"The music scene in Dundalk is one of the best in Ireland" 

Dwayne moved to Dundalk one year ago from Leitrim to set up his own music PR business Butter Wouldn’t Melt. They handle public relations for a number of Irish bands.  

When did you move to Dundalk and what brought you here? 

I moved to Dundalk exactly one year ago. It flew by. 

Everyone is always mad keen to ask me this question and if I'm honest I'm not entirely sure, I do get asked why I moved here with an air of suspicion quite frequently haha. 

Most folk think I'm from Dublin and are usually surprised when I tell them I’m a Leitrim man.

I'd like to say I went to Arcadian Field a few years ago and didn't go home but really I guess I have known some friends  from here over the years and  had visited the Spirit Store (One of my favourite places ever) a few times, I have a childhood friend who relocated here years ago and some Dublin friends moved here recently too so they all played a part in this.

My main objective a year ago was to get out of Leitrim, set up my own business Butter Wouldn’t Melt Pr and move closer to Dublin without having to pay insane rents so that I can maintain some quality of life.  Ticking those boxes anyway.

Have you found Dundalk people welcoming? 

In all honesty,  I really love it here.  

The people have really made it for me. I mean I'm only here a year and already in the newspaper and didn't even have to break the law. (I’ve definitely used this joke before)

I've met a serious crew of sound heads between a  lot of gigs and pints at Mc Manus's, The Bar Tender, Toales and Spirit Store.  The Culture Club crew here is a great way to meet decent folk too, they're probably all reading this thinking that lad never posts anything in the what's app group but sure look I'm here to observe. It is a great thing to have though and it keeps you on top of what's going on locally.

Is Dundalk a good place to come to set up your own business? 

Yes, forget Dublin. I'm sorry to have to say that but if you can get out of there do it asap. I left in 2015 and I'll never move back. It's not a city for young Irish people anymore. Not everyone is of the same mindset and that's cool but I value quality of life over struggling to make ends meet. I'm not saying I'm crazy wealthy or anything but everything is cheaper outside Dublin and the air is cleaner and life moves at a slower pace. I’m content with this.

I really feel for my friends living there and working crazy hours and even crazy jobs just to pay rent to some fat cat landlord who's probably a T.D.

I've had a lot of support here, through gaining a little funding to set up a website and get my business branding done. The Digital Bakery are there and provide courses (Some free) in Digital Marketing and the likes.  I'm hoping to utilise their services very soon. 

I work from home which is something I'm trying to get out of but there are hot-desk opportunities etc I'm looking into.

What aspects of Dundalk do you enjoy and is there anything you would change/like to see more of here? 

I have a bit of an Atami addiction, I love food, especially Japanese food and there are some great spots here to eat but Atami would be my number one go-to.  

Great Sushi, great Ramen, great dumplings and great service.

Homemade ice-cream from the Roma. Coffee at Third Place or Panama. I am also very grateful to Classified Records for all my vinyl needs. Support your local record shop please.

Not being a driver  (which played a vital role in my moving here)  I would love if Matthews bus ran 24 hours and also opened a service to Belfast, that would be class. I really hope I get lots of comps for all these plugs. Haha.

There is not a lot I would change. I would really love to put some events on locally I have lots of ideas, but finding sponsorship etc can be tough. Getting involved more with Outcomers and the LGBTQ+ community here is top of my list too.  At Dundalk pride recently I noticed there was quite a large turnout of youth’s which is great to see so at some point I would love to do some creative or music-themed work with them, maybe a podcast or an online radio station or something.  I do miss being on the radio.

How do you like to relax in Dundalk? 

Ha, relax, what do mean? It's been a really stressful year for me. Things are slowly changing now and I’m feeling a lot more relaxed and content.  I used to play samba drumming as a teen and recently got together with a local group to perform in the square to celebrate The Market Bar’s birthday, that was amazing.  I thoroughly enjoy drumming, it’s very therapeutic, so I’m reaching out to those guys and asking can we do it again. 

I do enjoy the gym and swimming. I walk a lot.  Folk will no doubt have spotted me strutting about the town. I have to listen to a lot of music in my job and I feel I absorb it best when out for a long walk with my headphones on. 

I once clocked up 16k's just walking about the town it’s easily done if you have 5 or 6 albums to get through. I love going out to Gyles Quay for walks or up to Ravensdale. Being a Leitrim lad I value and appreciate the countryside. I’ve been told I’m a great cook. Cooking is something I get lost in and something I love to do when I sign off work for the day.

As someone who is into their arts and culture, how do you think Dundalk ranks in comparison to your hometown in Leitrim?  And what do you think of the Dundalk music scene?       

Ballinamore and Dundalk are difficult to compare. One’s a small village in Leitrim and one is a big commuter town. One’s got a large GAA culture the other has a Soccer one. Neither sport would remotely interest me.

The music scene in Dundalk is one of the best in Ireland. 

Just Mustard are class, I love that Wednesday LP and I also really like Trick Mist.  In fairness, I really love what the Pizza Pizza Records crew are doing. Elephant is someone I've admired for years, I'm pretty sure I've told him this whilst fangirling many times.  

TPM are gas altogether,  I met them playing with Jinx Lennon many moons ago in Mc Girls my local pub in Leitrim. The best of lads. 

Alice Robinson is an old friend and it's great to see her making her mark on the Irish music scene. 

I recently went to see NITS who were absolutely bizarre and lots of fun.

I'm looking forward to my old pal Sean Conway releasing his Porcelain Veneer project into the universe and I was utterly blown away by Annie June Callaghan recently who I had never seen live before.  Definitely, one to watch out for if she hasn't crossed your path. There’s loads more great musicians here too I could go on for a while.

So it’s thriving here in a big way. It's very inspiring. 

I have attended gigs locally featuring some of the best Irish musicians around and there has  not been a great attendance.  This is an ongoing issue nationwide. People need to attend gigs and source music closer to home.  However, I do see that there is a great support network here for Irish music and especially local artists. There is definitely more support here than you’d find in other parts of Ireland outside the cities. I think having a renowned venue like Spirit Store plays a vital role in this. Fair play lads.

There’s always something to do or to go and see here. I actually travelled to Dublin way more when I lived in Leitrim for my culture fix and strangely now that its closer than ever I rarely bother.

What are your plans for the rest of the year? 

So I'm currently focusing on making some changes in my Butter Wouldn't Melt PR business.  As I said earlier I'm waiting on a new website etc but I have a few solid clients now so I want to focus solely on them. 

I have big plans for this business but I’m taking it all in my stride at present and aiming to do it to the best of my ability. I need to hire someone soon as an assistant so if you are local and would like to get involved in Music PR email me and tell me a bit about your experiences. 

dwaynewoodspromotions@gmail.com It would be a paid, part-time position for the right person and I’d be willing to show someone the ropes if they were enthusiastic enough.

Next on the agenda for me is Arcadian Field. I love that wee festival. C’mon the town!