Christy Mc Namara grew up in a musical family in Crusheen, County Clare. He plays accordion and concertina and is a specialist in black and white photography. 

His debut recording ‘ The House I was Reared In‘  was released in (2007). This year sees the release of a new recording of his original compositions ‘The Year of the Blizzard‘. Christy has been part of the session scene over many years and a regular performer at festivals including Scoil Samhradh Willy Clancy and The Feakle Festival.

He was a soloist with live score and orchestra for the screening of the film ‘Barry Lyndon‘ (Stanley Kubrick) at The Kings Theater Brooklyn, New York City in 2017.

His photography of traditional music is featured in his book ‘The Living Note‘ (O Brien Press 1996) with author Peter Woods, it received wide acclaim.

His work has been exhibited extensively at home and abroad over the last three decades and is held in both public and private collections worldwide. He was photographer in Residence at ITMA for 2022.

He is featured in the film documentary  ‘The Job of Songs‘ on traditional music in County Clare.

In 2023 he was invited to do an an exhibition of his photographic work on traditional music and to perform at Masters of Tradition festival in Bantry, Co.Cork