Face to Face with Joe Dunne
After the release of his new album ‘Time for the Bay’, Irish singer-songwriter Joe Dunne spoke with VOX magazine about his music, his faith and the experiences in his life which have inspired his songs.
“Joe is a deeply spiritual person, and feels that his songs are a gift where he is a channel to deliver them to the world” – Irish Music Magazine.
“I would have started playing music when I was 7 years of age. My parents gave me a recorder and a clarinet. That grounded me. Later I was given a guitar by a business contact of my late brother. I had never played a guitar in my life but when this man left Ireland, he left instructions for his guitar and all his music to be given to me. It was a top-of-the-range Gibson – a collector’s item,” Joe shared.
From that point on, Joe got involved in the music scene, playing in various bands but also playing church music.
“My music style would be acoustic folk rock with a spiritual dimension,” Joe said. “I don’t want to shove Christianity down people’s throats. But sometimes when I would be singing, I would connect with people that they would start crying. I feel the power the Spirit moving through me.”
Many of Joe’s songs have been inspired by tragedy and loss. The album is dedicated to his baby daughter Hazel who died in 2003. Joe explained, “Hazel was our first daughter. We had been trying for a child for 10 years but she died just before birth. After she was born, we held her and then had the funeral. That did a number on me. The track itself “Hazel” is the song I wrote about her describing how she ‘came into our lives like a feather baby.’”
Time for the Bay includes notable songs such as Grace of God, Pilgrim and Paradise and features 18 additional musicians including Geoff Rhind (on harmonica) who was in the same class as John Lennon and Jerry Fehily (former Hothouse Flowers drummer).
The title track has strong connections with the Aran islands. Joe has been visiting the islands all his life and in 1982, he was involved in a shipwreck there. “About four years ago an islander came up to me and presented me the compass from that ship.” A picture of that compass appears on the album cover.
Joe believes people connect with his music because they can relate to the themes. “I’ve had a hard life. I struggle every day. Sometimes I feel close to Jesus. My faith means so much to me and gives me power, energy and strength. But then sometimes I feel abandoned. I struggle with my mental health and feel like I don’t believe at all.”
In addition to performing, writing and releasing music, Joe has also been involved in music education running school of rock experiences in a community school and bringing music to small children with special needs. Joe commented, “To see the difference music has made in their lives is truly miraculous.”
About five years ago, he was offered a job as a project worker in a DEIS school but he turned in down because he was too busy. Soon afterwards, Covid hit. With gigs cancelled, Joe was left with a dwindling bank account. “This is where you see God coming in,” he said.
“I rang the school to ask if the job was still available and they told me ‘we need you more now than ever.’ It is wonderful to know that you are in the right place and to see the Holy Spirit at work. It is a very fun role. I’m the good cop in school and I connect with people very easily through music. Instead of playing a big gig, I get to share music with twelve or so 5-year-olds.”