Off the Record! Limerick-based poets have plenty to sing about

LIMERICK-based quintet, Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets, aim to “make music for twentysomethings living in a country that completely ignores them.”

After meeting in college, saxophonist Chris Britton, drummer Evan Forde, guitarist Keegan Forde, bass player Emmett Ryan, and frontman Dylan Flynn, collided to “delve into themes of loss, relationships and mental health.” Influenced by Radiohead and The 1975, the group blends elements of jangle-pop and alt-rock.

Not a reference to the iconic late eighties American film, their name was inspired by Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas - whom the band’s frontman was named after.

In 2022, they released their sophomore EP and took on their first Irish tour, concluding with their biggest show to date in Dolan’s Warehouse. In a few weeks, they will play in Pharmacia. Ahead of the gig, lead singer Dylan Flynn chatted with Limerick Live.

The group’s latest single, ‘running away’, reached nearly 70,000 streams on Spotify. A live performance of the song was shot at the Limerick Boat Club, alongside the river Shannon - a local spot that holds a special place in the frontman’s heart.

As the song is dedicated to his late grandfather, the video clip’s location makes it all the more special.

“My grandfather, Tony Tynne, who passed last year, was a lifelong member and dedicated so much of his time to the club. 'running away' was a song I wrote while he was passing, and it only felt right to shoot the live performance of it at the club. I always looked up to him, and he was a huge influence on me growing up, so I found losing him really hard,” explained Flynn.

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As the group aims to “make music for twentysomethings living in a country that completely ignores them,” Flynn draws inspiration from what he knows, and doesn’t try to complicate things.

“The themes I'm drawn to are either directly connected to me or someone close to me. I think what I find most inspiring in life, is creatives that have had long careers but have managed to morph and change as they have progressed. All my favourite artists have never made the same thing all their lives, and that really appeals to me”, he commented.

Not one to shy away, there’s nothing the frontman wouldn’t write about. “For me, that would be like trying to suppress emotions or thoughts, which is never healthy. I think at times, things can be challenging to write about, but I would never stray away from something I wanted to say.”

A follow-up to ‘running away’, their latest single, ‘life’, sets the tone of their upcoming project, a tone Flynn describes as “indie, diverse and confident.”

Speaking of their newest release, he admits: “It's a song about making mistakes and struggling to leave the past behind, something I have a hard time doing - even when it comes to small things.”

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In a studio space in Treaty City, Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets self-recorded and produced their own songs. A few months ago, their former lecturer from LIT, Mike Gavin, got on board as a co-producer.

As they wish to work only with people they trust, the five-piece felt like Mike was a natural addition to the band. “We know what we want to sound like, and we know how to do it. Too many cooks can just get in the way of the process. Everyone in the band writes, records and releases their own material, so we aren't short on creativity,” concluded Flynn.

On November 26, Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets will be playing in Pharmacia, alongside BitDepth, Banríon and Small Church.

Their latest single, ‘life’, is out now.