Dear M,

Sounds like what you're looking for are English translations of songs originally written in Irish. Here are a few suggestions:

The Dawning of the Day
The Snowy Breasted Pearl
Mairín de Barra
The Brink of the White Rock
Have You Been to Carrick?
The Coolin
My Fair-Haired Girl

And here are some other suggestions:

Sorry The Day That I Was Married
The Wee Article
Still I Love Him
The Bantry Girl's Lament
When I Was A Fair Maid
Biddy Mulligan
The High Hills of Derry

As for "exotic" songs -- I really don't know where you're going with that. As for "showcasing the vocals", your voices are going to have to do that for you, not the song. Singing acapella would be 'showcasing' yourselves, surely. My advice is to pick some good material, put it in a proper (and comfortable) key for the two of you, then practice, practice, practice. Even if you pick an often heard song, a well formed, arranged and practiced performance will do you in good stead.

-- Áine