 chilled and that's the kind of music I want to listen to. That's Tommy Keyes and I'm genuinely looking forward to Tommy coming up to see us and that's his brand new song but Tommy was the he was a keyboard player for a Dublin rock band many years ago called Sidewinder and he wrote most of their songs. It's a good songwriter you know. It's got a fantastic website and well done Tommy indeed. Check him out Tommy Keyes K-E-Y-E-S dot com and he's brilliant in the social media he's around the 70s and he's really active on social media. What do you mean you're in the 70s and you say he's old? So I was around the 70s too. Oh I thought you said he's round the 70s? No he was around in the 70s. Oh yes sorry I thought you're on social media. He's up on March 13th he's up for a holiday with his wife and he's going to plug in a Monday night sessions with us as well. Absolutely That's what we call dedication. Absolutely. So we're really looking forward to it. That is lovely I really really enjoyed it. Tommy Keyes and aptly named Sunday morning but anyway we just want to announce here at this time and the you've heard the radio promos and if you've been listening to Highland Radio this morning you would have heard myself and Jimmy on with Greg Hughes. We took over to Greg Hughes. We actually did we're only going on for two minutes and I think Greg went out one time didn't he? He did he left. He says it's a hell of a bit. He went to the shop across the street. We started talking about washing machines. What machines? The rising price of barley straw. There was a big one that conversation we had about the rising price of the kitchen rolls as well. Don't chat with him. 90 cent to two euro fifty. You know don't be talking to me but they are the quality too. And then you move on to toilet rolls. We're on by the MCT's and the cows and everything. I don't know. But we got carried away by ourselves. Generally I'll tell you what we're up for. We were up for the Irish Music Month and it's the local hero competition and it's back and we're delighted it's back. It's an association in partnership with Hot Press, the well-known go-to magazine in Ireland, the IBA and the BAI Sound and Vision Programme to promote and celebrate Irish Music. And it's actually got the support of the President, Michael D. Yes it's there. And the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Skills, Health and Sports and Media, Catherine Martin. Michael D. Higgins, the President, is also a supporter. He says it's lovely to be a part of it. I can't wait to talk to them to a voice. Let's go back to the serious bit a bit. There's 25 independent radio stations involved, including Ireland Radio. And what did you do Jimmy? Pull yourself together. Come on, don't you know. Stop it, we'll carry on now. This is a very good competition. Give it the seriousness and just tell you the President, Michael D. Higgins, is involved. So back, it was run in 2020. Right. Right. Started again. Started in 2021, right? And Shyamalan was the fellow that wanted a young lad called Matthew Harris, right? And what actually happened? There's winners come from each radio station. 25 independent radio stations total. Jimmy, you can pull yourself together please. And there's a fantastic prize, right? The prize up here, the four finalists, say from the Highland Radio Catchment Area, right? They'll receive a once-off payment of 875 euros. Plus then, you can go on then, and if you're the overall winner, you want a prize pot of 5,000 euros and 5,000 euros worth of music equipment. And you also get a chance to get your song, have a single released by Ruby Works Level, a well-known Ruby Works level here in Ireland. I can speak now, right? I'll tell you a bit about it now, will I? Oh yeah, Jimmy. When we did this in 2021, it was a national, it was at weird over 100 entries into Highland Radio. We had the highest entry in nationwide. And Paul, we did this over a few weeks, and we'll be doing it all week, and you'll be on Saturday, I'll be on Thursday, I'll be on Ivan, and I'll be on Kevin. So we're asking artists out there, be it a singer-songwriter, a band, rock, punk, folk jazz, whatever, hip-hop, get your MP3 into us by the 31st of January at musicathighlandradio.com. So, you know, remember George Houston was, his grandmother was listening and she got onto George about it, and he sent in the MP3. That's exactly right. And if you're listening out there and you have a child, you have your husband, your wife, your grand, whatever you think, and they have, now it has to be original material, so it can't be Bob Marley cover or anything like that. So it has to be something from you. You email it into musicathighlandradio.com and now me and Paul have accessed all the entries as of today and Greg is a judge and Linda as well. And we're also having an independent judge in the music industry who'll be in with us. We'll be going through every, and it's, look, it's a tight deadline, it's three weeks. You have three weeks. 34th of January is the closing date for the entries now. And you know, as Greg said this morning, you're better getting under, rather than going on under somewhere, you know, and just go for it now. And I know, because of our experience up here, that there is loads and loads of people who are quite able and have been able to release brand new music and they're quite, you know. So you have to be able to perform live on a primetime show on your station. So that'll be Greg's show. Yeah. On the Ninth and Lune show and they must perform at least one original song and in other words, no covers. So there's no limit on the number on their band or the number of artists in the band and the audio from the live radio performance is the one then it's sent to the national judging panel. So when you come up here and to perform, that's the, that's the recording that will be sent down to them, you know. Yeah. And I think the beauty of this poll is the exposure that the persons will get. I know you'll be talking to her shortly, but I mean, if you think about that time, 2021, Greg's show Monday to Thursday, we were up here some of those days. The band was playing in the studio opposite us here. And we actually took some of them on afterwards for our own thing, but it was brilliant. What I'd love to see is, and what we said this morning, if you entered before, come back in again. A lot of new artists, but say you enter our radio station, you can't enter another radio station. So we would prefer if you came to us and we'd love to get as many interested as we can and it's going to be, it's just, and I think even the prize money poll, I mean, if you're a solo artist, you called it out there at 875 euro. Now you and I are available to be a roadie for the solo artists. So we get to 225 and the solo artist at 650. Cash in the hand Jimmy, you know what I mean? What can you do? That's, but that's, you know, it's an incentive and the incentive at a national level. So we have an idea, but look, it's, it's brilliant. We're going to be talking about this for the next few weeks. We are. And you know this, we said it in Greg's show this morning that the judging thing was one of the hardest, most difficult things I've ever done in my life. And, you know, we listen to every single song and not once, several times. And, you know, I do get humbled by the quality of music we have up here and this is good, if not better than anywhere. Let me tell you, and there's no reason we can't win the overall competition. Elaine Doherty says, Paul, will you get serious there for a while? High lads. What do you mean get serious? I don't know. This is very serious, Elaine. You're laughing and you're Michael D. Higgins. No, it's just myself, Jimmy. Talked about myself. And anyway, you have Amy on the line, Paul. Hi, Leha. This is our 2021 winner. This is just to give you an insight. Good evening, Amy. