Episode XLVI is respectfully dedicated to the memory of singer, songwriter, civil rights activist, musician, and all round legend Joe Mulheron who passed away earlier this month. It features a couple of songs by him as well as an unexpected early 80s anarcho-punk link with The Mob, new tracks from Jrpjej, Lainey Dempsey, Razen and Synth Widow, some risque slip jigs by Mary-Grace Autumn Lee alongside some classics by Pat Usher and James 'Ironhead' Baker and also a track for Seán Keane who also sa...
May 29, 2023•57 min
This episode looks at the ballad the Keach i the Creel aka The Cunning Clerk aka The Wife and the Creel aka The Wee Toon Clerk aka The Rock in the Same Auld Creel aka The Little Scotch Girl aka Coochie Coochie Coo Go Way. Tracklist Jimmy McBeath – The Keach in the creel Gordeanna McCullough – The Wee Toun Clerk Michael Gallagher – The Keach in the Creel Packie Manus Byrne – The Creel Larry Mulligan – The Creel Jamesie McCarthy - Coochie Coochie Coo Go Way The Bothy Band – Pretty Peg / Cregg’s Pi...
May 15, 2023•49 min
Episode XLV was recorded by a very groggy me in a hotel room in Paris. It features some duuurty Cajun tunes, (yet another) Marlais song, an unlikely song sung by Shane McGowan, an unlikely Polish folk / Reggae crossover, some tunes from the new women's piping CD by Na Píobairí Uilleann as well as lots more gems from the outer reaches of the traditional folk multiverse. Illo is of the Beast of Gévaudan because I'm in Paris and it was May Day yesterday. Tracklist Beau Cheval – Beau Cheval John Lyo...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 1 min
This episode looks at the ballad Willie O’Winsbury aka Lord Thomas of Winsbury aka Johnnie Barbour aka the Rich Shipowner’s Daughter aka Tom the Barber aka John Barlow from the Isle of Man aka O Will You Marry My Daughter Janet aka Fair Mary aka What Aileth Thee Tracklist: Sweeney’s Men – Willie O’Winsbury Joe McCafferty – John Barbour Robert Cinnamond – There was a Lady Lived in the West Fran MacPhail – John Barber Mary McGrath – Johnny Barden Sally Connors – Johnny Barnes Anita Best and Pamela...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Episode XLIV takes a look at versions of the traditional songs that made their way onto Lankum's fourth album False Lankum, as well as a cello version of A Stór Mo Chroí, a song by Genoese Anarchist Fabrizio De André and a recent anti-racist ballad from New Zealand! Tracklist Finn – A Stór Mo Chroí Fabrizio De André – Un Blasfemo (Dietro Ogni Blasfemo C'è Un Giardino Incantato) Jean Ritchie – Go Dig My Grave Died For Love – Jasper Smith Gordon Bok – Clear Away in the Morning Cormac Begley – Mast...
Apr 03, 2023•53 min
This episode looks at the ballad Prince Robert aka Lord Abore and Mary Flynn aka Harry Saunders. Tracklist: Frank Feeney – Lord O’Bore and Mary Flynn Jim Kelly – Lord Abore and Mary Flynn Al O’Donnell – Lord Abore and Mary Flynn Ewan MacLennan – Prince Robert Peggy Seeger – Harry Saunders https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear Artwork by Anthony Van Dyck c.1630
Mar 21, 2023•37 min
Episode XLIII features songs of war, songs of love, songs of death, songs of the siren and songs of the Devil. Tracklist: Michael Gallagher – The Plains of Boyle / The Leitrim Fancy Brìghde Chaimbeul - Carry Them With Us - Tha Fonn Gun Bhi Trom (I Am Disposed of Mirth) Zeitkratzer, Svetlana Spajić, Dragana Tomić and Obrad Milić - The Battle at Mackov Kamen Maria W. Horn & Sara Parkman – Till Margaretha Isa Gordon – Love is Teasing Paddy Shine – Another Song To The Siren Mohammad Mostafa Heyd...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr
This is an audio recording of a lecture / performance I gave in the Shriver Hall Auditorium, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore on the 6th of October 2022. https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 23 min
Fire Draw Near Episode XLII is a moody frontline assemblage of traditional folk adjacent magic with new tracks from Jonny Dillon, A Clatter and Drone, Áit Ait, Cormorant Tree Oh and Eliza Carthy, recently discovered tracks from M(h)aol and Perinne Bourel as well as old time classics from John Griffin (the 5th Avenue Bus Man), Stefan Shkimba & Co., Cyril Biddick, the Young Tradition as well as none other than the legendary J.R. R. Tolkien. Tracklist: Perinne Bourel – Rigodon du Château d'Anc...
