Sharon's first ever appearance in Inverness came just last November with a packed-out show in Hootananny's Ceilidh Bar. One of The Courier's top gigs of 2008, it seems the accordionist and occasional fiddler also had a good time on her Inverness stop.
"We really, really enjoyed that gig. It was one of our favourites of the whole tour," Shannon commented.
Now, just a few months later, she is returning to the Highlands with her big band next Thursday , just one of two shows in Scotland in her short UK tour, with a gig at HMV Picture House in Edinburgh the following night.
"I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be a good bit of craic, as we say, because I've got different guests," she said.
"I'd say the Scottish gigs will probably be the best of the whole tour because that Hootananny's gig was great the last time."
For this Inverness visit Shannon and her band of top Irish instrumentalists will be joined by singer and actress Camille O'Sullivan and a bona fide legend of Irish music — Shane MacGowan.
The hard living founder of The Pogues comes with something of a wild reputation, but that is not something that worries Shannon.
"I love him to bits! He's great and I really enjoy working with him," she declared. "With Shane you never know what to expect, it's different every night. We always have great fun and he never lets us down. He's very reliable and I think he would be able to do those songs in his sleep. He's a lovely genius, we're just mad about him."
Next Thursday's Ironworks' appearance may not have the intimacy of Hootananny's November show, but Shannon anticipates no dilution of the fun element.
"It's equal amount of party atmosphere," she said.
"We've never toured with Camille before and she's a great friend, so it will be great fun having her on the road and she's an amazing performer. The first time I saw her was on 'The Late, Late Show' in Ireland when she was doing a duet with Shane, so herself and Shane work very well together."
Her last Inverness show also drew on some more local vocal talent with a guest appearance by award-winning Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, so might we expect something similar at The Ironworks?
"You never know — we'll see who shows up," Shannon laughed.
"Anything goes really. Someone can get dragged up from the audience very easily. There's a lot of improvising in the tunes as well. I love it, because it's completely different every night. I really enjoy having the lads in the band."
-- The Inverness Courier, 10 April, 2009.