TOMORROW IS not only the day on which the presidential election takes place - or, as looks virtually certain, the presidential re-election - it is also the day a new EP comes out, named after a former Irish president.
The Mary Robinson EP by Tuam singer-songwriter Darragh O’Dea, is a reflection on the changes which have taken place in Ireland since Mary Robinson was elected Uachtarán na hÉireann in 1990.
‘A Man’s Just a Man, A Woman Something More’ reflects on issues of gender, patriarchy, and feminism; in ‘Shame, a Poem’, O’Dea reflects on Tuam’s Mother and Baby Home and the impact it has left on the town; ‘As Tom Murphy Whistles In The Dark’ namechecks the great Tuam playwright and observes the plight of an older generation; and ‘Ballygaddy Bridge’ which is about the joys of youth and the freedom of summertime.
The poet Seamus Ruttledge has called the EP "a deeply reflective and thoughtful offering. It is a wonderful journey that asks the questions, and yet has not the arrogance to offer a set of prescribed answers but allows for reflection and thought, set against beautiful melodies that are performed and delivered uniquely and with a raw confidence."
The EP, the cover of which reference Dr Dre's The Chronic, is launched tomorrow at 9.30pm upstairs at Canavan’s Bar, Tuam, with special guests Davy Carton of The Saw Doctors and Seamus Ruttledge. Tickets are €10 (includes a CD ). All proceeds will be donated to Care for Shane.