Feb 06, 2023•56 min
This episode looks at the ballad Sailor Boy aka All Around My Hat aka London City aka the Brisk Young Sailor aka the Brisk Young Farmer aka the Brisk Young Miner aka A Bold Fisherman Courted Me aka the Student boy aka the Maid’s Tragedy aka Maid’s Complaint aka the Distressed Maid aka the Unfortunate Swain aka There is an Alehouse aka I Know My Love aka Apron Strings aka the Irish Boy aka Lullaby aka Knutsford Town aka in Woodstock Town aka the Effects of Love Tracklist Joseph Taylor – Go Dig My...
Feb 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min
This episode looks at North American versions of the ballad Bonny Barbara Allen aka The Ballet of Barbara Allen aka Barbara Allen's Cruelty aka Barbarous Ellen aka Edelin aka Hard Hearted Barbary Ellen aka The Sad Ballet Of Little Johnnie Green aka Sir John Graham aka Barbry Allen. Tracklist: Norman Candler – Barbara Allen Almeda Riddle – Barbara Allen Texas Gladden – Barbara Allen Banjo Bill Comet – Barbara Allen Jean Ritchie – Barbara Allen Royal Dadmun – Barbara Allen Eddie Arnold – Barbara A...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 17 min
Fire Draw Near Episode XLI features 4 tracks called Trip to Ireland, 3 tracks with piping, 2 tracks called Foggy Mountain Breakdown, 1 track with dirty bits and loads more - such as Earl Scruggs playing banjo alongside a moog, Paddy Glackin playing fiddle alongside a synth, some madser playing techno alongside a fiddle tune and a load of Scottish women singing along to the beating of cloth. Tracklist: Liam O’Flynn – The Piper of the Embers / The Sixpenny Money The Croppy Boy – Anne Byrne Pierre ...
Jan 10, 2023•58 min
Featuring all of the usual plus even more of the unusual than usual! Joyce, NO PRISONS, songs that sound like other songs, English toffs doing Irish pleb cosplay, Irish ne’er do-wells doing English farmer cosplay, English farmers singing songs that are actually plots of 1970s pornos set in the 1700s, a dramatical audio tale, people playing the taps, everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Irish rebel ballads with @rebelmatters and that’s without even mentioning what you’ve been waiting for a...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 57 min
Episode XL is a big Christmas special full of dead heros, secret guests, strange dreams, folk weirdos, camp highwaymen, throat-singing cowboys, young girls drinking ale straight from the barrel, Finno-Hibernian cryptids, and people who spend Christmas in Jail. Dedicated to the memory of Angelo Badalamenti. Tracklist Osa Mosafinn – Brurermarsj (Bridal March) Micho Russell – Christmas Day in the Morning Kú Killian – Kú’s Khristmas Fiddlin’ John Carson – Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over Hack Poet’s...
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr 28 min
This is a one-off bonus episode featuring a number of live performances from Luke McManus' new film North Circular. The film is a documentary musical journeying along the North Circular Road in Dublin's North Inner City. Written & directed by Luke McManus, edited by John Murphy, produced by Luke McManus & Elaine Gallagher. Score by Kevin Murphy and Seti The First. North Circular opens on December 2nd in Irish Film Institute, Dublin 2, Light House, Dublin 7, Savoy Cinema, Dublin 1, IMC Du...
