Sara Dougherty Carter

The Un-Crowned Queen of Country Music

McGrory’s Backroom Bar

Culdaff, Co. Donegal

8.30pm – Wednesday, 12th August 2026

As part of the 2026 Gathering of the Ó Dochartaigh Clann Association, Idir Dha Loch Productions is proud to present a special one-night-only performance of Sara Dougherty Carter – The Un-Crowned Queen of Country Music.

This original production tells the remarkable and often overlooked story of one of the pioneering figures of early country music — a woman whose voice, songs, and influence helped shape the foundations of the genre itself.

Born on 21 July 1898 in Wise County, Virginia, Sara Dougherty grew up in the Appalachian Mountains before becoming internationally known as Sara Carter of the legendary Carter Family. Intrigued by her maiden name, producer Pearse Doherty suspected a possible Irish — and perhaps Donegal — connection. That curiosity led to a chance meeting in July 2025 with Eva Doherty Gremmert of the Ó Dochartaigh Clann Association.

Further research revealed that Sara’s second great-grandfather, James Dougherty, was born near Letterkenny in 1771 before emigrating to the United States, uncovering a fascinating ancestral link between the pioneering country music icon and Donegal.

Special guests on the night will include acclaimed singer-songwriter Finbarr Doherty, singer and fiddle player Helen McCabe, along with many more admirers of Sara Carter and her timeless songs.