Jamie McIntyre Keeps It Real With Reason I Try

By Chris Kennedy | Published 16th August, 2026

Jamie McIntyre is having one hell of a year.

The Galway singer-songwriter has quickly become one of the biggest breaking independent Irish artists of 2026, and the past few months have been a pretty good example of why. McIntyre has played Slane Castle as opening support on both nights of Luke Combs’ sold-out shows, toured with Cian Ducrot, made his first appearances at UK festivals including TRNSMT in Glasgow and State Fayre in London, and shared stages with the likes of Tom Grennan, Gavin James and Hermitage Green.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even managed to headline two shows in the same day at Galway Folk Festival.

It’s fair to say McIntyre’s music is travelling.

From Over Galway Town to Reason I Try

The momentum hasn’t just been happening on stage either. Over the past year, McIntyre has built up an impressive run of singles, collectively passing the one-million-stream mark on Spotify.

At the centre of it all is Over Galway Town, the viral track that helped launch McIntyre’s career and has now passed a huge 8.2 million Spotify streams.

With that kind of momentum behind him, Reason I Try arrives at an interesting point in McIntyre’s career. Rather than chasing an enormous, polished pop production, the new single takes a much more stripped-back approach.

Reason I Try Puts the Songwriting Front and Centre

At its heart, Reason I Try is about emotional authenticity.

McIntyre keeps things relatively simple, allowing his distinctive vocal delivery to take centre stage. There’s no need for layers of production to distract from the song itself. Instead, the acoustic guitar provides a warm, rhythmic foundation, moving between gentle strumming and picking while giving the track a distinctly Irish folk character.

That stripped-back approach suits McIntyre particularly well.

There’s something refreshing about hearing an artist with so much momentum resist the temptation to make everything bigger. Reason I Try feels personal and direct, with the acoustic arrangement leaving plenty of space for the vocal and lyrics to do the heavy lifting.

It’s the kind of track that feels equally at home in a small venue or in front of a huge festival crowd.

A Big Summer Comes to an End

Reason I Try also feels like a fitting way to round off what has been an extraordinary summer for Jamie McIntyre.

His current run of live dates wraps up with the final three shows of Cian Ducrot’s Irish tour this week, taking in Donegal, Wexford and Limerick, before he heads to Electric Picnic.

After that, McIntyre will embark on his own headline Ireland and UK tour across the final three months of 2026.

If the past year is anything to go by, those shows are unlikely to stay small for long.

Final Verdict

Reason I Try is a strong reminder that Jamie McIntyre doesn’t need bells and whistles to make an impact. Stripped back, warm and emotionally honest, the track puts his voice and songwriting firmly at the centre.

Following the huge success of ‘Over Galway Town’ and a summer packed with major festival appearances and high-profile support slots, McIntyre is clearly entering the next stage of his career with plenty of momentum behind him.

Jamie McIntyre Tour 2026:

16th Aug | Limerick - Live at the Docklands (supporting Cian Ducrot)

29th Aug | Laois - Electric Picnic

UK Headline Tour

11th Oct | Bristol - The Louisiana (Sold Out)

12th Oct | Brighton - Folklore Rooms

13th Oct | London - Oslo

14th Oct | Birmingham - The Sunflower Lounge

16th Oct | Liverpool - The Jacaranda (Sold Out)

17th Oct | Manchester - Neighbourhood Festival, Deaf Institute

18th Oct | Glasgow - Óran Mór

Irish Headline Tour

24th Oct | Donegal - Dunlewey Theatre

31st Oct | Wexford - Spiegeltent

18th Nov | Belfast - Limelight 1

20th Nov | Dublin - The Academy

27th Nov | Limerick - Milk Market

28th Nov | Cork - City Hall

18th Dec | Galway - Leisureland

The single, Reasons I Try, is available through all streaming platforms.

Photo Credit: Jamie McIntyre