John Spillane

Spillane is an advocate of the resurgence of the Irish language having released two albums almost entirely in Irish. The first being a collaboration with Irish poet Louis de Paor under the pseudonym "The Gaelic Hit Factory". The album of the same name was critically acclaimed and Spillane and De Paor combined their talents to win the Realta Irish song contest two years in a row. The second being the recent double platinum selling album Irish Songs We Learned at School which was recorded with students from a school in Ballincollig and features thirteen traditional Irish songs. Spillane is noted to have followed the release (and continues to do so) with a school tour to promote the Irish language through music to young people. A song from the album was featured on the 2013 compilation album Larry Kirwan's Celtic Invasion.

In October 2007 asked by TG4, Spillane filmed a twelve-day musical visit to Senegal in West Africa. It was part of a series called Ceoilchuairt which sent different musicians to different parts of the world to interact with musicians from different cultures and learn from them.

It was in 1992 when the young trad band Nomos changed Spillane's life. The band was made up of concertina player Niall Vallely, Donegal fiddler Liz Doherty (replaced by Cork fiddle player Vince Milne on the second album), bodhrán player Frank Torpey, and Gerry McKee on mandocello and bouzouki. Spillane played acoustic guitar and fretless electric bass while also contributing songs to the group. Together they toured the world and produces two albums Set You Free and I Won't Be Afraid Anymore. Spillane then left to pursue a solo career.

John Spillane (born 1961) is a singer-songwriter from Cork, Ireland. He graduated from University College Cork with a degree in Irish and in English.