Off The Record: Limerick's Seán O'Meara on new music and his best encounter

SITTING by the window of a hotel lobby, Limerick singer-songwriter Seán O’Meara notes his drink of choice is one of a “simple man.”

At the moment, the musician is performing in schools around the country as part of a kids show. Tough critics? “Kids are tough. They’d tell you if they don’t like it. But it’s very rewarding when they do.”

Last Friday, Seán performed in Dolan's alongside Project SMOK. Part of Irish fusion band, The Olllam, the Castletroy native is also an established solo artist. This year, he’ll release his debut album.

At the age of 16, he went to Morocco as part of his first tour. Ever since, he has been touring across the globe several times a year.  Next, he’ll be heading to the south of France to play at a wedding.

“It's nice being part of people's special day and if I can add to that in any way, happy days. I'll only get nervous if I haven't practised the first dance,” he smiles.

Speaking of weddings, the musician recalls meeting Sting a couple of years ago. “I play in a function band, and Sting invited me over to play for his wedding anniversary a few years ago.” To this day, the Police's frontman remains one of his best encounters.

“I've grown up listening to his music. We got to his place in Italy, and we were just hanging out, talking to everyone else, and he arrived in wearing a T-shirt and a pair of swimming shorts. I wasn't starstrucked, but I didn't know I was going to be playing with him. I thought we were just brought over to play music at his party. Then he was like, you’re ready to go?”

From a young age, Seán was surrounded by music. At home, The Eagles and Dire Straits were often on. “My mom's a music teacher and my dad's a chef, but he sings and plays guitar. I used to take their CDs and listen to them, that's how I really got into music. They sent me to violin lessons when I was quite young, and I didn't like having to practice.”

Later on, he joined a trad group in school. And after going to a folk festival, he realised people his age were also playing that kind of music – a “mind-blowing” moment for him.

The worst piece of advice he has ever received goes back to his school days. “The guidance counsellor suggested that I don't do music but do business or science,” he laughs.

During Covid, he realised his true passion was songwriting. After playing with other bands for so long, he is now ready to release his own album.

“It’s exciting. I have six songs down, they're still not fully finished. I haven't been rushing it, I've been just enjoying the process because I'm recording most of it myself. I’m also working with a producer, my friend Ben Wanders. I'm very proud of what's gone into it so far,”  he says as he sits back in his chair.

Above all, Seán wants to remain true to himself. “I wouldn't write about something that I don't believe in. If I didn't feel like I was being true to myself, I wouldn't write it. I think people have often asked me, would I not try and write something like the songs that are in the chats at the moment. I could, but I don't want to do that to myself,” he says with a grin.

Describing himself as a “trusting person,” he points out: “I believe in people a lot. I believe in wanting the best for everybody. I want everybody to be happy as much as possible. And if my music can bring that to people, then that's literally a dream come true.”

“Irish, rhythmic and melodic,” his music has a dream-like essence. With beautiful vocals, one of his latest releases, Free, imagines what it would have been like to be alive in another time.

Speaking of the song, the musician says: “I was feeling a bit fed up at the fact that I hadn't been on tour. I hadn't travelled or even been on holidays in a while, which is something that I'm so used to doing. And then I started realizing that I actually don't have it that bad. I had this melody just twirling around in my head at the same time, and I thought that maybe if I was alive in the 1800, how a different life would've been. Back then they had to leave the country. They had to leave everything they loved and wanted, and had to leave to go try and find a life and make money for their families back home. So I wrote that song from the perspective of somebody who had to move away to try and make a better night for those back home.”

Being in the music industry, is there a lesson he has learned the hard way?

“Things don't always fall onto your lap,” he states. “You hear the phrase with the term overnight success, that’s not necessarily a thing either. You become an overnight success after years of hard work, if that makes sense.”

As the conversation comes to an end, he’s about to go home to get ready for a weekend of gigs – including one at a kids show. What’s the one thing he has to pack?

He stays away from the obvious and doesn't mention instruments. “For this tour, I have to pack in my costume. I have a tie with little hedgehogs and squirrels on it. Then I have these boy pants with a hedgehog wearing heels and like a snail or something,” he laughs.