Damian McGinty Opens Up About Life After ‘Glee,’ Music and the Loss of Cory Monteith

At just 21, Damian McGinty was already stepping into a new chapter of his career.

After years performing with Celtic Thunder and 17 episodes of Glee as Irish exchange student Rory Flanagan, the Derry singer was preparing to leave the security of ensemble projects behind and establish himself as a solo artist.

In a 2014 conversation with IrishCentral, McGinty spoke about his plans for his first solo album, his growing career in Los Angeles, an unforgettable performance with Carly Simon and the homesickness that came with building a life thousands of miles from Ireland.

He also opened up about the lasting impact of Glee — particularly his friendship with the late Cory Monteith.

From Celtic Thunder to a Solo Career

McGinty began his professional musical career at just 14, joining Celtic Thunder and touring with the Irish group for several years.

His next major opportunity came when he won The Glee Project alongside fellow contestant Samuel Larsen. The victory led to his role on Glee, where he played Rory Flanagan, an Irish exchange student who appeared in 17 episodes of the hit series.

By 2014, McGinty had spent much of his young career working as part of an ensemble. Celtic Thunder, Glee and his stage production The Power of Music had all given him opportunities to perform alongside other artists.

Now, he was ready to find out what would happen when the spotlight was entirely his.

“I’ll be going out on my own, which is very exciting,” McGinty said at the time. “I’ve always worked with companies, Celtic Thunder, Glee, The Power of Music and now I’m ready to be me, to be Damian McGinty and see where that takes me.”

He was preparing to release his debut solo album later that year and planned to tour independently, a prospect he admitted was both exciting and nerve-wracking.

McGinty said he had been working with various writers and producers to develop a sound that would feel youthful and contemporary while remaining in the melodic tradition of artists such as Josh Groban and Michael Bublé.

The Carly Simon Moment He Never Expected

While developing his solo career, McGinty was also promoting “Let the River Run,” a collaboration with fellow Derry singer Mairead Carlin.

The pair recorded their version of Carly Simon’s Oscar-winning song, with Frank Gallagher producing. The track had already made an impact in Derry when it was released three years earlier and was selected as the official anthem for the city’s City of Culture year.

McGinty and Carlin first performed their version at the Sons and Daughters concert in their hometown in January 2014.

What happened afterward was something neither singer expected.

Carly Simon herself heard the recording and was so impressed by the interpretation that she offered to release it as a single through her record company, Iris Records, in a joint venture with McGinty’s Walled City Records.

Then came an even bigger surprise.

Simon invited McGinty and Carlin to perform the song with her at a star-studded charity gala in Beverly Hills that October.

For McGinty, sharing the stage with the woman who originally recorded the song was one of those rare moments that seemed almost impossible to believe.

“When we heard Carly’s reaction we couldn’t quite believe it,” he said.

He recalled that Simon had cried when she first heard their version, making her response particularly meaningful to the two young singers.

Their performance at the Beverly Hills event was equally surreal. They shared the stage with Simon and Natasha Bedingfield, while the guest list included figures such as Hillary Clinton and Jane Fonda.

“It’s not the type of thing that happens every day,” McGinty said. “It was a very prestigious event and we were so lucky and proud to be part of it.”

Building a Life Far From Derry

McGinty had moved to Los Angeles after his Glee Project victory, but living in Hollywood did not erase his connection to home.

By then, he had spent three years in Los Angeles, and although he had become accustomed to being away from Ireland, he still missed his family, friends and his hometown of Derry.

That homesickness became especially noticeable after his sister welcomed his first nephew, Noah.

McGinty had returned to Derry for Christmas that year and said having his nephew around made the holiday particularly special.

“It’s difficult, you know,” he said of being away from home. “Anyone who says that it’s never hard being away from home is lying.”

Still, he understood how fortunate he was to be pursuing the career he wanted.

He made a point of returning to Derry every year, while his parents also traveled to Los Angeles to visit him, helping make the distance easier to manage.

A Piece of Derry in Los Angeles

McGinty also found a familiar connection to home when his longtime friend Oran O’Carroll moved to Los Angeles.

The pair had grown up together, attended the same school and were classmates. O’Carroll had also become McGinty’s business partner and had begun an internship at a Beverly Hills management company.

For McGinty, having someone from Derry alongside him in Los Angeles was another way of keeping his connection to home alive.

At the time, Walled City Records remained based in Derry, although the two friends were considering expanding the company into the United States.

“It’s great having Oran here,” McGinty said. “We grew up together, went to school together, in the same class and now, at 21, we’re both out here in Los Angeles.”

He also remained close to Samuel Larsen, his fellow Glee Project winner and Glee castmate. The two continued to work on music together and would occasionally go to concerts, while McGinty described his relationships with some of his other former castmates as more professional.

Remembering Cory Monteith

One of the most emotional parts of McGinty’s Glee experience was his friendship with Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson.

Monteith died in July 2013 after a drug overdose, with his body found in a Vancouver hotel room.

For McGinty, the loss was especially difficult because Monteith had welcomed him when he was still a young newcomer trying to find his footing in Hollywood.

The two had worked together for approximately 18 months, and McGinty’s first few scenes on Glee were with Monteith.

“He took me under his wing and was very polite and welcoming,” McGinty recalled.

Coming from Ireland and suddenly finding himself on one of television’s biggest shows was an enormous transition for the young singer. McGinty said Monteith understood how difficult that experience could be and made an effort to look out for him.

“I can’t say enough good things about Cory,” he said. “He had a huge heart and was the big brother on the set, looking out for everybody.”

Even years after Monteith’s death, McGinty said thinking about him remained painful.

“He was taken away too soon,” he said.

Music Comes First

Although his time on Glee gave McGinty valuable acting experience and opened another door in his career, he was clear about where his priorities lay.

He had continued pursuing occasional television opportunities and did not rule out returning to acting in the future. But music remained his primary focus.

McGinty said it would have been foolish to ignore everything he had learned from his time on Glee, but acting simply did not inspire him in the same way as music.

For the young singer, going solo was therefore about more than simply releasing an album. After years of performing as part of Celtic Thunder, Glee and other ensemble projects, it was an opportunity to discover what his career could look like when he was no longer defined by a group.

At 21, McGinty was still at the beginning of that journey — carrying the experience of Celtic Thunder and Glee with him while trying to establish a musical identity that was entirely his own.