Triune Records Ireland Rohan Healy
Music and poetry, like prayer, are unique forms of communication between the human and the divine. The Ard-Ollamh’s, or chief poet’s, social status was matched only by the High King of Ireland. The great poet kings Solomon and David, whose psalms ring out daily though the Divine Office in every nation. From Gregorian chant to Bob Dylan, from choral hymns to Kris Kristofferson, music continues to act as an unquenchable wellspring of inspiration, communication and elevation of spirit.
Like the psalms, the best of modern music explores and encompasses the full length of human experience, desolation and consolation, love and loss, tears of joy and sorrow. The best music reaches what is intrinsic among all people of the world, accesses the law written on our hearts, holds a mirror to our transgressions and comforts us in our brokenness.
Music
Music is also a powerful evangelical tool. Worship music and hymns can be wonderfully edifying and affirming for the faithful, but what about the lost sheep, separated from the flock? The prodigal son at the peak of his hedonism. The lyrics of Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower come to mind, in reference to the thief on the Cross:
“No reason to get excited
The thief, he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I, we’ve been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us stop talkin’ falsely now
The hour’s getting late.”
We think of Nick Cave’s dark and challenging lyrics that wrestle with God like Jacob, or Sufjan Stevens’ haunting take on The Transfiguration, of Gram Parsons’ Sin City, of Johnny Cash’s When The Man Comes Around. Vectors that reach out and penetrate the soul and turn our gaze heavenward, that can bring our thoughts and hearts to higher places, that can heal.
In general the state of popular music is undeniably banal at best, and degenerate
at its worst”
Johnny Paycheck has a simple but powerful song called the Outlaws Prayer, a commentary on religious hypocrisy and superficiality that resonates down the ages and speaks potently to those who may feel they don’t ‘fit in’ to Christianity. Here are the final lines of the song, after he’d been asked to leave a chapel because of his unconventional way of presenting himself:
“You know, Lord, I’m not perfect
Some even call me no count
But I’ll tell You, I believe a man is judged by what’s in his heart
Not his bank account
So if this is what religion is
A big car and a suit and a tie
Then I might as well forget it, Lord
‘Cause I can’t qualify
Oh, by the way, Lord, right before they kicked me out
Didn’t I see a picture of You
With sandals and a beard?
Believe, You had long hair too”
“And all mankind will see God’s salvation” (Luke 3:6). Prophesied by Isaiah, the way prepared by John the Baptist and fulfilled in Christ. “Lead ALL souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.” Popular and contemporary music has a huge role to play in spiritual warfare, and it’s not hard to see that the prevailing culture in popular western music is by and large not of the edifying kind. Gwen Stefani is a practicing Catholic and is partnered with the Hallow app, rock guitarist John Petrucci of Dream Theatre is another one, Nick Cave in recent interviews has discussed his increased Church attendance and faith, Suzi Quatro is a legendary Catholic rock star. They are out there if you go looking, however in general the state of popular music is undeniably banal at best, and degenerate at its worst.
Alternative
All of this to pose the question ‘what if there were a viable alternative’? An active attempt to produce and promote music that can be enjoyed by all people but is created by Catholics and with a Catholic ethos. The material may be challenging, like the works of Catholic creators like Scorsese, Kerouac, Dostoevsky and even Warhol post-shooting in 1968, but always in the context of Catholic understanding of our place in the Cosmos and a relationship with Jesus.
We are developing projects with several Irish Catholic artists”
‘Triune Records Ireland’ hopes to foster just that with the creation of a label designed to produce and promote Catholic artists starting here in Ireland. The first release, David Virgin’s new album Notre Dame, is out now via Triune and all proceeds from sales on Bandcamp.com are going to the Dominican Priory at St Saviour’s. David has worked on stage and in studio with Nick Cave, INXS, Billy Bragg and Cat Power, to name a few.
We are developing projects with several Irish Catholic artists so look forward to upcoming releases during 2025, along with some live events planned in association with the Lay Dominican Chapter at St Saviour’s.
Triune Records Ireland is a new label established in 2024 for the development and promotion of music by Catholic artists with a Catholic ethos. The father and sons’ team of David ‘Virgin’ Healy, Rohan Healy and Alex Healy hope to call upon their extensive experience in the music business (Eurovision, Voice UK, Warner Music, Atlantic Records, BBC Radio 1, etc.) to bring music to the world that can be enjoyed by Catholics and the general public alike.