Songwriting Masterclass with John Spillane

This half-day masterclass with Meteor award winning songwriter John Spillane, brought to you by the Irish Writers Centre in association with Tradfest, will get to the heart of song writing and storytelling.

Participants will examine and enjoy the Irish ballad tradition and see how a story may be told in a song and look at the magical chemical reaction that happens when words and music meet. John will focus on helping participants lose whatever inhibitions and fears they may have about writing songs while also sharing tricks of the trade on verse, chorus, repetition, and rhyme.

Songwriters should be prepared to sing and embrace the joy of the process.

John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet, dreamer – a canvass filled with color and brilliance. His music transports the listener; his live performance captivates the audience.

Two-time Meteor award winner, John is one of the most accomplished songwriters in Ireland today. Among those who have covered his songs are Christy Moore, Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Cathy Ryan, Sharon Shannon, Sean Keane, George Murphy, to name a few. He performs to audiences large and small everywhere.