WATCH: Laois GAA referee and Laois artist's amazing cover of David Gray's Debauchery

Better known for his nationwide GAA refereeing skills in Croke Park, it may surprise many that Laois man Shay Mulhare is also a gifted singer.

He recently collaborated with a fellow native of The Heath, Laois artist Kate Deegan aka 'Warmcans', to release an atmospheric song and video, covering a song by one of his favourite artists, David Gray.

Shay who is also a tutor in the Portlaoise Prison Campus, told the Leinster Express / Laois Live how Debauchery came about, and his love of music.

"This is my second song to release, following my cover of Bernard Fanning's song I Wish You Well. That was a live action video in Creans in Vicarstown beside the canal, directed by Isabelle Blanche, another local talent. 

"This time I decided to keep myself off the screen. I contacted Kate, she is so talented, and she was all on for it," he said.

Shay Mulhare

Making his music is purely for the joy of it, and he funded the video himself.

"It's a bucket list for me. I like doing it. It's not a commercial thing, I'm married, I have kids, I just enjoy singing. I've recorded a couple of tracks now with Brian O'Mahony in Golden Egg Studios in Laois," Shay said.

Debauchery is getting a good reception already he said.

"Ann-Marie Kelly kindly played it on her Roadhouse radio show, and its taking off a bit on my Spotify," he said.

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Shay says there is "an unbelievable music scene in Laois".

"I've performed with James O'Connor at Electric Picnic, there's Paper Planes, Perfect Skins, Pogueology, Ross O'Meara, Jim Davidson, Terry Byrne, and Laois has a vibrant trad scene too," he said.