Declan O’Rourke on his song-writing process, achieving life aims, and coming home
A strong musical background during childhood seems to be the common denominator for many of
Ireland’s top musicians and Dublin-born Declan O’Rourke is no exception to the rule.
The self-proclaimed ‘smelly rocker’ has always had an affinity with music, despite being a late-comer
to the Dublin singer-songwriter scene.
“I was into Guns ‘n’ Roses and Metallica and stuff like that. I was the only rocker in my school. I was
the only fella with long hair. Smelly rockers was the nickname on rockers in Dublin; go on ya smelly
rocker!” he laughs.
It was during his mid-twenties and after a lot of work that Declan managed to break onto the scene
with his highly-acclaimed debut album, Since Kyabram, in October 2004.
“When I was about maybe 13 or 14 I took up the guitar and then I started trying to write songs when
I was about 16. But it took me that long to find my way into it, even though I was playing away all
the time.”
Now, ten years and three albums later, Declan O’Rourke is still a well-known name not only on the
Irish music scene, but around the world. And he’s still going strong, with a new twelve-track album,
Howlin’ Lowly Moons, being released for free on his website one track at a time.
“I’ve been approaching a new way of putting stuff out. It’s a song a month that comes out by my
website. If people sign up to my mailing list, they get a new song free every month,” he says. So far
three tracks from the album have been released on www.declanorourke.com and it’s not too late to
join the mailing list.
A real testament to the success of his earlier work is the fact that several of Declan’s songs have
been covered and performed by other well-known artists, including Josh Groban, Paul Weller and
Chris Rea.
“I think it’s a nice endorsement of your work. It’s great and it kind of seems to say you’re doing
something right – especially if you get endorsed by someone you respect, like Paul Weller or Paul
Brady,” says Declan.
“When people actually record your songs, it’s a strange experience. It’s nice in theory, but listening
to somebody else singing your song is strange. I write my songs for myself; it’s just luck if somebody
picks one up and decides to record it. But they feel like they’re mine and they’re part of me and I’m
part of them.”
‘Galileo (Someone Like You)’ from Declan’s debut album Since Kyabram is one song that has received
plenty of attention and “endorsements” over the past decade, with Paul Weller referring to it as
“possibly the greatest song written in the last 30 years”.
The song has been recorded by a host of highly-respected artists. Josh Groban recorded it for his
fifth studio album, Illuminations. It has also been recorded by Scottish songstress Eddi Reader, Jacqui
Dankworth, Brian Kennedy, The Celtic Tenors and Paul Byron.
“Lots of people say once you release a song, it’s not yours anymore. And that is true in a way
because it becomes something else to everyone else who hears it or likes it in a way – certainly other
people who record it,” says Declan.
“It feels like they’re my songs, and when someone else sings one it’s like… I dunno… it’s like
someone else kissing your girlfriend. It’s a bit weird,” he laughs.
“It’s like – or I imagine what it’s like is sending a kid off to school or college or something for the first
time. It’s like when they’re gone out the door, you’re worried about them and hope they’re gonna
do alright. So you’re kind of half hanging on to them, but at the same time you want them to do
well. So you send them off and wish them the best.”
Clearly respected by others in the industry, Declan has influenced several musicians in the past
decade, but he too had artists he looked up to during his “smelly rocker” years in school.
He grew up listening to the likes of The Beatles, Paul Simon, Otis Redding and Bob Marley. His
parents had great music tastes and listened to a lot of Motown and very old music such as the Ink
Spots and Sam Cooke. Bob Dylan and Neil Young were also big influences.
But these days it’s not just other music that influences him; “It’s everything and anything. It can be
something a complete stranger says, or a story you see in a film or a documentary. Anything that
moves you on an emotional level or piques your interest in a certain way… anything that makes you
go ‘wow that’s interesting’ or affects you deeply and you go ‘I’d love to write about that or tell that
story to people’. That story needs to be heard, you know?”
And the stories in Declan’s songs have been heard all over the world as he connects with audience
after audience on stages across the globe. But it’s one stage a lot closer to home that will be graced
with his presence this month as Declan returns to Galway.
Declan currently lives in Galway and is looking forward to returning home and performing in the
Roisin Dubh after spending some time in America.
“I feel like there’s a very healthy music scene [in Galway], as in there’s a very healthy group of
people there who love coming in to listen to good music or live music and that’s always a good sign; I
mean there’s no music scene without that,” he says.
“I love [gigging in Galway]. I always feel a lovely connection with the audience and I feel like I can
walk away from it having had a great response and having enjoyed playing to them, which is great.”
Declan O’Rourke will play the Roisin Dubh on 13 December. Tickets are priced at €22.59 or €20 for
members.
