Imelda May: 'My brain never stops ticking — when nighttime comes, the circus arrives'

As Imelda May brings her songs and her sitting room to Cork, she talks to Deirdre McArdle about curiosity, gaeilge, and why storytelling is at the heart of everything she does

Imelda May backstage. Picture: Mark Stedman

I hear Imelda May before I see her. She’s exclaiming about the beautiful decor: “I’d love to figure out how to put fringing like that on my sofas at home”.

We’re meeting in The Glasshouse in Montenotte on the hottest day of the year so far; high up above Cork City, the view is glorious.