Athlone's Amy releases her debut solo single
By Rebekah O'Reilly
Athlone native musician Amy Gilligan has always has a deep love for music, which has been threaded through her life since childhood.
Growing up in a home filled with sound, she was immersed in melody from the beginning. Her father, the late Kevin Gilligan, played with the Athlone Town Pipe Band, while her mother, Jackie Kennedy, an Order of Malta volunteer, encouraged her natural draw to instruments and song.
“Music was simply part of everyday life,” Gilligan recalled. “I started with the tin whistle and singing, but at 14 I picked up the bass guitar, and that is the one that has really stayed with me.”
Her journey into singing was shaped by a single moment that still resonates today. As a child, she heard Stay by Shakespears Sister, a song that gave her goosebumps and a lasting connection to performance.
“I can still picture myself with karaoke machines, red wigs and microphones, promising my mother I would sing in America,” she said. “In some ways, I have kept that promise.”
The passion began to flourish after Amy moved to the US. She gained attention through collaborations with Reckless High, a high-energy nu-metal band from Houston, Texas, blending heavy riffs, and raw emotion.
This online connection led to the release of Burn in March and Weekend Vibes in September.
The first track carried a message of struggle, while the second celebrated joy and belonging. Both tracks highlighted Gilligan’s ability to bring emotion and perspective into her music.
The 35-year-old, performing as Gilly In The Mist, released her debut solo single 'Cut My Name Into Your Skin' earlier this month. The song shows a heavier, more personal side of her artistry.
“This release feels like me stepping into my own voice,” Amy said.
“It is darker and more intense than my collaborations, but that is where a lot of my truth lies.”
The track was created alongside producer and engineer Sulleiman Omar, whose guidance Gilligan credits as transformative.
“Sulleiman has been incredible to work with,” she said. “His creativity and support have been instrumental in bringing my vision to life. We have enjoyed the process so much that there is more music in the works already.”
For Amy, performing as Gilly In The Mist is about more than making music. It is about identity and expression. The stage name marks a new chapter, one that reflects not only her roots in Athlone but also her determination to push boundaries and tell her own stories through sound.
From dancing around her childhood bedroom to releasing music on international platforms, Amy’s journey has been one of persistence, creativity, and heart.
With ‘Cut My Name Into Your Skin’ now available, she is inviting listeners into her world, a world that promises grit, vulnerability, and a voice that is distinctly her own.