Hoaretraits Ep. 10: Zeitgeist Irland 24 artist Damien Dempsey

Hoaretraits is a series by photographer and podcaster Neil Hoare, that presents contemporary Irish artists that are part of Zeitgeist Irland 24 – the year’s cultural programme of contemporary arts from Culture Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland in Germany. Conceived of by Hoare as ‘audio portraits’, the podcasts explore, from the perspectives of the individual artists, themes of creativity, imagination and craft. The podcast features conversations with a diverse range of Irish artists living in both Ireland and Germany.

For Episode 10, Neil talks to musician Damien Dempsey. Born in Dublin, Damien Dempsey has become one of Ireland’s most beloved musical voices, renowned for blending folk, rock, and traditional Irish elements. His lyrics, rich with storytelling, explore themes of inequality, addiction, and mental health. His songs have become anthems of resilience, reflecting both the struggles and the indomitable spirit of Ireland’s working class, with his latest album, Hold Your Joy (2024) a testament to mindfulness and gratitude. Whether through his music or his social advocacy, Dempsey proclaims his attempts to inspire, uplift, and unite. Damien Dempsey performed in Berlin in November at the event ‘Songs from the Holywell’ alongside Growler and Wallis Bird, a part of Zeitgeist Irland 24.

Podcaster Neil Hoare is a multidisciplinary Irish artist living in Berlin with his dog Púca. His most recent photographic work ‘A Heimat away from Home’ is a series of portraits commissioned by the Embassy of Ireland in Germany documenting the Irish who made Germany their home since Ireland joined the EU 50 years ago. The experience of photographing so many people across Germany and hearing their stories led directly to the creation of Hoaretraits.