Inis Mór singer-songwriter Pádraig Jack achieved a PhD in computers before opting to follow his lifelong passion. As he prepares for the launch of his second album, he tells JUDY MURPHY about his musical family and how he found love in Berlin – with a Galway woman.

In another life, Pádraig Jack Ó Flaithearta might be lecturing to wide-eyed students about the mysteries of computer science in some university somewhere.

That had been his initial plan after he’d finished his doctorate at what was then NUI Galway. Instead, his career took a different turn, which is something people who love folk music can be grateful for.

Pádraig is just about to launch his second album, These Shores, following on from 2020’s debut, Making Sand, on which he demonstrated his songwriting talent in English and Irish.

Music has been at the heart of Pádraig’s life since childhood, growing up on Inis Mór. Many of his father’s family, including his grandfather, played traditional music, while his dad, PJ, was also a singer-songwriter, who performed successfully as Barry Ronan.

His mother, Grace, who gave her children a passion for music and art, loved folk singers such as James Taylor and Tom Waits, while his father’s tastes included music by the likes of Elton John and Phil Collins’ “which I love too”, says Pádraig.

While PJ/Barry is from Inis Mór, Grace is from Ballyconneely in North Conamara, and her sister is the well-known poet Mary O’Malley. Along with Pádraig’s dad, Mary was an influence. And with local writers like Liam Ó Flaithearta, Máirtín Ó Direáin and Breandán Ó hEithir in the mix too, it’s no wonder he was bitten by the bug.

Now living between Inis Mór and Oranmore, he’s fresh off the early flight from Inis Mór on the morning of his Tribune interview.  He’d been at a party the previous night for the staff of Tí Jo Watty, the pub in Cill Rónáin owned by his parents.

Tí Jo Watty is where this singer-songwriter and musician played his earliest gigs and “learned my trade”. He also played pubs in Galway City and in Clifden, honing his writing and performing skills.

After finishing school, Pádraig did a degree in computer science in Galway. When he graduated, Údarás na Gaeltachta funded him to do a Master’s in computer network engineering and he followed it with a PhD.

While he might have left academia behind, Pádraig’s many computer skills still stand to him.

He and sax player Anto Thistlethwaite – formerly of the Waterboys, now with the Saw Doctors – forged a friendship over the years and when Anto asked Pádraig to build him a website, they decided on a barter arrangement. In return, Anto would bring his musical skills to Pádraig’s new album.

“I got the better end of that deal,” says the Inis Mór man, laughing. “I asked him to play on one song and he asked me to send him the others to see if he could collaborate.”

Anto made suggestions about arrangements and instrumentation that he felt would best serve the other songs.

“He’s had a big influence on the album,” says a grateful Pádraig. And, when available, Anto also plays in his band for gigs.

Another Waterboy Steve Wickam, who plays fiddle on two tracks, Little, and the catchy new single, Long Street, was interested and insightful too.

“He’s like Anto. He thinks of the song and what it might need rather than just coming on and playing.”

Other musicians on the 10-track album include piper Seán McKeown, who plays with Damien Dempsey, and Fergal Scahill of We Banjo 3. Pádraig’s father, his siblings Cathal and Aisling, and his cousin Séamus feature too, as do his neighbours from Inis Mór, the Mulkerrin Brothers.

It’s produced by John Reynolds, who has worked with everyone from Sinéad O’Connor to U2, Peter Gabriel to the Dubliners. He also produced Pádraig’s first album, Making Sand which received great reviews and massive airplay. Named RTÉ Radio 1’s Album of the Week it was also nominated for an RTÉ Folk Award.

Pictured: Pádraig Jack on Inis Mór, the island that shaped him. PHOTO: NEIL WARNER.