Music
22 Apr 20

PREMIERE: Tadhg Williams shares video for debut single 'My Father's Clouds'

Watch the new video from the Waterford singer-songwriter below.

Following the release of his long-awaited debut single earlier this year, Tadhg Williams has returned with a powerful new music video for 'My Father's Clouds'.

The video was shot by Galway filmmaker Rory McMahon in Mother Reilly's Bar and Restaurant in Rathmines, Dublin – and features nostalgic archive footage of Ballybricken in Waterford City in the '80s.

"Since Tadhg and I study history together, we both have a similar nostalgia and affection for a time gone by in Ireland which we wanted to convey in this video," Rory explains. "We also have had more pints than either of us would care to admit in the filming venue, Mother Reilly's, which was out local for our first year in college together. The choice to film there was an obvious one, drawing the contrast between to experience of his father in a Waterford pub and us having a pint in our local sitting in the same cloud of smoke and chit chat."

"Since myself and Rory became friends we had spoken about working on something together," Tadhg adds. "We share the same perception of the world around us and the world gone by. Throughout the recording process for My Father's Clouds I kept Rory updated, sending him demos and mixes. His love for the song is something that really touches me. As the song developed we both had a similar vision for a video but this is Rory's reimagining of the lyrics. It is his baby as much as it is mine. Sure I suppose we're proud parents of this."

First performed during a support slot for Glen Hansard in Vicar Street back in 2018, 'My Father's Clouds' is a moving ode to fathers and sons in modern Ireland – originally written by Tadhg during his final year of secondary school.

“A father-son relationship can be complicated and often difficult for many people," Tadgh says of the single. "While myself and my father have had our differences, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have a role model like him in my life. His has influenced me in so many ways – my character, my music taste, my work ethic. I wrote this song for him because sometimes saying ‘I love you Dad’ is easier said through song. I hope other fathers and sons use the song in the same way.”

Tadhg marked the release of 'My Father's Clouds' with successful headliners at Slattery's in Rathmines and Phil Grimes in Waterford in February.

Over the last few years, Tadhg has built up a formidable reputation in the Irish music scene on the back of high-profile support slots for Glen Hansard, David Keenan, Rozi Plain and Fields. As a poet, he has also performed alongside the likes of Emmet Kirwan, Sasha Terfous, Stephen James Smith and Natalya O'Flaherty.

Take a look at the video, dedicated to "fathers and sons everywhere", below: