The final installment of the Wild Rover Podcast looks at the song in Ireland before the Dubliners came along as well as where Luke Kelly’s iconic version might have originated. Featuring performances from Cormac Mac Diarmada, Cat Forster and Mark O'Kane. Do yourself a favour and check out Brian Peters' article The Well-Travelled 'Wild Rover' (Folk Music Journal Vol. 10, No. 5 (2015), pp. 609-636), which I relied on heavily while creating this podcast. https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear
Dec 29, 2020•44 min
Fire Draw Near Bonus Episode - The Gypsy Laddie by Ian Lynch
Dec 21, 2020•57 min
Fire Draw Near Episode XIV is a Shitfaced Christmas Extravaganza Bonanza! Featuring the amazing tale of the Donegal Tarantella, me doing a Felix Doran but its Iron Maiden, more bad language than usual, lots of beer reviews, tonnes of drunken slobbering, Christmas songs, Scandinavian Folk Metal tropes, as well as new songs from Ruskavellas, Stick in the Wheel, Burd Ellen, Myrkur and Yorkston Thorne and Khan. Best enjoyed while shitfaced. Tracklist: Ruskavellas – Grey Ranns of the Sidhe / The Litt...
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 55 min
Part II of the Wild Rover Podcast looks at what happened to the song over the first 300 years of its existence as it spread from England to Scotland, North America and Australia, where it began to evolve into something resembling the version that we all know today. Featuring performances from Marshall Morris the Travelling Woodsman of the Fosseway, Cormac Dermody, Paul Denman, Beanie Entwistle, Mark Jennings and Liam Crill . Do yourself a favour and check out Brian Peters' article The Well-Trave...
Nov 30, 2020•30 min
Episode XIII takes a look at Irish songs of social protest including my favourite unnapreciated sub-genre of republican ballads. Also includes part three of Lomax Does Ireland, an in depth look at Alan Lomax's seminal collecting trip to Ireland in 1951. Tracklist: Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien - All Our Lonely Ghosts Liam Weldon – Dark Horse on the Wind Dé Danann – Rights of Man / Pride of Petravore Christy Moore – Anne Lovett The Dubliners – The Sun Is Burning Paul Brady – The Shamrock...
Nov 16, 2020•59 min
The Wild Rover Part I looks at the historical and sociological background of 17th century England; a culture which gave rise to a body of song known as the Alehouse Ballads. It was from this group of ballads that the song which was to become the Wild Rover emerged from in the year 1678. Featuring performances from Cormac Dermody, Adrian Edwards, Paul Denman, Beanie Entwistle, Joe Yorke, Radie Peat and Marshall Morris the Travelling Woodsman of the Fosseway. Do yourself a favour and check out Bri...
Nov 02, 2020•28 min
Episode XII looks at the song Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, exploring it's origins as well as musical precursors dating back to an English country dance published in 1651 and forward in time to Metallica's 1988 breakthrough single One. Also featured is the second installment of Lomax Does Ireland, as well as two widely differing versions of Scottish tune, The Flowers of Edinburgh. Tracklist: Latitude 37 – Divisions on Paul’s Steeple Christine Townley – John Anderson, My Jo Leola Lucey – Cruiskeen Law...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr
Episode XI. This episode features the first of a new segment looking at Alan Lomax's seminal 1951 Irish collecting trip. Alongside this are songs from Planxty, Marlais, Sarah Ghriallais, Frank Harte, Séamus Ennis, Elizabeth 'Bess' Cronin, as well as some of the earliest recordings of Irish music. Tracklist: Planxty – The Raggle Taggle Gypsies / Tabhair Dom do Lámh Marlais – Meeting is a Pleasure Sarah Ghriallais – Skibereen Frank Harte – Building Up and Tearing England Down Percy Ridge – Western...
