Declan O’Rourke – releases new single ‘Earl Grey and Edwin’

Declan O’Rourke, acclaimed singer-songwriter, today shares Earl Grey and Edwin, the final single ahead of forthcoming studio album Oceanic, due for release on October 16th. A tender reflection on the friendships that leave a lasting impression, the song considers how connections can continue to shape us, even when life takes us in different directions.

From a first shared cup of tea that O’Rourke initially mistook for having soap in it, to being encouraged to grow his fingernails so he could play guitar, the song is filled with small, vivid memories of a friendship that endured across distance – two “kindred souls” brought together through a shared passion for music and art.

O’Rourke explains:

“Earl Grey And Edwin is an ode to those one off people we meet along the way who change and shape our lives for the better.

The shifting nature of existence often sees us separated. But memory lasts forever and can be triggered at anytime.”

The official video accompanying the release was filmed by Jim Frater on location in Melbourne, Australia, continuing the album’s connection to a country that has been central to O’Rourke’s musical journey and the making of Oceanic.

The new track follows Echo and For Free, the first two releases from Oceanic, recorded in Sydney with longtime friend and collaborator Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil) as co-producer. The album marks a profound full-circle moment in O’Rourke’s life and career, returning to Australia, where he first began recording songs as a teenager, and reflects a life lived across two continents and hemispheres.

Speaking on the album, O’Rourke explains:

“Oceanic somehow wrote, and then made itself too.

I’ve always felt that being an artist is a process of stripping away layers of yourself to get to the core. If that’s true, then Oceanic is a collection of dreams that have surfaced on their own, from among the deepest of my own layers.”

Earl Grey and Edwin is available now on all streaming platforms here. Oceanic will be released on 16 October ahead of a nationwide Irish tour this autumn. For more information and tickets, visit: www.declanorourke.com 

Tour Dates – 2026:

OCTOBER

8               CORK, Cork Opera House

9               WESTMEATH, Mullingar Arts Centre

10            MAYO, Westport Town Hall Theatre

17            DUBLIN, Vicar Street

NOVEMBER

6               TYRONE, Craic Theatre and Arts Centre, Coalisland

7               KILLARNEY, Gleneagle Club

13            ENNIS, Glór

14            CAVAN, Townhall Arts Centre

15            NAVAN, Solstice Arts Centre

21            DERRY, Guildhall

Tickets available now from www.declanorourke.com