Songwriter and novelist, Brendan Graham, the man behind the phenomenal song You Raise Me Up and two winning Eurovision songs – Rock 'n' Roll Kids, and The Voice – has taken a leap into filmmaking and lent his brooding, earthy voice to award-winning director and producer Paddy Slattery’s latest project Sojourn.
Brendan is currently one of the most in-demand songwriters in the world. His songs have been performed and recorded by Josh Groban, Aretha Franklin, Westlife, Liam Neeson with the Chieftains and an array of artistes across the musical genres.
His bestselling novel The Whitest Flower (1998) – the first of his trilogy of 'documentary novels' for HarperCollins – will be re-published this year with the Sunday Times, Canberra, calling it "An important addition to the Irish national story."
Sojourn is a visual, musical and poetic meditation, about a writer named Aedh (Tristan Heanue) who finds a new muse. Her name is Aislinn (Nichola MacEvilly); a beautiful, playful and mischievous distraction. He falls in love hard but with his ordered lifestyle he soon struggles to quench her insatiable desires. The film follows Aedh through the emotional highs and devastating lows of his sojourn.
A sneak preview of Sojourn will be held at Tullamore Library on June 18th at 8pm as part of W.B. Yeats inspired themed evening, celebrating Yeats 150th anniversary. The evening includes a wine reception, some Yeats recitals and music by special guests Brendan Graham, Cathy Jordan, Feargal Murray and the Tullamore Rhymers, followed by a showing of Sojourn and a Q&A with cast and crew.