pessimistic about the situation in Syria, he considers music to be the food of the soul, allowing him to retain hope and patience that conditions in the country will improve in the future.
With a second album due for release in early 2026, and the love of music, friends and family here in Ireland, Mohammad Syfkhan has many reasons to be optimistic.
See @mohammad_syfkhan on Instagram.
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