HAIL GLORIOUS ST PATRICK’S FESTIVAL
ST PATRICK’S Festival this year promises to be an extravaganza of music from Ireland’s finest, and not just of a traditional vein either.
During the days and nights from March 16 to March 19, Clarke Square in the National Museum of Ireland will be transformed into the Festival Quarter with rí rá agus ruaille buaille abounding.
Pillow Queens will be hosting their own mini festival over four stages on Saturday March 18 with the likes of Sprints, Katie Kim, Melts, Really Good Time and the fabulous Cat Dowling whose latest album Animals was long-awated and lovingly received.
The singer had been working on her new album when life got in the way — three children and a breast cancer recovery later saw her finally release Animals on Cork’s Fifa label.
‘I just feel grateful to be making music,’ says Cat. ‘It’s kind of my oxygen, as long as I am making good music and I feel like I am creating stuff that I am really interested in.’
From Babelfish to Alpha States and then on to a solo career, Cat has worked with Gerry Horan the whole way but has been collaborating with many different people to get Animals out into the wild.
‘A few things in life happened that took me away,’ she says of music. ‘There was a big gap because I have three kids now and I also had an illness and that took me away.’
Then there was that moment of ‘let’s get this out’ and though the world had changed dramatically since she put pen to paper.
Signing up to Fifa helped as Cat will admit she’s more in tune with creativity and less of a business head.
‘My next album there won’t be so much of a gap to put it mildly,’ she says. ‘But I was so happy with how the album was received and I got asked to do some great shows. It was just so great to have it out in the world and now I am already on the next one. That’s kind of how it goes —you put something out in the world and let it go off and then it takes on its own little personality then. It’s gone and it’s out of your body.’
Animals is a powerful record from a strong female songwriter who describes the music as something that she needed to release.
‘I am always scribbling and jotting down and that does feel like a comfort blanket to me,’ she says. ‘So it just feels like this wild animal inside me that just needed to get out. I have no choice in the matter.
‘It is part of who I am so this time to be playing music again, I can see that it is a gift. I was never able to say that before but now I can say it is a gift and I need to share it with people. I am a much more functional human being when I am able to write music and play music.’
Collins Barracks will be rocking and offering some of the best entertainment outside of the main parade. And Cat is delighted to be part of the Pillow Queens special day.
‘The line up on that day is very interesting and there is some great music being made,’ says Cat.
‘I think the line up is fantastic and I am really honoured and so happy to be part of it.’
For full details of all the events see