Performing a solo show in an intimate, acoustic and candlelit venue

“Music has always been part of my life,” begins acclaimed folk singer-songwriter John Lynch, who performs at Áras Chronáin on August 22.

Since he was very young, John showed an interest in music.

While sitting in on the family sing songs throughout the years, John developed his musical taste for folk music and the art of storytelling.

He remarks that his uncle Dermo in particular had a “voice that carried meaning far beyond the melody—when he sang, you listened.”

John continues, “I suppose I took that to heart.”

But it wasn’t until later in life, after a serious health scare and time spent recovering in hospital, that John truly began to realise how important music was for him, not just as a listener but as a creator and performer.

“I remember hearing Declan O’Rourke’s Since Kyabram album again while lying in a hospital bed, and it struck a chord deep in me.”

That album gave John the ‘push I needed’ to pick up the guitar, write more honestly, and share his stories.

He even reached out to Declan O’Rourke, and he generously offered John encouragement and some “valuable” advice.

Since then, he has been following the path that the songs lead him on.

John goes on to describe Áras Chronáin as “one of those rare places where culture, language, and community come together under one roof.”

He calls it a “special” venue because the people there care about the music and the atmosphere.

John was in touch with the Áras Chronáin team after attending other gigs there, and they offered him the chance of a solo show – intimate, candlelit, and acoustic.

Some of his favourite songs include ‘Scorn Not His Simplicity,’ written by Phil Coulter and then made famous by Luke Kelly, as well as ‘Cousin Jack’ and ‘The Ordinary Man.’

In anticipation of the future, John has been crafting songs he hopes to release either late this year or early next year.

He has also been developing a live series called ‘Footprints in Song,’ which is a mix of performance and storytelling, that he is hoping to take further afield into community halls, bookshops, and small venues around Ireland.

John would like to thank Colm Gavin and his team at Áras Chronáin for believing in the idea of an intimate, acoustic evening and for giving space to independent artists such as himself.

He would also like to extend a “big thanks” to those who come to “listen—whether it’s their first folk gig or their hundredth.”

Finally, he would like to thank his wife, Elaine, who “puts up with my guitars leaning against every wall in the house” and supports him every step of the way.