Non-performing songwriter Robbie Graham, Phil Healy on bass, Paul O’Connor on lead vocals and guitar, Ray Murray on guitar
Debut single ‘Straws in the Sackville’ is released by The Street Leagues
“The song isn’t just about a pub; it’s about pride, friendship, and resilience in that older generation’s lives in Dublin,” explain members of The Street Leagues, a four-piece making guitar-driven indie folk-pop.
The band features Paul O’Connor (vocals), Ray Murray (guitar) and Clondalkin-born Robbie Graham (songwriter) and Clondalkin-based Phil Healy (bass), creating melodic, story-led songs rooted in everyday Dublin life.
Their debut single, ‘Straws in the Sackville’, recorded at Trackmix in Dublin, produced by Joe Chester, and engineered by Michael Richards, is the first release from their debut album, ‘Volume 1: The Historian’, arriving this April.
The record draws heavily on Dublin’s social and historical landscape, shaped in part by the research and passion of their late friend and drummer Joe Rodgers, who passed away in June 2025 shortly before recording began.
The band completed the album as a tribute to Joe and the influence he had on the songs.
Self-releasing the record, The Street Leagues are already looking ahead: a second album has been written and is scheduled for recording later this year, continuing the band’s run of reflective, melody-driven songs that capture Dublin’s past and present in equal measure.
During the COVID lockdowns, the band explains that they “created their own virtual pub and decided to meet every Friday on Zoom for a few beers and a chat, even using images of pubs like the Sackville as our background.”
‘Straws in the Sackville’ grew out of a conversation the band had about Dublin pubs; one of the lads told a story about his grandfather, a builder who met a friend in the Sackville every Sunday after Mass for a couple of pints.
As an elderly man, he had tremors in his hands, which made drinking a pint of Guinness difficult, and the barman, who was dedicated to his regulars, would make sure he had a straw.
The idea to create an album came about from the song ideas these conversations formed.
The band were drawn to stories about Dublin’s social and historical landscape, which led to more reading, research, and shared storytelling.
‘Straws in the Sackville’ was the first song written. It began with Ray Murray composing the song in Amsterdam as a simple acoustic piece, and this set the project in motion.
Once they realised there were a lot of very good songs that were connected by themes of memory and place, creating an album was the “logical next step” rather than just releasing standalone singles.
When asked about his favourite part of the production process, Robbie remarks that the historical research involved and exploring stories about the city and its people was “very rewarding”.
He continues by explaining that in many ways, writing these songs feels like “connecting with people from the past.”
The band reflect that when they write, they sometimes ask themselves whether the people behind the stories would recognise themselves in the songs or “feel we’ve done them justice.”
Imagining that keeps the band “focused and respectful of the material”.
Planning is “probably the biggest challenge” of production, as Ray now lives in Amsterdam with his family, and everyone in the band has work and family commitments.
Meeting up for rehearsals and recording requires a lot of flexibility; another challenge relates to Robbie, one of the songwriters, as he lives with multiple sclerosis and cannot perform live.
Much of the writing was done remotely, and they structured rehearsals and recording sessions carefully around everyone’s availability and energy levels.
In some ways, the constraints “sharpened our focus” and strengthened the commitment behind the project.
Following the album release, the band are planning to have a launch night; the date is unconfirmed as of writing.
When asked who they wish to thank, the band reflects on drummer and historian Joe Rodgers, as “his knowledge of music and Dublin’s history formed many of the conversations that led to many of the songs.”
In a way, these songs are a tribute to him and the stories he shared with the rest of the group in the wake of his passing last year.
They continue that there are “far too many people to thank individually, but please know we’re very grateful to everyone who supported us along the way.”
‘Straws in the Sackville’ is currently available to listen to on Spotify; stay tuned to the Street Leagues’ socials for updates on their upcoming album.
