Donegal singer-songwriter Seán Feeny returns today with ‘Wildflowers’, a personal and intimate new single about trying to hold onto moments and people that never fully stay.
The track continues the journey of Feeny’s debut album Galactic Tides, which has earned support from RTÉ, Hot Press, The Star, The Irish News, Belfast Telegraph, and radio and music outlets across Ireland, the UK, Europe, Canada and the US.
The album has also just this month received praise from RnR Magazine, which described Galactic Tides as “thoughtful and mature” and said it sounded like “music that Feeny had to make.”
Following previous singles including ‘1969’, ‘Western Roads’, ‘Galactic Tides’ and ‘Tír Mór’, ‘Wildflowers’ shows another side of Feeny’s songwriting – more personal, more intimate, and centred on human connection rather than history or place.
Written by Feeny in collaboration with Ruairí Friel (Silver Winged They Fly) and Tommy Callaghan (The Heads Of State), ‘Wildflowers’ captures the feeling of trying to hold onto moments and people that never fully stay.
Built around the repeated question, “Why do these Wildflowers disappear at night?”, the song reflects on temporary connection, loneliness, and the cycle of people returning just as they seem gone for good.
Musically, ‘Wildflowers’ leans into a softer and more reflective sound, mixing warm acoustic textures with atmospheric production from long-time collaborator, Donegal producer and musician Orri McBrearty.
The track also features cello from Donegal-based musician Laura McFadden, adding depth and emotion beneath the song’s understated arrangement, as well as the ethereal and beautiful backing vocals of Sarah Cullen (The Reflection Box) and husband, Ruairí Friel.
Seán said: “This song came from thinking about people who pass through your life for a short time but stay with you long afterwards.
“There’s a feeling in the song of wanting something to last while already knowing it probably won’t. I think most people have experienced that in some way.”
The single also marks Feeny’s fifth collaboration with Donegal filmmaker Charlie Joe Doherty, who has worked alongside him on the visual journey of the project from the very beginning.
Shot across North Donegal, including Ramelton, Lough Salt, Glen and the Fanad Peninsula, the video mirrors the mood of the song with quiet roads and isolated landscapes that reflect the feeling of searching for something just out of reach. Seán said: “There’s a real beauty, but also a loneliness to those places, especially in the evening light.”
With its honest lyrics, understated production and reflective atmosphere, Wildflowers continues to build on Feeny’s reputation as a songwriter focused on real stories, emotional truth and a strong sense of place.
To listen, watch and follow Seán Feeny, visit: http://www.seanfeeny.com
‘Wildflowers’ Cover Art by Manna Design