Mundy

Mundy is the recording name of Edmund Enright, a singer-songwriter from Birr, Ireland, born in 1976. He works in rock and related folk-influenced songwriting, and his career is closely tied to his home town in County Offaly.

Early releases

He releases his debut album, Jellylegs, in 1996 on Epic Records. The album includes “To You I Bestow”, which appears on the bestselling soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s film version of Romeo and Juliet.

Change of label and independent work

After leaving Epic while working on a second album, The Moon is a Bullethole, he releases a four-track EP under that title. Material from the unreleased album later appears on 24 Star Hotel, which comes out in 2002 on Camcor Records, a label he sets up himself and funds largely through his royalties from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. The label takes its name from the Camcor River, which runs through Birr and is known locally as a fishing spot.

Breakthrough records and songs

24 Star Hotel includes “July”, a song about Irish summer that receives heavy radio play and becomes his signature song for many Irish listeners. In May 2004 he releases Raining Down Arrows, which reaches number one in the Irish album chart and later goes platinum.

Collaborations and other work

In 2003 he contributes to Afro Celt Sound System’s album Seed and to Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1, where he records a version of Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever” with the words in the title switched around. He also collaborates with Sharon Shannon on “Galway Girl”, a track that becomes widely known through regular radio play.

Local context

Birr is a notable centre in his career, and the town is also linked with other record labels founded by former schoolmates, including Roesy’s Blue Coak Records and Canabrism’s Podcomplex Records. Mundy is the cousin of Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright and the nephew of former TD and Senator Tom Enright.