Belfast-based folk artist Love from Belfast (Robert Boake) returns with his luminous new single, ‘Connemara‘. Written during a family trip to the west of Ireland, the song captures a moment of complete presence — where landscape, music, and memory quietly intertwine on a sunlit beach.
Penned on Mannin Bay just outside Clifden, ‘Connemara’ began in open tunings as Boake played to the Atlantic horizon, his young family nearby and the rhythm of the tide keeping time. What followed was a song that seemed to arrive as naturally as the tide itself — gentle, expansive, and filled with gratitude.
‘Connemara’ effortlessly took shape one sunny morning on Mannin Bay beach just outside Clifden.
“I’d been tinkering away with some beautiful open tunings and the structure came together as descriptions of the landscape around me fell into place. A group of friendly people came and stood on the sand next to me and clapped, thanked me and chatted to me when I stopped playing.
My kids were playing at the water with my wife and I remember being so happy to have this new song recorded on my phone! Later, I added the “flow like a river” bridge section because I wanted to capture the total ease of that day, that sense of complete calm and presence that I felt while visiting this place. Although I had to leave the next day, I promised myself that I would return soon.”
‘Connemara’ carries the hallmark warmth and intimacy that have become central to Love from Belfast’s sound. Built around delicate fingerpicked guitar and spacious arrangements, the track unfolds like a slow exhale — anchored by its “flow like a river” bridge, which deepens the sense of calm and quiet reverence.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered in Boake’s garden studio in Ballyhackamore, Belfast, the single continues his commitment to crafting music slowly and intentionally — rooted in lived experience and shaped by the landscapes that surround him.
Boake’s storytelling reflects a life lived across continents: from childhood in the forests of Sabie, South Africa, to touring Europe with award-winning indie rock band Sunways, and later working as a locations scout and manager on HBO’s Game of Thrones. With Love from Belfast, he turns toward stillness — creating songs that honour presence, memory, and the search for home.
Following the reflective tone of his previous release ‘Waiting for the Rain’, ‘Connemara’ feels like a companion piece — not centred on loss this time, but on arrival. On the rare and beautiful experience of feeling exactly where you are meant to be.
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