Catch You Down the Road feels like a reflective stop along the way rather than a destination. What moment or feeling first sparked the idea for the EP?
It came from this realisation that I was always chasing something. The next song, the next goal, the next version of myself and I never really paused to take in where I was. I’d gone through a stretch where a lot was changing personally and musically, and instead of trying to wrap it all up neatly, I wanted to write from inside that in-between space. Catch You Down the Road became a way of accepting that maybe we don’t really arrive anywhere. We’re all on our own journeys, but we’re all headed the same way. It’s about not taking the ride for granted, learning to be present for the moments as they come, and appreciating the people you meet along the way.
The record carries that unhurried, lived-in feel — like you’re not trying to impress anyone, just tell the truth. Was that a conscious production choice or something that came naturally?
A bit of both. I recorded and produced it all myself, so I had the freedom to just follow what felt honest. I wanted the production to serve the songs, to feel real and authentic rather than polished to death. If a vocal take had emotion but wasn’t technically perfect, that’s the one I kept. I just tried to do whatever served the story, the meaning, and the vibe. I wasn’t trying to prove anything, just capture something real.
You’ve shared stages with some heavy hitters in Irish music. What’s one lesson or bit of wisdom you’ve picked up from those experiences?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that the best artists aren’t trying to be anyone else. You can feel when someone’s fully themselves onstage, it’s magnetic. Playing alongside people who have that groundedness made me realise that authenticity cuts through more than any trick or trend ever could. It gave me the courage to trust my own pace and my own sound.
Americana with an Irish soul — that’s how Hot Press described you. How do you see your roots shaping your take on the genre?
I grew up surrounded by Irish songs and storytelling that have heart and history, where every lyric feels lived in. I also grew up on American acts like John Prine, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson, so I was surrounded by those two cultures from a young age. Americana has a similar spirit to us, just through a different lens. So when I blend the two, it’s not a calculated thing, it’s just what naturally comes out. There’s that bittersweet hope, and the struggles of the human heart, in both.
The title track feels like a goodbye that isn’t really goodbye. Who or what were you saying “catch you down the road” to when you wrote it?
The initial spark for the song actually came after my dog passed away. It was one of those moments that makes you stop and think about how everything changes. The people, the places, even the versions of yourself you leave behind. By the time I finished writing it, there were a lot of goodbyes happening all at once. But I didn’t want it to be a sad song. “Catch You Down the Road” became my way of saying goodbye without it feeling final. Like a gentle promise that we’ll meet again somewhere down the line, in some other form. It’s hopeful, really. It’s about how endings and beginnings often overlap, and how every goodbye carries a bit of “see you later” in it.
Now that this debut EP is out in the world, where do you see the road leading next — creatively or personally?
Right now, I’ve got tons of material I’m itching to record. It’s just finding the time that’s tricky, but honestly, it’s a good problem to have. I’m really excited about exploring some new sounds and pushing the songs in directions I haven’t tried yet, both for myself and with my band, The Great Ideas. We’ve got plans to get back into the studio soon, and it feels like the start of the next chapter creatively. On the live side, we’ve got gigs that I can’t wait for. One highlight is Curveball at The Button Factory on December 21st, tickets are on Eventbrite. We also have a show in Cork to announce in December, some more gigs early next year, and We’ll be playing at the Your Roots Are Showing Conference in Belfast. Being on stage, sharing songs with people, and connecting with people, that’s what keeps it all moving for me. The journey is exciting both creatively and personally.