Dec 01, 2022•44 min
This episode looks at English and Scottish versions of the ballad Bonny Barbara Allen aka The Ballet of Barbara Allen aka Barbara Allen's Cruelty aka Barbarous Ellen aka Edelin aka Hard Hearted Barbary Ellen aka Sad Ballet Of Little Johnnie Green aka Sir John Graham aka Barbry Allen. Tracklist: Norman Candler – Barbara Allen Sam Larner – Barbara Allen Caroline Hughes – Barbary Allen Debbie and Pennie Davies – Barbara Allen Shirley Collins – Barbara Allen The Hare and the Moon – Barbara Allen Sti...
Nov 29, 2022•52 min
Episode XXXIX features lots and lots of really interesting new music as well as some forgotten gems of the past - from the far-flung hinterlands of folk, traditional and beyond! Tracklist: Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin – Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin – The Deepest Breath Neil Ó Lochlainn & Cuar – Johnny Seoige Burd Ellen – The Chariot Paleface - Emme Suostu Pelkäämään De Gyldne Løver - Fru Jensens Dreng Branwen - Buried in Kilkenny Jasper Smith - Tiddleywink Old Man Do They Hang...
Nov 14, 2022•58 min
This episode looks at Irish versions of the ballad Bonny Barbara Allen aka The Ballet of Barbara Allen aka Barbara Allen's Cruelty aka Barbarous Ellen aka Edelin aka Hard Hearted Barbary Ellen aka Sad Ballet Of Little Johnnie Green aka Sir John Graham aka Barbry Allen. Tracklist: Norman Candler – Barbara Allen Tom Lenihan – Barbry Allen Elizabeth Cronin – Barbara Allen Sarah Makem – Barbara Allen John Byrne – Barbara Alen Joe Heaney – Barbary Allen De Danann – Barbara Allen Andy Cash – Barbary A...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Fire Draw Near Episode XXXVIII is a recording of the interview I did with Jack Dempsey McMahon aka DJackulate at the Dun Laoghaire Folk Festival in September 2022. We talked about many things including his musical techniques, uilleann piping, trends in traditional music, the North Strand Kontra Band, Klezmer music, trawling vinyl for samples, the Trad Rave, tradition vs innovation and lot's more. Jack performed a number of his own pieces and also brought along a few recordings to listen to and d...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 56 min
This episode looks at the Unquiet Grave aka Cold Blows the Wind. Tracklist: The Dubliners – The Unquiet Grave George Dunne – The Unquiet Grave May Bradley – The Unquiet Grave Stanley Robertson – The Unquiet Grave Jim Keeping – The Unquiet Grave Hedy West – The Unquiet Grave Gryphon – The Unquiet Grave Steven Wilson – The Unquiet Grave Ween – Cold Blows the Wind https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear
Oct 03, 2022•46 min
Episode XXXVII features over one hour of audio hallucinatory magick stemming from the world of traditional folk and slowly creeping into other spheres, eldritch tendrils maintaining their core DNA even as they mutate and transform. Old tunes, comedic verses, devilish songs and poppy bleeps, from the wonky to the whimsical, the woeful to the wacky, the wondrous to the wocious. Let it ooze into your eager earholes like a gallon of molten Kerrygold. Tracklist: Buntús Rinnce – The King of the Fairie...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Episode XXXVI was made in the North Woods of Minnesota and features songs recorded along the way by Summer Newman and Katee Rose as well as tracks by FDN favourite Marlais, West of Roan, Swan Arcade, Frank Harte Liam O'Flynn, Gay, Conor and Seán McKeon and more! Tracklist Gay, Conor and Seán McKeon – The Humours of Lisheen / The Gallowglass / The Cordial The Dubliners – Three Lovely Lassies from Kimmage Frank Harte – The Twangman Swan Arcade – Go From My Window Liam O’Flynn and Catherine Ennis –...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr
This episode looks at the ballad The Lass of Roch Royal aka The Lass of Loch Royal aka The Lass of Aughrim aka Lord Gregory aka Annie of Lochroyan. Tracklist: Elizabeth Cronin – Lord Gregory Ollie Conway – Lord Gregory Thomas Moran – Lord Gregory Lisa Hannigan – The Lass of Aughrim Dave Maguire – The Lass of Aughrim Peggy Delaney – The Maid of Aughrim Isla St. Clair – Annie of Lochroyan Ewan MacColl – Lord Gregory The Corries – Lord Gregory The Lass of Roch Royal – Peggy Seeger The Lass of Roch ...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min
One more for all the weirdos out there! This one ponders ideas relating to the existence and nature of traditional song arrangement and features tracks by all kinds of wonderful and fantastic oddballs such as FDN favourites DJackulate and Marlais, as well as Deviant and Naive Ted, Logan Bragg, Nathan Salsburg, JPH, Anna and Elizabeth, Cedric Dind-Lavoie and Jumpleads. 'The idea of a living tradition is that it stays active whilst relevant, present and does not become a museum piece. Within the w...
