'Ghost estates' influence on Sinead's new single

Unsigned artist Sinead McNally has decided to invest time and money into releasing a single in the run up to Christmas and an excellent combination of a beautifully crafted song and a unique video concept, 'Dance With Me' has the ability to compete with the big guys in the music industry. Sinead, who is from Dundalk but with family roots in Navan, created a story for the video that is set in a 'ghost estate', to highlight the difficulties that many Irish people find themselves in today, with unmanageable mortgage repayments and negative equity. She says that the thousands of unfinished properties which stood as dreams for young couples and families now stand as reminders of the nightmare that so many Irish people find themselves in and it was extremely important to her to bring the reality of life in Ireland into her music. Whilst the video addresses the economic downturn, the song itself tells the story of love and companionship and the importance of knowing that "in the darkness we'll find our way back into the light", sending out a message of hope and trust and highlighting the importance of relationships and love in our lives despite it all. Sinead says that writing the song was effortless: "It was so natural, nothing was forced and I can't even recall a time frame. It was as if the song came instantaneously, as if by magic." She made a decision to release 'Dance With Me' at Christmas as she believes that it has that element of magic about it and what better time to release it than Christmas. Similarly, the video came together with great ease and Sinead says it "was incredible" how many people offered to come on board as they felt very passionate about the song and the concept. Having already released two singles this year, Sinead is no stranger to hard work and most importantly a love for what she does. Presently, Sinead has four songs that are getting airplay on radio stations throughout Ireland including her first two singles 'Moody Blues' and 'The Green Eyed Monster' along with her children's Christmas song 'Nearly Christmas' and a beautiful folk piece 'This Heart', which are all receiving regular play on radio stations all over Ireland and overseas. Sinead's grandparents John and Ite O'Donovan lived at St Brigid's Villas in Navan, and her late grandfather was a linotype operator in the Meath Chronicle in the 1960s. He was very involved in the local musical society. Sinead's mother, Aine, went to Mercy Convent and her uncle Crochubhar O'Donovan and his wife Alma live in St Brigid's Villas. Sinead studied piano at the College of Music in Dublin and alongside that developed her love for Irish traditional music, learning the fiddle through Comhaltas. When she was 14 she won The Macardle Award after being auditioned by conductor Proinnsias O'Duinn on behalf of Louth County Council. She was awarded a scholarship to pursue her classical music studies. She went on to study a degree in music at Canterbury Christchurch University in 1997. Following that she trained as a primary school teacher. Sinead's ambition to be a full-time singer/songwriter became a reality in September 2010 when she left teaching to fully immerse herself in gigging, writing and learning how to get her music into the public domain.