Damien Dempsey, who returns to the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin for a gig on July 14, says he’s angered by what he calls “a new Celtic Tiger” and how a new generation of young Irish people are being exiled from their country.
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, the Donaghmede man said: “We’re still being exiled and we’re still having to leave the country, which is a shame. I was just over in Berlin doing a festival with a load of Irish artists who had to leave because they couldn’t afford to live in Ireland anymore.”
Watch our full interview with Damien
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, the Donaghmede man said: “We’re still being exiled and we’re still having to leave the country, which is a shame. I was just over in Berlin doing a festival with a load of Irish artists who had to leave because they couldn’t afford to live in Ireland anymore.”
The gentle Dub has being performing for over 20 years and has mixed trad, folk and reggae across a series of well-received albums, including last year’s Soulsun.
He released his debut They Don’t Teach This S*** in School 18 years ago but he doesn’t think much has changed for Ireland since then.
“We’re still being exiled and we’re still having to leave the country, which is a shame.”
“It’s just a new Celtic Tiger but under a different guise. It’s disgusting how much the rents have gone up here and people can’t afford to live in this town anymore. They have to go abroad but there is a bit of hope. In 2015, we got some courage back – we faced down the state and the church,” he said.
“The church with the same sex marriage referendum and the state with the water charges when they gave us all the bills and most people didn’t pay them. That was a real rebellious year.”
Dempsey has chosen trad band – and Ed Sheeran collaborators – Beoga and rising Irish hip hop artist Paul Alwright to play support for his Iveagh Gardens show.
“I went to see Beoga in the London in the Slaughtered Lamb, they were doing five nights there, and they were incredible,” he says.
“I got up and sang with them. They’re brilliant, an amazing traditional band and great singers too. They’re the pure drop, the real deal and they’re writing great tunes as well. They’re adding to the treasure trove and they do it from their hearts.
“Paul Alwright is a great poet, a great modern poet. For me he’s like a modern day Kavanagh writing about the things that are going on. He’s very scientific as well. It’s like going to a science class except this time I’m interested.”
Damien Dempsey plays The Iveagh Gardens in Dublin on July 14
rte.ie
