Beannacht

Beannacht is the acoustic duo featuring Deirdre Forrest (lead & harmony vocals, songwriter, ukelele) and her uncle Thomas Johnston (harmony & lead vocals, songwriter, acoustic guitar, bodhran, tin whistle). Formed in November 2009, Beannacht (the Irish word for "blessing") has been catching the attention of many with their original music, a blend of contemporary Irish, classic rock, folk, bluegrass, and blues. In March 2011, the duo was named "Best New Artist" at the Jersey Acoustic Music Awards in Asbury Park, NJ. In November 2011, they also received a nomination for "Best Acoustic Act" at the Asbury Music Awards in Asbury Park, NJ. In December 2011, Beannacht was named one of the Top Irish Music Makers of 2011 by Mike Farragher and the Irish Voice. Their debut CD, "Gra na Firinne" (Love of Truth), was released in November 2011, and is available on CDBaby and Itunes. The CD ranked #19 on New Jersey Stage's Top 70 Albums of 2011. In 2012, Beannacht received six more Jersey Acoustic Music Award nominations, with Deirdre winning Best Female Songwriter.

Whitehouse Station, NJ