BOB DYLAN has invited her on stage, Leonard Cohen sent her a book as a gesture of support, and the British requested that she represent them at Eurovision (just in case you're wondering, she declined, more out of patriotism than anything else). Siobhan O'Brien has achieved quite a lot in her 20 years in the music business, but it has been quite a struggle -- both personally and professionally.

"As an independent artist, you're paying for everything yourself. I had success in 1997 and 1998, big airplay, but it wasn't enough to bring me forward. There are so many of us trying to do it, you're really just a tadpole in a huge pond. I ran out of money and got into debt," says the affable, straight-talking 38-year-old singer/songwriter in a detached, matter-of-fact way, despite the fact that it's an admission that would prompt most people to throw in the towel. But as I learn over the course of the interview, Siobhan is a very strong, determined woman. She has had to be.

It was around the time of her financial struggle that Siobhan fell deeply in love with Gordon Wood -- brother of renowned Irish rugby captain Keith Wood.

As the romance blossomed, Siobhan took a back seat from her music career.

"I was in a very solid relationship so I wasn't really thinking about the music. I let it go," she says. Tragically, however, six years ago, Gordon died from a massive heart attack while he was in America. Within months of Gordon's passing, Siobhan found her creative voice again. It was a turning point. She penned a beautiful song entitled My Man -- a tribute to her late partner. "I wanted the song to reflect what he had taught me in life, to live in the present.

The chorus is a Valentine's verse that I wrote for him when he had a heart attack in Atlanta and we had to fly over to him. The song all came together very nicely," she recalls, attempting bravely to put a positive spin on her personal heartbreak.

Siobhan is originally from Limerick and still lives there with her 17-year-old son Aran (from an earlier relationship). She comes from a family which has achieved high-profile distinction in both music and sport.

Her uncle is showband supremo Brendan Bowyer. Her father Brian is a former Irish and Munster rugby international and former Irish rugby manager. She roars with laughter when I suggest that growing up in her house must have been great fun, given the regular presence of strapping, muscular rugger-buggers.

Siobhan's son wants to follow in his grandad's footsteps and looks set to do so too, after recently confirming his place on the Munster under-18 team.

There's no doubting Siobhan's natural talent. Her voice is powerful with a haunting vibrato-like tone. Combining this with the folk/rock melody of her acoustic guitar, she produces quite the sound.

She is currently promoting her album Songs I Grew Up To, a collection of old American folk songs. The album includes guest performances by Paddy Moloney (Chieftains), Brendan Bowyer, Pete Cummins and Paul Kelly.

As a singer/songwriter, it's an uncharacteristic move for Siobhan to record an album of cover songs, but she does it great justice. And like all good singers worth their salt, she makes the songs her own.

The songstress is not and never has been driven by money, and admittedly, she's very stubborn -- don't, whatever you do, tell her what to do. "All my life, I've had people saying, 'would you not do this', 'would you not do that' -- but if it's not what I want to do, I won't do it ... I could sell out and make a fortune doing weddings for the rest of my life. But I just can't do it," she announces firmly. Siobhan is currently single and is not afraid to disclose that she's on the look out.

I unnerve, perhaps even insult her somewhat when I ask whether she's worried that age will work against her in her pursuit of stardom, given contemporary music's appetite for young, busty blonde twenty-somethings. But, as she explains, her genre of music is less about image and more about the actual music.

Even aside from that, Siobhan's clearly a grafter. She's not one to give in easily. "I am always excited about performing. Even when I get disillusioned with it all, I could never ever give it all up".

Siobhan's CD is available from Claddagh Records and from www.siobhanobrien.com

- Andrea Byrne