Cathal Fitz Takes Flight With New Single Paper Planes

By Chris Kennedy | Published 10th Aug, 2026

Cathal Fitz - Paper Planes — Cathal Fitz

Since releasing his debut single Firing Squad in 2025, Cork singer-songwriter Cathal Fitz has been steadily building a name for himself across Ireland and the UK. Blending acoustic storytelling with a modern pop edge, Fitz has developed a sound that feels both polished and deeply personal. There's an honesty to his songwriting that comes from drawing on his own experiences, and that authenticity has quickly started to connect with listeners.

In a relatively short space of time, Fitz has already shared stages with some of Ireland's best-known acts, including Darren Kiely, Skinny Living, Seamus Harty, Jack L and Jerry Fish. With just a handful of singles released, he's also passed the 100,000-stream mark on Spotify.

Now, Fitz is preparing to take things a step further with his debut EP, Concise Waffle, due for release in September. If Paper Planes is anything to go by, there's plenty to look forward to.

Cathal Fitz Is Building Something Special

There's an immediate intimacy to Paper Planes. The track opens with a gorgeous slide guitar drifting over a gently strummed acoustic guitar before Fitz's vocals enter.

From there, the arrangement slowly grows. Strings sit quietly in the background at first, almost like a distant hum, before gradually becoming more prominent as the emotion of the song builds.

The harmonies are another highlight. There's something wonderfully natural about them, almost as though they're being sung around a table at a traditional Irish session. It gives the track a warmth that perfectly complements Fitz's more contemporary production.

It's a simple arrangement, but there's plenty happening beneath the surface.

Paper Planes Finds Beauty In The Chaos

At its heart, Paper Planes is about wanting to escape the chaos around us, even if only for a moment. Fitz uses the simple idea of folding our problems into little paper planes and watching them drift away to explore bigger themes of political division, social pressure and the struggles of everyday life. Rather than becoming too political, the song focuses on how division affects people, relationships and the way we see the world. There's also a sense of hope running through it, with Fitz reminding us that while escaping our problems might offer a temporary break, real change comes from facing them.

Speaking on the track, Fitz shares:

Paper Planes is about wanting to escape the chaos for a moment, but also recognising that real change comes from facing it. It's the emotional starting point of Concise Waffle.

Paper Planes Cover Artwork — Cathal Fitz

Final Verdict

Paper Planes is a thoughtful and beautifully arranged introduction to the world of Cathal Fitz's upcoming debut EP. The combination of acoustic guitar, subtle strings and rich harmonies gives the track a warm, almost timeless quality, while Fitz's songwriting keeps it firmly rooted in the here and now.

There's no shortage of young singer-songwriters emerging from Ireland at the moment, but Cathal Fitz is beginning to carve out a sound that feels distinctly his own.