I used to love flags as a boy and the American flag was one of my favourites.
Looking back now it almost had the same colors as the Superman costume.
I was always envious of boys who came back from their summer holidays with stuff from Florida or NYC or Disney World because I never thought I'd make it there.
Years later I would get to tour the USA a few times and annually I would do a gig in New York City.
The feeling of crossing the bridge into Manhattan gets me every time. There's no other city that gives me that feeling. The world is a small and magical place and the world is in New York.
Almost two years ago after I played a charity show for Barretstown at Webster Hall, I was about three blocks from the venue with a fellow musician, carrying all our equiptment. We had to stop every couple of minutes to rest and re-bundle.
A friendly Irish girl approached us and asked us if she could help. She said that she was at the show and thought we were great.
We told her we were had eveything ok, which we didn't, but she kindly insisted on helping us.
After packing up, we eventually found a bar that was quiet enough to have a chat and a drink, The Scratcher.
We asked her what she did and she said she worked for a website in New York and that she would keep an ear out for some gigs that might be going. We swapped e mails and that was it. We carried on into the night to the aftershow and went our separate ways.
As it turned out, that girl was Aisling Keogh, IrishCentral's Marketing & Business Development Director.
A few days later I am back in Dublin and I check my e-mails and there's one from Aisling. She said she told her boss (IrishCentral's founder and publisher Niall O'Dowd) that the Barretstown Charity Concert was a great success and that we did well. He asked her to ask me if I was available to play at the White House in Washington DC for the 'Passing of the Shamrock' an annual event on March 15th.
I couldn't believe my luck. I didn't talk about it much until I was actually under the historic roof.
I was accompanied by my friend Deni Bonet on violin, who had also played at the show in New York. We played five songs - three of mine, Galway Girl and a Bruce Springsteen song.
It was dreamlike to be among my fellow country men and women who have flourished in America down through the years.
Afterwards we got to shake hands and take photos with President Obama and First Lady Michelle. She was extra fabulous.
The moral of the story?
New York's a small world. Be nice to strangers. You'd never know who they are!
Now that you've read Mundy's amazing story of playing at the White House, listen to his song picks in the following playlist.
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PLAYIRISH USA with IrishCentral brings you the latest music being created in Ireland right now.
PLAY IRISH is an IASCA initiative to promote Irish music both at home and overseas. This playlist is brought to you by the IASCA, visit their website here: www.iasca.ie.
IASCA is the Irish Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. Based in Ireland, their members are the Irish music writers of all genres - artists, songwriters, composers and lyricists. Their goal is to represent their members, support them, protect their interests and create an environment where new talent can thrive.
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