Loretta Egan Murphy is a master button accordion player who has been a pillar of Irish traditional music in the northeastern United States for decades.

Born and raised in New York City to Irish immigrant parents from County Galway, Loretta was immersed in Irish culture from an early age. She studied Irish music on the button accordion under the legendary Pete Kelly, a master musician from Galway. Her early musical journey included being a founding member of the Shannonaires Ceili Band, which toured extensively throughout Ireland during the 1970s.

In addition to the button accordion, Loretta also plays the melodeon and concertina. She is a multiple-time national and international championship award recipient for her solo performances, recognized for both technical excellence and deep-rooted traditional style.

As one of the most respected educators in the region, Loretta has taught hundreds of students over the years and continues to shape the next generation of traditional Irish musicians. She regularly performs at concerts, festivals, ceili dances, and local sessions across Connecticut and beyond. Her collaborations include performances with members of Cherish the Ladies, the P.V. O’Donnell Band, and Music in the Glen.

Loretta has been featured in concerts at prestigious venues such as The Glucksman Ireland House at New York University, and served on the teaching faculty of the Catskills Irish Arts Week in 2012, 2023, and 2024. Her acclaimed album Beyond the Watery Lane (2012) has been featured in the documentary Dancing at the Crossroads—aired nationally on PBS—and on the “Society and Culture” podcast hosted by Kevin Ferguson.

Loretta is also the Artistic Director of the Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society (501c3) in Fairfield, CT, where she curates and promotes a dynamic concert series dedicated to traditional Irish music.