Jul 26, 2022•1 hr 19 min
This episode looks at Lord Lovel aka Lord Lovat aka Lord Levett. Tracklist Tom Lenihan – Lord Levett Nora Cleary – Lord Levett Sara and Rita Keane – Lord Donegal Jeannie Robertson – Lord Loval The Hennessys – Lord Loval Spriguns of Tolgus – Lord Lovell The Broadside – Lord Lovell Walter Pardon – Lord Lovel Frank Profitt – Lord Lovel Susan Ruth Brown – Lord Lovel Peggy Seeger – Abe Lincoln Stood At The White House Gate Lord Lovel Karaoke https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Episode XXXIV features music songs, bird songs, harmony songs, prison songs, drill songs, Irish songs and Sicilian songs. Tracklist: Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill – The Night Poor Larry Was Stretched Planxty - Pat Reilly Nightingales and Beatrice Harrison - The Derry Air David Harper - The Turfman from Ardee Skara Brae - An Cailín Rua The Voice Squad - The Banks of the Bann Francie Byrne - The Wild Irishman Wade Ward - Old Jimmy Sutton Rosa Balistreri - Buttana di to ma The Dubliners – Lag Song...
Jun 26, 2022•58 min
This episode looks at the ballad Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship aka Stock or Wall aka The Keeper of the Game aka He Rolled Her to the Wall aka The Song of Riddles aka The Laird o' Roslyn's Doughter. Tracklist Frank Harte – He Rolled Her to the Wall Thomas Moran – Captain Woodburn Rose McCartin – The Keeper of the Game Sarah Makem – You and I in One Bed Lie Maggie Murphy – Stock or Wall Willie Clancy – The Song of Riddles Jean Redpath – Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship Joe Rae – The Laird o' Roslyn...
Jun 14, 2022•1 hr 3 min
This episode concentrates on recent releases that have come under my radar over the last while as well as some Anne Briggs and Moldy Peaches thrown in for good measure. Concertina, mandolin, guitar, voice, fiddle, bronze age horns, chest rattling bass, dulcimer, drums and more!!! Tracklist: Cormac Begley – To War Ye Vagabonds – The Humours of Glin Ye Vagabonds – Go Away and Come Back Hither Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones – Wanton Lasses Pity Her Mary Grace Autum Lee – Carolan’s Cup Jrpjej - Koj...
May 30, 2022•59 min
This episode looks at the ballad The Trees the Grow Tall aka The Trees They Grow So High aka Long A-Growing aka Young But Growing aka He’s Young But He’s Daily A-Growing aka The Bonny Boy aka Lady Mary Ann aka Young Craigston. Tracklist Joe Heaney – My Bonny Boy is Young Joe Holmes – My Bonny Boy is Young Landless – The Trees the Grow Tall Maija Sofia – The Trees they Do Grow High Lizzie Higgins – The College Boy Lizzie Higgins – Lady Mary Ann AL Lloyd – The Bonny Boy Spriguns of Tolgus – The Tr...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Episode XXXII was cobbled together on my travels around the USA and is now online - featuring new songs and interviews with Andy the Doorbum and others as well as numerous iterations of the tune The Girl I left Behind Me by The Pogues the Skillet Lickers, Sweeney's Men, Seán MacDonnchadha, Cisco Houston and more, some songs from the South East of Ireland, a song in a dead Irish language, as well as some murderous transatlantic fun. ***Note - because of the limited nature of my resources while tr...
May 02, 2022•1 hr 2 min
