Biography

In 1997 Marc Michael and Stephen Cooper started playing Irish folk music together because of their mutual appreciation of the tradition.  Friends soon convinced them to start performing live and The Molly Maguires came into being.  Since that time the duo has performed at any number of Southeastern venues including Something Different, The Lizard Lounge, Jacob's Ladder, Finnegan's Pub, The Attic and numerous regional folk festivals and celebrations. 

Both men are of Scots/Irish descent and view playing in the Irish tradition as a means of celebrating and sharing the rich heritage of Gaelic history.

The name "Molly Maguires" is taken from a 19th century secret society of Irish immigrants who rose up against oppression and abysmal injustice in the Pennsylvania coal fields.  Vilified by the mine operators and the Pinkerton agency, the Mollys were brought to trial and the leaders of what some consider the first organized labor movement in America were hanged.  The Mollys were vindicated in 1993 when the state of Pennsylvania officially overturned the verdict against the group and they took their place in history as the folk heroes they really were.