Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-05-11
‘Songs In The Key Of O’
Helen O’Shea, the Limerick-born, New Jersey-based musician and former OB/GYN, has released her star-studded new album, Songs In The Key Of O, with the focus track “There Will Be Days” featuring Caroline Carlile and The Carlile Family Band.
Produced by two-time GRAMMY Award-winning producer Marc Swersky, Songs In The Key Of O is a homage to two Irish music icons and O’Shea’s greatest inspirations: Sinéad O’Connor and Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries. The album blends original material with covers, honoring two fearless voices who helped reshape Irish music and left a lasting mark on generations of listeners.
The project features a wide-ranging cast of collaborators, including Liam O’Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers, Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green, Rob Clores of The Black Crowes, Aaron Comess and Jack Daley of Spin Doctors, James Maddock, Andrew Carillo, Michelle Moore of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s E Street Choir, Caroline Carlile and The Carlile Family Band, Seth Von Paulus, Leon Zervos, Nicole Scorsone, Nathan Bishop, Brielle Brown, Fiona Tyndall, Sharon Lasher, Jo Wymer, and Brad Butcher.
“Sinéad O’Connor is an Irish music icon, and an even bigger inspiration to thousands of Irish women. I will never forget the night she walked onto the stage of Ireland’s Late Late Show and made her debut, with her signature buzzcut and a plain white t-shirt. Sinéad helped to redefine what it meant to be a woman in Ireland. Strong, bold, fearless and passionate—she was a true inspiration, pushing the boundaries of Irish womanhood and Irish music,” says O’Shea.
“Dolores O’Riordan was a star who burned brightly for a tragically short time. She brought so much beauty to the hometown she shared with me through her singing and her songwriting, and she represented Limerick so well all over the world. The world lost her way too soon,” she adds.
O’Shea was in college when she received a mixtape from her brother that included “Linger.” Hearing Dolores O’Riordan’s unmistakable voice—another Limerick girl—left a lasting impact on her.
Before entering the music world, O’Shea dedicated years to a distinguished medical career as an obstetrician/gynecologist. She attended medical school at University College Galway in Ireland, where she met her husband, Paul O’Shea, PhD. She later served as an Assistant Professor in medical research and medical school teaching at McGill University in Montreal, where she became a leader in perinatal research and medical education.
O’Shea also created Healing in Medicine, a course designed to teach medical students, residents, and physicians how to navigate the complexities of caring for vulnerable patients and their families. Even as a doctor, her deepest calling was to be a healer—not only of the body, but of the human spirit.
Her return to the United States in 2011 brought a major life shift. After her children asked her to stop working in medicine and be home with them after school, O’Shea and her husband supported the change. “Two days into my new life, without my lifelong identity as Dr. Helen McNamara, I began to settle into life as housewife Helen O’Shea, with great difficulty. It was then that my husband said, ‘You’ve always wanted to sing—this is your chance.’”
That chance became a new creative chapter. O’Shea rediscovered her lifelong passion for music and soon became a dynamic force in the independent music scene, collaborating with Marc Swersky, winning Best Americana Song for “Sturdy Soul” at the Global Music Awards, and earning nominations for the 2024 Josie Awards and the International Singer-Songwriter Award for Best Duo with Alexander Simone for their collaboration “Holy Mother.”
Blending Americana and Celtic influences into a sound she calls AmeriCeltiCana, O’Shea’s music speaks to resilience, reinvention, healing, and the courage it takes to begin again. Her personal mantra, “Turning Tides Make Sturdy Souls,” runs through the heart of the new album and reflects her belief that life’s challenges—joyful and painful alike—shape who we become.
Songs In The Key Of O has already earned praise, including a four-star review from RNR Magazine and recognition from Hot Press, which called it “a stunning tribute.”
Songs In The Key Of O Running Order
1. “Caged Birds” — Original, featuring Liam O’Maonlaí
2. “Rock And Roll Angel” — Original, featuring Barry Murphy
3. “Chaos” — Original
4. “Dense Water Deeper Down” — Sinéad O’Connor cover, featuring Brielle Brown, Sharon Lasher, Fiona Tyndall, and Jo Wymer
5. “Dreaming My Dreams” — Dolores O’Riordan cover
6. “If U Ever” — Sinéad O’Connor cover, featuring James Maddock
7. “Saving Grace” — Dolores O’Riordan cover
8. “Last Day Of Our Acquaintance” — Sinéad O’Connor cover, featuring Brad Butcher
9. “Lost” — Dolores O’Riordan cover
10. “Unbecoming (KO Version)” — Original, featuring Fiona Tyndall
11. “Shine” — Original, featuring Michelle Moore
12. “There Will Be Days” — Original, featuring Caroline Carlile and The Carlile Family Band
