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She has previously studied at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Luigi Cherubini in Florence, Italy, Trinity College Dublin, where she was awarded a BA in Philosophy and Music, and of the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin, where she was a student of Mary Brennan. While studying at the DIT, Daire was awarded a BMus, MMus, the Michael McNamara medal for excellence in performance and the Gold Medal for outstanding achievement. She has also been awarded scholarships to study at some of the world’s most prestigious Summer Schools including the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, Wexford Festival Opera Young Artist Programme, the Accademia Rossiniana at the Rossini Opera Festival and the Summer Music International Summer School at Ardingly. Daire is a multiple prize-winner at many music festivals including the Irish National Music Festival: the Feis Ceoil, the Ballymena Music Festival and was the recipient of a bursary from the John McCormack Society. She has worked with world renowned singers and coaches including Rosalind Plowright, Della Jones, Jonathan Hinden, Dennis O Neill, Hans Peter Blochwtiz and Joshua Rifkin.

In April 2002, Daire made her operatic debut as Zerlina in Opera Ireland’s ‘bite-sized’ production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni where the Irish Times noted her ‘lyrical’ characterisation. She has also performed the roles of Jano (Janacek – Jenufa 2004) and Amor in the award wining production of Gluck’s Orfeo (Dublin - 2004 & Wiesbaden, Germany - 2005) for Opera Ireland. Daire is in demand as a soloist and has performed all over Ireland, the UK, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Italy and the US in venues including Carnegie Hall, the Boston Opera House and the Wigmore Hall. Daire’s work is also included on Lyric FM’s No. 1 best-selling CD Joyce Songs.

During summer 2006, she sang a duet with world-famous tenor Anthony Kearns to launch the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition 2007.

PJ performed in D.I.T. College’s productions of opera as Tamino in Mozart’s Die
Zauberflute, Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff, Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme, Alfredo in
Verdi’s La Traviata, Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto and the title role in Verdi’s Don Carlo.

He has performed in the Anna Livia Opera Festival in its productions of Faust (Gounod) and Il Tabarro (Puccini). He has also performed with Opera Ireland in its productions of Lady Macbeth (Shostakovich), Madame Butterfly and Tosca (Puccini), Jenufa (Janacek) and Rigoletto (Verdi) as Borsa. PJ recently made his operatic debut in the United Kingdom as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme.

PJ made his American debut in Carnegie Hall, New York in a Tribute to Frank
Patterson in March 2005. He performed Mozart’s Coronation Mass in Vienna in June
2006 and had the great honour of representing Ireland in the Belvedere International Singing Competition in Vienna in July 2006. He also performed the Mozart Requiem in Galway on the 1st November 2006 and is currently performing in concert throughout Ireland.

Co. Clare born P.J. Hurley started his vocal training with the well known Olive Cowpar in Limerick. He subsequently studied under the tutelage of Mary Brennan at the D.I.T. Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin and is currently studying with Robert Alderson, also at the D.I.T.

PJ has performed for R.T.E. Radio and Television and has performed on numerous occasions in the National Concert Hall, Dublin.