Sep 21, 2020•59 min
Episode X looks at the Child ballads in Ireland. Tracklist: Al O’Donnell – Lord Abore and Mary Flynn Mary Baylon – Johnny Scott John Reilly – The Well Below the Valley Dónal Maguire – The Grey Cock Elizabeth Cronin – Lord Gregory Tom Lenihan – The Holland Handkerchief Mary Delaney – Buried in Kilkenny Martin Howley – The Old Armchair Frank Harte – Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship Lisa O’Neill – The North Strand / The Croppy Boy https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr
Episode IX looks at the practice of keening (ag caoineadh) in Ireland as well as some sea shanties and other bits and pieces from the forgotten strange wilderness on the edge/centre of the Irish Tradition. Tracklist: Seán Potts and Paddy Moloney – Julia Delaney Johnny McDonagh / Seán ‘ac Dhonncha – Morrissey and the Russian Sailor Pat Mitchell – The Concertina Reel Mícheál Quinn – The Dark Eyed Gypsy Elizabeth White – Piping Imitation Margaret Barry – Talk of Keening Kitty Gallagher – Keening Pe...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr
Episode VIII looks at the heartwarming and sometimes grisly world of traditional children's songs. Tracklist: The Deadlians - Newcastle Frank Harte – Gough’s Immortal Statue The Clancy Children – Are You Ready for a War? Swan Arcade – The Bright Shining Morning Eoin Dillon – Codladh Sámh Jimmy O’Dea – Rathgar Leo Rowsome – My Darling Asleep / Whelan’s Jig Ewan MacColl and Dominic Behan – Singing Games and Ring Games Fergus Russell – It’s Whiskey I Adore Eoin Ó Riabhaigh – Bluegrass in the Backwo...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr
Episode VII. Various songs and tunes from the forgotten strange wilderness on the edge/centre of the Irish Tradition. Tracklist: Luke Kelly – The Hot Asphalt Paul Robeson – Kevin Barry Peter Browne – Fountain’s Hornpipe / Gan Ainm Joe Heaney – Amhrán na hEascainne Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd – Paddy Doyle / Whiskey Johnny Ewan MacColl – Queen Eleanor’s Confession Paddy Keenan – O’Neill’s March The Flanagan Brothers – Our Back Yard Edward Cronin – Banish Misfortune Sweeney’s Men – Dicey Reilly Pa...
Sep 17, 2020•58 min
Episode VI looks at the piper Patsy Tuohey and the song Darling Nelly Grey, which spawned another song in the docks of Liverpool before winding up in the Jamaican mento tradition. Tracklist: Dónal Maguire – Heenan and Sayers Helen Diamond – The Sea Apprentice Patsy Touhey- The Steampacket / The Morning Star / Miss MacLeod’s Reel Patsy Touhey – The Shaskeen Reel Alan Woods – The Widow of Westmoreland J.W. Myers – Darling Nellie Grey A.L. Lloyd – Maggie May The Beatles – Maggie May Charles Welsh a...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr
Episode V looks at a shared musical link between Ireland and the Caribbean. Tracklist: Mary Fuller – Oh What a Life Seán Potts and Paddy Moloney – Did You Wash Your Father’s Shirt / The Mountain Top Barry Gleeson – My Darling Old Bit of a Stick Bernard Delaney – The Beauty Spot Elizabeth Cronin – Little Pack of Tailors / What Would You Do? Séamus Ennis – Kitty Lie Over Brian O’Rourke – Drumsnot The Flanagan Brothers – The Half A Crown Song Bill Rogers – West Indian Weed Woman The Meditations – W...
Sep 17, 2020•59 min
Episode IV - A look at accumulative songs and more from a van in the USA. Tracklist: Thomas Moran – The Boat that First Brought Me Over Sheila Smith – Father Pray Build me a Boat Séamus Ennis – First You Must Learn the Grip Jimmy O’Brien Moran – James Bourke’s / Fraher’s Tom Lenihan – Bonny Boy in Blue Jerry O’Reilly – Lovers and Friends Johnny Doherty – The Coolin Bridget Fitzgerald – An Seanduine Dóite Liam Weldon – Monkeyland / Blue Tar Road Vincent Campbell – Vincent Campbell’s Mazurka’s Pat...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr
Episode III is a Valentine's Day special that wades through the filthiest songs in the Irish Traditional repertoire. Tracklist: Fergus Russell – 50 Shades of Grey Brian O’Rourke – Carnations Planxty – Junior Crehan’s Favourite / Corney is Coming Florrie Forde – Hold Your Hand Out Naughty Boy Nora Cleary – The Little Ball of Yarn Walter Pardon - The Little Ball of Yarn Derek Bell – Hungarian Folk Dances Luke Cheevers – The Cuckoo’s Nest Jeannie Robertson – She is a Rum one Willie Clancy – An Phis...
Sep 17, 2020•58 min
Episode II looks at a musical motif that started off life in Scotland, made its way over to Ireland as a piping tune then travelled to America before ending up being recorded by anarcho punk band the Subhumans. Tracklist: Planxty Fanny Power Rosie Stewart – Bunch of Damned Whores Elizabeth Crotty – Touch me if you Dare / Morning Star Nora Cleary – The Holland Handkerchief Paddy in the Smoke - The Chorus Reel Will Powrie – The Drunken Piper / Highland Whiskey / High Road to Linton Paul and Jimmie...
Sep 17, 2020•58 min
Episode I looks at the folk motif that connects an Irish Traveller song, an obscure uilleann piping tune and a song by London Oi merchants Cock Sparrer. Tracklist: Willie Clancy – The Connaught Heifers / Corney is Coming Jimmy Crowley – The Pool Song Neillidh Boyle – The Moving Clouds talk and tune Séamus Ennis – I’ll mend your pots and kettles O! John Reilly Jr. – The Jolly Tinker Cock Sparrer – I Fit Central Heating Pat McNamara – I Left My Hand The Castle of Dromore – Leo Rowsome Bob Dawson -...
Sep 17, 2020•59 min
