We chat with Niamh Regan about the art of songwriting, the confidence that’s grown through performance, and the importance of cultural spaces
Sarah GillFolk artist Niamh Regan is stepping into a very busy November, playing full band shows across Ireland, kicking off with an intimate performance aton Wednesday. We sat down with the Galway native to discuss the art of songwriting, the confidence that’s grown by virtue of live performance, and the vital importance of cultural spaces.
A life working in music is not something that Niamh thought of as a viable career path until she found herself in the throes of it, but she’s clear on the fact that stability is fleeting in this line of work. “I’ve heard people equate a career in music to a gambling addiction,” she explains. “One month might be quiet, but you keep on hoping that something comes along so that when it does, you forget why you were worried. It’s all about the rush.
Niamh’s sound has an extremely intimate quality, in both the melody and the subject matter, and one would be forgiven for assuming that the lyrics that spring forth when she puts pen to paper flow from a deeply personal well of experience. “I find it difficult to talk about a song sometimes, because more often than not, it just happens,” Niamh says of the process. “You sit with the page, words come out, and you tinker away at them until you figure out what you’ve said.
Niamh’s early forays into sharing her music with an audience took place within the walls of The Black Gate in Galway, a cultural home that’s just announced that they will be opening their doors to great excitement. “I think these cultural venues are vital because they give you a physical space to create a community,” Niamh tells me. “I did so many support slots in The Black Gate, I was going in again and again, meeting people and growing my confidence as a performer.
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