'An infrequent conversation between fans of music, some of it long-lost’
A December run of shows with The Frank and Walters in Cork and Damien Dempsey in Dublin prompts a look at ageing, live music, and loyal hometown crowds. It’s a reflection on two enduring acts and why they and their gigs still resonate
On April 10, 1999, I was in the producer’s chair in Studio 4 in RTÉ while we aired a special episode of a live Saturday night chat show called Kenny Live, hosted by Pat Kenny. The show was paying its respects to the late actor and comedian, Dermot Morgan, who died unexpectedly the previous year... Continue Reading →
For the week that’s in it, we asked our Toronto Bureau Chief – and long-time Oasis anorak – Eoin O’Callaghan, to file a guest post about the Irish influence on Noel Gallagher’s work. Margaret ‘Peggy’ Sweeney was an emotional wreck when she arrived in Manchester from Charlestown, Co. Mayo, in 1962. Like so many... Continue Reading →
In a triumphant return to Dublin’s 3Arena, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker took fans on a nostalgic journey through the band’s early Irish gigs—culminating in a sharp, hilarious callback to their very first Dublin show in 1993 at The Rock Garden. This piece dives into that chaotic, shoestring early gig, the roots of the city’s live music scene in the '80s and '90s, and the long, winding road Pulp took to stardom. From basement venues to festival stages, dodgy hotels to stolen gear, this is a story of perseverance, wit, and a band that finally claimed its moment—thirty years in the making
In this evocative and sharply tailored piece, David Heffernan takes us back to the dancefloors of 1970s Ireland — a world of mohair suits, platform shoes, and Dubonnet-fuelled dreams. From the revolutionary roots of disco in marginalised communities in New York to its shimmering takeover of Dublin’s club scene, Heffernan traces the music's global rise and local resonance. Part memoir, part cultural history, YES, DISCO unearths the glamour and grit of venues like Lord John and Sloopy’s, the fading charm of O’Connell Street, and the new urban identities being forged beneath spinning mirror balls. With nods to everyone from Donna Summer to U2, and stories of love, change, and weekend DJ sets in basement clubs, this is a vibrant portrait of a pivotal moment in Irish nightlife. For anyone who ever danced, or wanted to, this is a joyful, personal, and richly textured celebration of disco's pulse — and its enduring invitation to simply let go.
The Blackpool Sentinel 
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