Hannon reciprocated the admiration, sharing an anecdote from a few years prior. She recalled being on a bus in Dublin, likely around 2024, when an American tourist, clearly in town for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, was enthusiastically discussing Curtisy’s music. This observation underscored the growing reach of his work, a sentiment Curtisy echoed with a sense of wonder. "Wow, that’s so cool," he remarked, finding the idea of international listeners "crazy." He further elaborated on the mind-boggling prospect of receiving comments from individuals in Peru requesting a show, highlighting the expansive impact of his artistry beyond geographical confines.<\/p>\n
The conversation then turned to the foundational elements of their creative processes: their earliest memories of storytelling. Hannon\u2019s recollection took her back to the elementary school nativity play, a formative theatrical experience. Beyond this, she identified the Catholic Mass as a significant early influence, not necessarily through religious belief, but through the compelling narrative structure and the palpable conviction with which stories were conveyed. She also confessed to a childhood fascination with ghost stories, particularly those surrounding Loftus Hall in Wexford, a location steeped in local folklore about the appearance of the Devil. Her role as the "third innkeeper" in the nativity play, complete with a cow and a barn, represented a significant early creative triumph.<\/p>\n
Curtisy, while admitting to not being a religious individual, found himself resonating with Hannon’s description of Mass. He acknowledged the power of storytelling delivered with conviction, observing how congregants would "kneel down and stand up for the stories." His own childhood memories of storytelling were tied to camping trips in Wicklow with his father, where he would be regaled with ghost stories. One particular tale, about an escaped lunatic from a hospital, became a favorite. It wasn’t until later that he discovered its origin was a plotline from the popular British sitcom Only Fools and Horses<\/em>, a revelation that brought a touch of humorous self-awareness to his formative experiences.<\/p>\n Hannon, in turn, related to this notion of borrowing and embellishing narratives. She admitted to sometimes relaying stories she had seen on television as if they were personal experiences. This tendency, she suggested, was a characteristic element of Irish communication \u2013 a blend of "big mad blags and exaggerations" where "the truth never gets in the way of a good story."<\/p>\n The discussion then shifted to the first instances of creative work that evoked a profound sense of pride. Curtisy recalled a sixth-class English project where students contributed stories to a class book. He confessed to borrowing heavily from his father’s storytelling techniques, essentially "ripping a story from somewhere." Despite the unoriginality, the piece was met with significant praise from his teachers, a form of validation that left a lasting impression. He attributed his early engagement with writing to supportive English teachers and the positive reinforcement they provided. However, he admitted that after this initial foray, he became less consistent with writing, experiencing a period of creative dormancy. The true breakthrough, he explained, came with rapping. While early freestyling sessions with friends were enjoyable, it was the deliberate act of sitting down and writing music for the first time that marked a "most hard-hitting, proud moment of my life." This realization opened a new creative avenue, reconnecting him with the earlier satisfaction of storytelling.<\/p>\n Hannon’s early creative endeavors were also rooted in reimagining existing narratives. As a child, she was captivated by C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia<\/em>, spending hours rewriting the stories, filling approximately 40 pages of a copybook with her own adaptations, which she now describes as "awful." In her early teens, she began documenting personal experiences through writing. English classes provided another avenue for creative expression and positive feedback. Later, her artistic interests broadened to include "sessioning" and drawing, which temporarily led to a disconnect from writing and performance. However, as she re-engaged with these disciplines, she rediscovered a profound appreciation for aspects of writing and performance that 2D art couldn’t capture. Acting, she found, offered a unique opportunity for interpretation and serving as a "vector for someone else’s idea." Yet, the project she expressed the most significant pride in, albeit more recently, was her play, Doldrums<\/em>.<\/p>\n A key aspect of their conversation revolved around the perceived similarities between conceptualizing a stage play and composing an album. Curtisy, with a touch of humility regarding his theatrical knowledge, identified "passion for the project, and a commitment to seeing it through" as the universal starting points.<\/p>\n Hannon elaborated on her own creative process, describing much of her work as originating from "a rant" \u2013 an unscripted narration of personal experiences that gradually coalesced into a structured narrative. Her initial foray into playwriting involved a lengthy piece, which she described as a "vomit of emotion," that took over a year to complete. This process involved an initial outpouring of thoughts and feelings, followed by a more deliberate effort to impose a format and narrative structure. She then posed a question to Curtisy about his album creation process: whether he adheres to a general theme or follows his intuition.<\/p>\n Curtisy\u2019s response mirrored Hannon\u2019s description of an iterative, experimental approach: "it’s just throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks." He recounted a shift in his perspective on the often-cited artist’s claim that "the music just writes itself," acknowledging that sometimes creative ideas do emerge organically during the process. He shared an anecdote about his current project, Get A Life!<\/em>, which began with intentions of a darker musical direction but evolved into a more upbeat and happy tone following the birth of his nephew. This experience highlighted how external life events can profoundly influence artistic direction, prompting an imperative to "go with it." He expressed excitement for the project and then inquired about Hannon’s specific roles and the conceptual underpinnings of Doldrums<\/em>.<\/p>\n Hannon explained her dual role as writer and performer in Doldrums<\/em>, emphasizing the collaborative effort involved in bringing the play to fruition. She highlighted the crucial contribution of her director, with whom she had previously collaborated on Theatre For One<\/em> in Cork in 2024. This immersive theatrical experience, involving intimate performances in "peep show booths," had exposed her to the director’s distinctive writing style, which she greatly admired. The director\u2019s initial assessment of her first draft as a "mess" was followed by a commitment to refining it, offering Hannon invaluable mentorship within her theatre company.