In 2020, folk singer songwriter Paddy Dennehy released his debut album Little Light; it was five years in the making, and in his Folk Radio album review, Bob Fish concludes: “Bare nerves and raw emotions, backed by arrangements fueled with a combination of power and panache create the heart and danger at the soul of Paddy Dennehy’s music. Fermented over time, Little Lights rings out as a beacon, illuminating the roads we continue to travel.”
His new album, ‘Love and Be Brave’, was created in a far shorter time frame but is no less potent an offering, as the title track testifies to below. The album is out this Thursday, 25th May 2023 and is followed by several Irish tour and festival dates, with more to be announced (see below).
Paddy shared the following on the title track:
‘Do you know where you’ve been? Do you know where you are? Love and be brave.’ That thought is what this song, (and the whole album, really) is all about. As fraught with danger as love can be, the risks are worth the rewards, and the pain that comes with caring for someone can be a reminder of how much you love them. A reminder of the joy they have brought you.
Speaking about the album, Paddy says:
“The great driving force behind this album was the slow realisation on my part that love is not a given thing in this world. Whether it be your family, friend or partner, it is something that you have to put yourself on the line for. That meant to me that you need to be vulnerable to the ones you love. They have the capacity to bring such great joy into your life but also sorrow, and that’s just the deal.
That scared me for a while. I found it easier to hang back a little, maybe give slightly less of myself to people – even the people that loved me...
I never sat down to write specifically about any of the above. It would just slowly seep into the songs, one way or another. There were also times when I was writing that I felt like the song wasn’t personal, and that’s important too. Writing solely from your own perspective and personal experiences gives you such a narrow field of vision. When they came, these ‘story songs’ were such a relief to write. Getting out of my own head for a little bit and writing for a character is gratifying in a different way.”
‘Love and Be Brave’ is released on 25th May 2023 (CD/Streaming).
Tour Dates:
Sunday, 28th May: Coughlan’s, Cork (early show sold out.) Tickets are still available for the late show.
Saturday, 3rd June: Upstairs Whelan’s, Dublin
Sunday, 4th June: Upstairs Dolan’s, Limerick
Wednesday, 14th June: Supporting Teenage Fanclub, Galway Folk Festival
Friday, 30th June: Tracton Arts Festival
Saturday, 1st July: Livestock Festival, Galway
+ More to be announced
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