Rónán Connolly
About
I've been teaching guitar for over 11 years, working with students of all ages and experience levels. My approach is focused on helping each student develop their own musical voice while building strong technical foundations and confidence on the instrument. Whether you're picking up the guitar for the first time, looking to improve your technique, or wanting to learn your favourite songs, I tailor lessons to suit your goals and interests.
Alongside teaching, I have an extensive background as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer. I perform in a touring rock band that regularly plays shows and festivals across Europe, giving me real-world experience in songwriting, recording, live performance, and the music industry. My catalogue of original music generates over 4 million streams annually, providing valuable insight into both the creative and commercial sides of a modern music career.
In addition to guitar lessons, I offer songwriting coaching for artists who want to develop their songwriting skills, refine their creative process, and turn ideas into finished songs. Whether you're writing your first song or looking to take your craft to the next level, I can help you build the tools, techniques, and confidence needed to create music that connects with listeners.
My goal is to make learning enjoyable, inspiring, and rewarding, while helping every student progress at their own pace and achieve their musical ambitions.
Teaching Style
My teaching style is hands-on, practical, and tailored to each individual student. I’m passionate about helping musicians develop not only their technical skills but also their confidence, creativity, and understanding of music as a whole. Drawing from years of experience as a performer, songwriter, and touring musician, I aim to pass on the knowledge and lessons I've learned throughout my career in a way that is engaging, accessible, and relevant to each student's goals.
I believe every student learns differently, so I adapt my approach to suit their pace, interests, and ambitions. Whether you're a complete beginner, an experienced guitarist looking to refine your technique, or a songwriter wanting to develop your craft, my lessons are designed to provide clear direction while encouraging creativity and self-expression.
Curriculum
A key part of my approach is teaching students what they genuinely want to learn. Whether that's mastering favourite songs, improving technique, writing original music, preparing for live performance, or understanding music theory, I shape lessons around each student's interests and goals. Along the way, I naturally incorporate the knowledge, techniques, and insights I've gained from years of songwriting, recording, performing, and touring, helping students develop into well-rounded musicians while staying engaged with the music they love.
Every lesson is tailored to the individual, creating a balance between structured progression and creative exploration. I aim to build confidence, encourage self-expression, and provide practical tools that students can apply both on and off the instrument.
Drawing from my experience as a professional songwriter, recording artist, and touring musician, I offer more than just guitar instruction. My goal is to share the lessons I've learned throughout my career and help students develop the skills, mindset, and musical understanding needed to achieve their own goals, whatever they may be.
I recommend the following texts for anyone curious in learning more about art, creativity, the disclipine of musical performance:
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner
Room to Dream by David Lynch
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Credentials & Affiliations
I am a professional singer, songwriter, guitarist and music educator from Dublin, Ireland.
I have over nine years of teaching experience, having taught music at St. Michael's College, Dublin, from 2015 to 2024. Alongside my work at St. Michael's, I taught private students in Dublin in singing, guitar, songwriting and performance development. I continued teaching privately until my recent move to Paris in 2026.
As a professional musician, I am the lead singer, primary songwriter, rhythm and lead guitarist, and musical director of Big Sleep, an Irish alternative rock band that has toured extensively throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. I have performed at major festivals including Electric Picnic, All Together Now, Forbidden Fruit, Beyond the Pale, The Great Escape (UK) and Supersonic Block Party (Paris).
With Big Sleep, I have played sold-out shows across Europe in cities including London, Manchester, Bristol, Groningen, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Berlin and Amsterdam. Notable performances include The Academy, Dublin (800 capacity), The Garage, London (500 capacity), and the Trinity Ball Main Stage in Dublin, performing to an audience of approximately 5,000 people.
My recording credits include Big Sleep's song "Easy", which has accumulated over 1.7 million streams, and the band's debut album Holy Show, released through LAB Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, to widespread critical acclaim. Across platforms, Big Sleep currently reaches over 115,000 monthly Spotify listeners and generates more than 4.5 million streams annually.
My experience as a touring, recording and songwriting artist allows me to bring practical, real-world insight to lessons in singing, guitar, songwriting, performance, recording and artist development. I work with students of all levels and tailor lessons to their individual goals, whether they are looking to improve their technique, prepare for live performances, write original music or develop confidence as a musician.