Jack O'Rourke to play Opera House's new Steinway this weekend

Cork singer and songwriter Jack O’Rourke is celebrating a return to music with a Halloween single and an appearance at Cork Opera House this weekend.

Back after a career break of sorts, the Ovens native is releasing a new song, Samhain, on Friday, and will get to play the Opera House’s new Steinway on Saturday evening.

He described his new composition as “a love song with strings – a song child of Lou Reed and Gram Parsons and Kate Bush, with a little contemporary folk or Americana running through it”.

“It draws on the older, Celtic traditions of Samhain, looking beyond the American commercialism that has come to dominate Halloween,” he told The Echo.

Inspired by childhood Halloweens and memories of bobbing for apples, the song features Western guitars, clarinets, swirling strings inspired by Bobbie Gentry, organ, drums described as “Ronettes-esque”, and a touch of synth.

The string arrangement is by Áine Delaney, who has worked with The National and on arrangements for the new Sounds From a Safe Harbour album.

The cover art is by Tristan Aher, a third-year English student he teaches at Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, An Mhainistir Thuaidh, in Cork City.

Samhain will be available to download from all streaming platforms.