<\/p>\n Hannon then delved into the thematic core of Doldrums<\/em>. Inspired by the works of Carl Jung and the concept of the "shadow self" \u2013 the unconscious, repressed aspects of the psyche \u2013 the play explored themes of passing and suppression, particularly within the context of being transgender. She explained that "passing" refers to the ability to be perceived as cisgender, which often confers social privileges. The play investigated the internal conflict and self-subjugation involved when individuals choose to forgo their trans identity to live as cisgender. This complex idea resulted in a substantial amount of "convoluted shit," making the process of distilling it into a "legible" narrative a significant undertaking.<\/p>\n The conversation naturally progressed to the evolving landscape of Irish storytelling and how contemporary artists are contributing to its cultural tapestry. The preceding generation, Hannon observed, often explored themes of the Celtic Tiger and the subsequent recession in their artistic works. She pondered what the equivalent narratives would be for her generation.<\/p>\n Hannon reflected on growing up in a period of perceived prosperity, yet one shadowed by the lingering influence of the Catholic Church and the relatively recent emergence of openness regarding divorce and sexuality. This societal evolution, coupled with a prolonged economic recession that left lasting impacts, created a paradoxical environment: an outwardly socially liberal Ireland with underlying restrictive societal forces. This environment, she suggested, fostered a "DIY" spirit, with artistic scenes becoming less reliant on established institutions and more prevalent in the "sidelines." Her generation, she noted, grapples with a pervasive "pessimism about the future" and the challenge of finding ways to counteract it.<\/p>\n Curtisy concurred with this sentiment, describing the current era as "such a confusing time." He pointed to the disappearance of significant cultural venues like The Complex and the Workman’s Cellar, where he and Hannon had performed, as tangible evidence of instability. He also expressed concern over a perceived rise in overt racism, stating, "Everyone is fighting, everyone’s being proud to be racist all of a sudden." He concluded that if the country doesn’t address these issues collectively, it risks facing significant problems in the coming years.<\/p>\n The discussion then turned to the role of art in an era marked by political division. The question arose whether art has a responsibility to promote messages of love, acceptance, and hope in a digestible format, offering an alternative to the often-polarizing discourse found in traditional news media and social platforms.<\/p>\n Hannon posited that "good art" excels at conveying messages indirectly, without directly engaging in political debate. She emphasized the importance of "meeting people where they are at rather than trying to sway them," arguing that audiences are fatigued by propaganda and respond more effectively to compelling narratives.<\/p>\n Curtisy expressed a desire to address pressing societal issues through his music. He identified his last project as featuring his "first story-telling song," which tackled classism. He intends to explore such themes further, viewing his music as a "report on my life," providing emotional catharsis for himself and, increasingly, for his audience. As his listenership has grown, he acknowledges that his work now extends beyond personal expression, and his engagement with music has broadened his understanding of politics, making its incorporation into his art a natural progression.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, both artists articulated their aspirations for their art’s place within the broader cultural landscape of Ireland. Curtisy expressed a desire to positively impact his local community in Jobstown, giving back to the communities that have supported him. His primary aim is to create music that resonates with listeners, assuring them that they are not alone, and fostering a sense of connection to combat loneliness.<\/p>\n Hannon lauded Curtisy’s music for its ability to beautifully capture the "loneliness of being a man in Ireland," particularly in contrast to the prevalent themes of drug use and social gatherings. She commended his skill in evoking an emotional resonance without overt explanation, tapping into a widely recognized aspect of male experience in Ireland. She suggested that audiences often find direct honesty about personal lives more compelling than overtly political statements.<\/p>\n Curtisy humbly responded, "I’m just a guy."<\/p>\n Hannon countered, "You’re just a guy with things to say, which is beautiful." For her own artistic trajectory, Hannon aspires to contribute to the "amazing wave of actors coming out of Ireland." She believes that Irish people possess an innate emotional intelligence, perhaps stemming from historical societal repression, which translates powerfully on screen. She also intends to continue writing, focusing on "genre-pushing stuff." She revealed her current work on a screenplay that blends elements of Inglourious Basterds<\/em> with the historical context of the Magdalene Laundries, a project she is particularly excited about.<\/p>\n Liath Hannon’s acting credits include Girls and Boys<\/em> on Apple TV and Lydia<\/em> on Virgin Media Player. Curtisy’s latest project, Get A Life!<\/em>, is currently available. This insightful conversation, conducted by Cailean Coffey, underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of Irish art, where personal narratives intersect with broader societal concerns, and where storytelling continues to be a powerful force for connection and understanding. The current generation of Irish artists, as exemplified by Curtisy and Hannon, are not only carving out their unique artistic identities but are also actively shaping the cultural dialogue of their nation and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a global landscape often defined by unprecedented challenges, the arts have consistently served as a vital conduit for processing collective emotions and reflecting the zeitgeist within households worldwide. Whether…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[550],"tags":[232,4814,4815,918,4817,790,40,4813,4816,2627,492,233,1693,234],"class_list":["post-7560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indie-alternative-rock","tag-alternative","tag-conversation","tag-curtisy","tag-evolving","tag-hannon","tag-identity","tag-indie","tag-irish","tag-liath","tag-narrative","tag-power","tag-rock","tag-storytelling","tag-underground"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7560\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empire-music.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Genesis of Artistic Pride<\/h3>\n
The Interplay Between Stage and Sound<\/h3>\n
![\"Personality](\"https:\/\/www.clashmusic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Curtisy_JohnnySavage_004.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nGenerational Narratives and the Future of Irish Art<\/h3>\n
Art as a Unifying Force in Divided Times<\/h3>\n
Contributions to Ireland’s Cultural Tapestry<\/h3>\n
Enduring Legacies and Emerging Voices<\/h3>\n