The backroom boys

Sean Mulligan never aspired to be a gig promoter, band booker or venue manager. In fact, when he was pulling pints behind the bar in The Lantern in Navan, he was quite happy to simply enjoy the music at the pub’s weekly Vigilante Music Sessions, co-run by musician Eugene Donegan at the time. When he heard that the Sessions were coming to an end, however, he decided to step up to the plate and keep the flag flying.

“When I heard it was finishing and no one else was taking it over, it was myself and [local artist] Paul Clarke that said ‘Right, we’ll give it a go’,” he explains. “We had no real intention to make it as big as it is – a lot has happened since the early days in 2007. To us, the Backroom isn’t just about a gig on a Friday night. It’s about bringing the artists in; it’s about getting involved in all the other festivals around, like Le Chéile. There’s actually a lot going on musicwise in Meath.”
The Backroom Sessions were initially established as a night for local musicians and bands to ply their wares.
“There’s a lot of local talent to draw from, and although you can’t keep using them every Friday, you can make sure that they get their fair share. After about six months, we realised that there was a market and a need for a night like the Backroom – and the amount of bands from around the country that started contacting us was proof of that.”
Indeed, some of Ireland’s most well-known musicians have made the trip to The Lantern, which is now one of the foremost venues for live music in Meath. Damien Dempsey, Cathy Davey, Kila and The Coronas have all enjoyed sell-outs at The Backroom, located in the function room at the rear of the bar. In fact, there's a steady stream of music fans travelling from Dublin and surrounding counties to catch their favourite acts in the intimate 150-capacity venue.
“Dublin’s where everyone goes for gigs, but not so much now,” he agrees. “I mean, they still go up, because we wouldn’t have every name, of course – but they’ll always keep an eye on the website and be kept up to date with what’s going on. I don’t think that people realise there’s a Nitelink in Navan – it’s not that far out of the way. We would have a good few regulars that come down from Dublin, and they use the Nitelink.”
When quizzed about his personal favourite session, Mulligan is diplomatic with his answer.
“That’s a question I’m never asked,” he laughs. “I could name a load of amazing gigs, but at the end of the day, we’ve never had a problem with an artist. OK, not every gig might have been packed, but there’s always something good out of every night. That might sound corny, but it’s true. We put in so much work that we wouldn’t start labelling gigs as good, bad or terrible.”
And as The Backroom Sessions slowly grows in stature, Mulligan is optimistic about what the future holds.
“When we started, we had no real agenda or objective,” he claims. “But what we’re striving for – and it’ll come with time – is to just be recognised on the national live circuit.”