My Weekend: ‘I try keep Sundays free for adventures’

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Cian Sweeney. I’m a music producer, artist, pianist, and lecturer (at the MTU Cork School of Music), originally from Glanmire. I got my start as a session musician and pianist straight out of university, which led me to tour internationally with incredible acts like Phil Coulter, Moya Brennan, The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, The Celtic Tenors, Celtic Thunder, Finbar Wright, and plenty more.

While performing was amazing, my real passion was always in music production. So I kept working on my skills behind the scenes, and just before the pandemic hit (great timing, I know), I made the move to studio work full-time. That shift paid off; I produced a track called Fake Fine with Robert Grace in 2020, and it went double platinum. Since then, it’s been full steam ahead, collaborating with brilliant artists like Shiv, Le Boom, Ryan Mack, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Toucan, Tolu Makay, and many others.

I now run my own space in Greenmount called Birds of Paradise Studio, and the music I’ve been lucky enough to create has racked up over 150 million streams to date. It’s been a wild and wonderful journey so far.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Since Saturdays are often the busiest day in the studio and in the music world in general, I try to keep Friday evenings relaxed. Most weeks that means a game of six-a-side football, then either a bit of Netflix, a meal out, or a trip to the cinema if there’s something good on.

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

Definitely more of a night owl than an early bird. I love working after midnight, there’s something about the quiet that helps me think clearly and get everything organised. It’s the perfect time to tick things off the to-do list and prep for the day or week ahead, without any distractions. Then, when morning comes, I can focus on the more important stuff when I’m fresh.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Always! My wife Laura has a running joke that I always have “a few bits” to do. That said, I’m pretty good at drawing a line between work and downtime. 

I do my best to keep Sundays free for adventures, a bit of DIY, getting out in nature, or catching up with friends. 

It’s all about balance and making sure to deliberately “misplace” your phone.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I’ve been lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling over the years, and to be honest, city breaks don’t have the same pull for me anymore. 

As I’ve gotten older, I find most cities are starting to feel a bit same-y (Starbucks and McDonald’s tend to look the same no matter where you are) so I’m much more drawn to rural adventures these days.

One of my favourite things to do is take off on a cycling trip with a few friends. Every year, we try to spend a week or 10 days riding one of the EuroVelo routes across Europe. It’s surprisingly popular on the continent, though not many Irish people seem to do it yet. I first cycled from Munich to Lviv back in college, and since then I’ve done routes along the Danube, the Rhine, and even across the Alps (stunning routes, I would recommend!).

There’s something really special about rolling through quiet countryside with just a tent strapped to the back of the bike, camping in small villages along the way. It’s hands down my favourite way to see the world.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

You can’t beat White Bay for a swim on a weekday evening when the tide is out and the sun is setting but if you only have half an hour to spare, then a walk around The Lough to feed the ducks is always a good shout.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

The weekend and midweek. I normally try and give myself an hour or two every day for exercise. 

Considering I work from home, it’s really important for me to get out of the house and move a bit. Catching up with friends often happens around that — whether it’s a game of six-a-side, a swim, or a gym session, it’s the perfect excuse to combine a bit of fitness with some social time.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I’m lucky in that my career feels like one big hobby, I get to do what I love every day. That said, I do enjoy switching off now and then. I like heading down to Turner’s Cross for a Friday night match when I can. I’m also into soccer, tennis and padel tennis, of course, since it’s all the rage these days. Outside of that, I love walking, hiking, and cycling. Anything that gets me outdoors really.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

Since I work from home, I usually prefer getting out of the house rather than hosting, but our door is always open for friends and family.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

There’s nowhere quite like Myo on a sunny Sunday morning. For lunch, the sandwiches in Twenty on Anglesea Street are always a solid option.

Dinner-wise, we tried Coriander Nepalese in Douglas recently, and it’s still fresh on my mind. Really great food, definitely worth a visit.

For coffee, I’m a big fan of Alchemy on Barrack Street. They keep me and the studio stocked up with beans for the moka pot. Their Brazilian is my go-to at the moment. I’d also give a big thumbs up to Three Fools and West Cork Coffee Co. — both excellent. I’ve got to give a shout-out to the fish and chip trucks over on the far side of Kinsale. Nothing like sneaking down for fish and chips on a sunny summer evening and then taking a stroll around James’ Fort and the Dock Beach afterwards.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Normally with family or friends, out and about in nature or going for a meal before heading home once it’s dark to tidy up the house and get ready for the week.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

That depends on how late I stay up on Sunday night doing those “few bits”

Anything else you are up to right now...

Right now, I’ve started a new project called As If I Always Knew. It’s a semi-improvised solo piano project where I just sit down at the piano, hit record, and let whatever comes to mind flow. The first single Sleep came out on Wednesday, May 21, but watching all the live performances on YouTube is the best way to understand the music.

I tried to explain what it was to my aunt recently by saying it’s very much my own distinct style at the piano — Debussy meets Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, perhaps but maybe I’m getting ahead of myself..

I’m taking it to St Fin Barre’s Cathedral under the Helios installation at 8pm on June 19 as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival, so if you’re around, feel free to come along. The show is called A Piano Meditation and will feature guided breathwork and one or two Irish Airs.

I’m also hoping to swap the pews out for yoga mats. It will be a really relaxing, mindful, and meditative experience.