Ita Foley (née Mulqueeney) (born 1935)

Ita Foley (née Mulqueeney), born in 1935, is a musician from Kilfenora, Co. Clare. A niece of Jim Mulqueeney and Tom Mulqueeney and daughter to Mícheal Mulqueeney, she contributed to the success of the Kilfenora Céilí Band during one of its most celebrated eras.

In 1956, during the band’s third consecutive All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil victory — held in Ennis — Ita joined the group on double bass, adding depth to the sound of an already winning ensemble. Her involvement in that landmark performance marked a proud moment both for her and for the Mulqueeney family’s continued role in shaping the musical tradition of North Clare.

She later married Denis Foley, and today she is known as Ita Foley.