Mick Flannery and Susan O Neill

In late February 2020, Mick Flannery invited Susan O’Neill to join him and the Opera House Orchestra onstage at Cork Opera House to perform their stand out song ‘Baby Talk’, which was released the following week. Neither could have known it would be their last performance on an Irish stage for over 20 months, until they returned—fittingly—to the same venue on the first night of Ireland’s reopening after a global pandemic had shut down the world and kept us all at home.

During that unprecedented time, Mick and Susan began writing and recording together, ultimately creating a full album of original songs. The result, In the Game, was released in September 2021 to widespread acclaim. It debuted at No. 1 on the Irish Independent Albums Chart, remained in or near the Top 20 for several weeks, and went on to become the biggest-selling record in Ireland by a non-major label in 2021.

Mick and Susan took In the Game on the road throughout 2022, touring extensively across Europe and North America. Their performances captivated audiences, with the album’s songs forming the backbone of a moving, timeless narrative about the life of musicians—on stage and off, in love and in struggle. In the Game has since become a cherished record both in Ireland and abroad, where it continues to find new listeners.

Now, five years after that first performance at Cork Opera House, Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill reunite on the same stage—this time with their full band—to perform songs from In the Game in what promises to be an unforgettable evening.