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Coming from the independent folk scene, Damien Dempsey has built up a reputation as a respected songwriter. Born in Donaghmede on July 9, 1975, he immersed himself in the Irish folk tradition and rock, from Elvis Presley to Shane McGowan. He studied music at Ballyfermot, near Dublin, before producing his first EP, The Contender, released on the school's label in 1995. Over the next five years, he built up a repertoire of songs and toured the region's clubs, culminating in the release of his debut album Don't Teach This Shit at School (2000), on the Zinc Fence label. Signed to Clear Records, Damen Dempsey rose to greater fame with his next album, Seize the Day (2003), which won two Meteor Music Awards. In 2005, Shots reached No.1 in the Irish charts, and To Hell or Barbados (2007) was recorded at George Martin's AIR Studios with musician and producer John Reynolds, who also accompanied him on The Rocky Road (2008) and Almighty Love (2012), featuring backing vocals from Sinéad O'Connor and rapper Kae Tempest, alongside traditional musicians. Crowned with six Meteor Awards, the songwriter continued with No Force on Earth (2016), Soulsun (2017), Union (2018), then, after the Covid-19 pandemic, Hold Your Joy (2024), released on the Australian independent label Four Four.
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