Singer Damien Dempsey was formed by his north side Dublin roots, but he has reverberating west of Ireland connections too.
The Donaghmede singer/songwriter makes no secret of his left-wing political leanings, and speaking to the Advertiser this week, he says he will use his gig in Leisureland this Saturday, December 13, to call for left unity in the upcoming Dublin Central and Galway West bye-elections.
“Yeah I’m a big fan of Catherine Connolly and I’m happy she got in. The Left should unite really: we’ve got to get Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael out, or they’ll create a perpetual government. They are two sides of the same coin, and it’s time now for someone else to have a go, and for them to go away a while and think about being better,” he declares. Regardless, he says his gigs are foremost about the music: "I do sometimes talk a small bit about politics with the audience, but I want people to have a good time, so it's really all about the old sing-song."
One of Dempsey’s ancestors emigrated to America after the famine, then returned from Massachusetts to Kilmaine, Co Mayo, with Dempsey’s seven-year-old grandfather. He was soon after incarcerated for four years in St Joseph’s Industrial School, Letterfrack, on the Dickensian charge of ‘wandering’ after a complaint from a parish priest.
Dempsey returns to Letterfrack each year where he plays a session with Michael Gannon on Connemara Community Radio, often with Michael ‘The Hogg’ Casey on banjo, the musical Hernon family, and others.
“I go down there now regularly, and have a great session with all the locals there, and it kinda claims Letterfrack back for me, if ya know what I mean?” Dempsey asks no one in particular, and it is perhaps an insight into how the 50-year-old views music as integral to living a better life, as his songs have famously tackled difficult topics, including loss, bullying and suicide. “With the furniture courses there and a book shop and publishing, they’re really putting the good vibes back into that place” he says. "I go there, and it's healing for me."
Dempsey is involved in a unique project, Songs and Stories, with Phillip Cribbin of Galway Community College in Moneenageisha, to “get children off their phones, and maybe sing a song, or tell a story, or say a poem” and the two men are discussing a similar project for Alzeimhers sufferers, pensioners' groups and youth organisations. He also champions Born Without Hate on www.Inspireyou.com which encourages students to express solidarity with the Palestinian people through creative arts.
Old Irish tradition
"Singing is very good for you, and it's a great link to our Gaelic past. I grew up in the sing-song tradition at home, and I just want to pass it on, to be honest - we can't let it die."
He retains contact in Kilmaine too, especially old friend Jackie ‘The Duke’ O’Connor, while his Manchester-based cousins, the Brehenys, hail from Tuam. "Martin Breheney told me he went home there a while back to see the old house on Gilmartin Road, and found a horse wandering out of it!" he laughs, but - as with much Demspey mentions, or sings - there is an understated poignancy too.
Last year, after a seven-year gap, Dempsey released his latest album Hold Your Joy, produced by John Reynolds. This is perhaps the most complete body of work from Dempsey, and he will draw from it this weekend in Salthill.
"There's a song or two when people might cry, about missing people and that, but I like to give the audience a roller coaster of emotions, so they leave on Cloud Nine for a few days," he says. "I like to bring people up at the start, maybe they'll have a cry in the middle when I play 'Chris and Stevie' about two friends of mine, and then bring them up again."
The Dubliner is currently working on a new collection of old Irish traditional songs he heard growing up, with a release expected in February. Gaelic Gold is the working title, and he says he will sing a few in Galway.
"Find peace with yourself in the craziness of the world. Music is good for this, but it's singing - just sing! That'll always bring a good vibration."
Support this Saturday night is from "the Springsteen of Derry," songwriter Declan McLaughlin.
Damien Dempsey plays Leisureland, December 13, with doors at 8pm. Tickets €43.70 from www.RoisinDubh.net
