Sullie

John O'Suilleabhain

Riverstone (Sydney) NSW

Sullies’ songs are about leaving, love, loss, and broken hearts. Songs and stories with a twist of protest, awareness of environmental issues and calls for social justice. Sullie is a singer-songwriter who plays across multiple genres. His songs range from sensitive folk acoustic ballads to punk rock songs and all points in between. Sometime in the mid-80s in a small town in the west of Ireland with dreams of being the next U2 Sullie started his first band with nothing more than a beat-up acoustic guitar and thick cardboard tube and an orange faux leather couch for a drum kit. Sullie has played music ever since as a solo artist, in a band, or in traditional Irish folk sessions. Sullie is a multi-instrumentalist whose primary instrument is the guitar. He is a lead vocalist and sings a wide range of musical styles. Sullie also plays the bass guitar, with a little bouzouki, mandolin, banjo, and tin whistle. Sullie has appeared with the late Henry McCullough (Joe Cocker Band & Wings), supported Tommy Emmanuel. Sullie has played in Irish music sessions with some of Ireland top traditional and folk players, Johnny Moynihan, (Sweeneys Men, Planxty, De Dannan, Fleah Cowboys) Clive Collins (Fiddle on Christy Moore – Prosperous 1972) and Vinnie Kilduff (In Tua Nua) as well as Australian sessions with artists such as Shane Howard (Goanna). Sullie has recorded in Temple Lane Studios in Dublin and in New York with three-time Emmy Award-winning composer Tom Spahn In 2008 he wrote Tears of the Goddess for the Save Tara protesters fundraising campaign, a collaboration of international artists and appeared on Balcony TV Dublin. After moving to Australia in 2012 Sullie has performed across Western Australia as a solo artist, in sessions and with various bands and groups. Sullie founded the Kalgoorlie Traditional Music Session group, a community-based group for Irish Traditional and folk music in regional WA. Currently based in Sydney Australia Sullie is well known on the folk scene in New South Wales. He performs solo as Sullie (Original Songs) and with The Full Irish, (Irish Trad, Folk). Following several festival appearances around NSW in 2019, great things were on the horizon for 2020. COVID 19 put an end to that with virtually all gigs and festivals cancelled in 2020. Sullie records and produces his music in his home studio. Sullie has self-released several tracks and has several releases planned for 2021. In early 2021 his song To War is being released by Music for World Peace Records.