Ex-prisoner and addict launches another album

A former joyrider and prison inmate who spent years sleeping rough will today launch an album in Cork City.

Togher native, James O’Flynn, 44, has successfully battled his demons, including homelessness and an addiction to alcohol, and is now a singer and lyricist with his band, The Claddagh Rogues.

The group will be joined by singer-songwriter, John Spillane, at today’s live launch, at 1pm at Triskel Christchurch, as part of Cork’s First Fortnight Festival.

The group’s latest album, For the Record, is a limited-edition vinyl of 10 songs.

James started the group 10 years ago with his friend, the late Mags Kelly — another talented musician who had been a homeless addict, before passing away in 2014 — when he was staying in accommodation provided by Cork Simon. The duo was inspired to start Claddagh Rogues during an artist-in-resident project run by Cork Simon.

The project was led by musician and clinical nurse, Kevin O’Shanahan, who specialises in mental health and the arts for West Cork’s Mental Health Services, and who still plays with the band.

“To me, James is an inspiring person, someone who has very honestly accepted his challenges,” said Mr O’Shanahan.

“He is a symbol of how you can turn your life around. He has come through mental health issues, homelessness, and addiction”.

The new album is supported by the HSE, the Cork Arts and Health Partnership, and Music Alive, a specialist group facilitating access to music-making in community settings.

Now a father of one, James said that despite a troubled past, he always loved singing.

“People always like me to sing — they’ll ask me to get up and sing a song. When I was in prison, or in hospital, I’d sing. My songs come from living in the depths and struggling, and developing the knowledge to deal with things and learning to accept,” said James, who lives in Greenmount.

“When I struggled, I had to find hope and learn to love myself. I did all that, eventually, and I am where I am today. I feel I am rehabilitated.”

A digital download of the album is available from thecladdaghrogues.bandcamp.com, for €10. The limited-edition vinyl album will be on sale at the Triskel event and also available from www.musicalive.ie, for €15 plus postage.