Wayne Brereton is a Folk/Ballad singer-songwriter from Co. Offaly in Ireland. He has been playing guitar in gigging bands since the age of 14 and was the featured guitarist for an Irish pop/rock band once very popular in the country called HOGAN. Wayne then returned to the genre he first fell in love with Ballad / Folk & Traditional Music, and he was a central member of his father’s band Turas. He also features as bass player and additional vocals for Derek Warfield and the young Wolfe Tones as well as fronting his own increasingly popular band, The Cardinal Sins.

Wayne cites Luke Kelly, Shane McGowan, Sean Keane & Christy Moore and of course his multi-talented father as his biggest influences for the crafting of his own style. Wayne is a Gaelic speaker and also worked as a tour guide in Kilmainham Jail, which puts him very much in tune with the love & culture of Irish songs & ballads.

It is due to the fact that Wayne’s Grandmother Minnie was born in Scotland and raised by Irish parents and returned to Ireland at the age of 16 in 1932 that he feels a strong connection with Scottish ballads, folk music, and Australian folk music – a place where some of his relatives emigrated in the early 1900’s.

Wayne has been on a journey with this collection of songs… Gathered over the last number of years from traveling far and wide. He gained inspiration from his influences and his love for the Irish language as well as overcoming health issues. As the project began in 2019, Wayne suffered a setback due to a congenital heart condition. A valve he received in 1995 suddenly stopped working and halted his active life. Although he was not bedridden, he did have limited energy to carry on with life and this is when he decided the time was now to start working on this project. The pandemic restrictions resulted in Wayne being confined to the hospital for 6 weeks without visitors, which at times was stressful and upsetting. February 2021 saw Wayne be released back to society & once he was back on his feet, he triumphantly returned to the studio to complete his mission of releasing ‘The Robin’s Call’.

The chosen title was in connection to both of Wayne’s Grandmothers as they always spoke of the Robin as a strong resilient bird that protects itself and will always return to where it should be and in local folklore, the belief that the Robin arriving at your back door or garden was always someone who had passed on and that they were coming back to say hello and see if you are alright.

Wayne comments that “It was a victory for me to finish this record, with so many trials and obstacles in the way. It is my hope that you enjoy the Songs and feel a connection with them the same way I have”. 

Track listing

1. Keg Of Brandy

2. ‘S Cuma Grian No Sion

3. The Mountains Of Pomeroy (Feat Eva Coyle)

4. Shepherd Lad

5. The Diamantina Drover

6. When First Unto this Country

7. Come Rain or Come Shine

Tour dates: (More TBA)

• Friday, May 26th – The Acoustic Room In The Anvil Inn Main St Portarlington Co. Laois (Launch night)
• Thursday, 15 June – Whelans Mini Venue, Dublin
• Friday, 23rd June – The Blackbird, Ballycotton Co. Cork