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm very well. Amy, you submitted your entry a couple of years ago. So tell us how that process went for you. I tell you to believe that it's two years ago. I'm not just talking about it. It doesn't feel like it at all. Basically what happened was I wasn't going to enter this competition at all. I didn't even know about it. My aunt asked me, and she said, you better enter this competition. So I did. I had this song called So Goodbye. And I wrote it, actually, if I saw a machine, we passed away. We were 17. We passed away. And we went to see each other at the time. So I had this song recorded. So I will answer it. I'll give it a go. See how you get on. I answered it. I'm not expecting anything to come to it. I just want to write. So that was just amazing. And plus the fact too, you're getting exposure there for yourself as an artist, whether it benefits you or not. I mean, you actually is helping as you go along. I would imagine. So your advice would be, would it to encourage people to go ahead with this? Without a doubt. Even if they come back to the exposure I got online from it, even from people to call in. And I think as far as I remember, we got people to vote as well. That's right. Yeah. So even trying to promote that on Facebook, I got a serious amount of likes. And it's brilliant to see the amount of people who started to follow me after that. Brilliant. So I would definitely encourage everybody, even if they don't think that they're going to get through, just definitely give it a try because I didn't expect it. I'm sure I won the hiding radio stage. We were delighted. Do you know this? And we're not telling the world a lie. We were gutted that you didn't win over all because we thought we were going on here with an absolute belter of a song. We genuinely did. And everybody, all the judges were all agreed. But you've done this proud. You've done yourself proud, your family proud, but you don't know us proud. We were just over the moon. But would you be thinking of entering this year or have you other things you can do on just? Do you know what? I am up to my eyes this year. Even before I came on the phone to you, I've been working on assignments for college. I'm in my final year now doing music in Ulster University. So I am very, very busy. So I don't think I'm going to get the chance to enter it this year. But sure, I did so well last year. I'm happy out with that. But don't put yourself under pressure. Do what you're going to do. And where are you hoping to progress from the music? What sort of line of work are you intending to go into? Would you like to go into? Well, I always love performing. But something I love doing as well is passing on my knowledge. So guitar, piano, singing. So some form of teaching is what I hope to do. And I do still love the songwriting. And I have a lot of material now written that I'm hoping to get out there soon. And I'll be keeping that up. I'll be keeping the performing up. I'll be doing a bit of everything, I think, going forward. Brilliant. We're looking forward to your new music when you get it. And as I said to you, you know, the door's open. We love having you up here because you're an incredible talent. And the thing is, I always believe in, don't force yourself to do it. It'll sound fresher and better in your own head, you know. But keep doing it. I was going to say, Amy, how you doing? And thanks for, I'm well done in 2021 and everything you've done over the last few years. I can remember you coming on here. What age were you? Probably eight years ago, wasn't it? On Monday night sessions? I was probably 12 or 13. It was one of the first shows that first year, I think. Amy, just, you know, if I'm listening out there, one of the things is that people are always afraid of that you nearly have to have a professional MP3 or, like, because you can do so much now in your bedroom, on your phone. So would you say that to young artists out there who may be considering an interim but say, well, the quality just mightn't be up to speed for what they want? What would you say to them? Well, the quality doesn't really matter, even with what I'm doing at the minute for college. I started off with a voice memo on my phone. So all you need is some kind of an iPod or a phone or just your lyrics and your voice. That's adequate. And if you have an iPad garage band, it's brilliant. Brilliant. You can layer up different tracks, just like logic and professional software. So start, just use what you have available and give it a shot because, as you say, it's not the MP3 that's going to be submitted. It is the recorded version from live on the station. So that's not going to be an issue then, on that stage on. And listen, we're going to go out with the song in a few minutes time. Say goodbye. And people will listen to it, maybe haven't heard it before, and they'll be blown away a bit because I know the story and we know, and you shared the story with us, which is very poignant. But listen, you take care of yourself. Thanks for taking our call. And you know, as I always say, the door's open and you know where we are. So just get in touch with us if you feel like coming up someday. Of course, without a doubt, thanks for the invitation. And I definitely will in the next month or two. We'll get in touch again. All right. Best wishes. Take care. Thanks again. Bye. That's Emmy Meehan. And as I say, an absolutely belter of the song. But Emmy, Donna's so proud, but we're really delighted with Emmy's performance. And we genuinely thought she was going to walk this competition, you know. But once again, it's a local hero. March is Irish Music Month. And it's a get your submission in via an MP3 to musicathighlandradio.com and just give it a go. And you never know. As we always said, there's something you pointed out there. The hardest we had in her tell-off and we got them up here then, on the back of that, they come up to see us, you know, so. Pay the visit, bought a box of chocolates. Well, there's a box of chocolates we've sent them here today. Show the camera here. We're live, actually, we're live. I got a box of chocolates sent me today, right. And it was from Nice Patel, right. And Son Ashen Patel was up with us a few months ago. And they sent me a lovely letter. And I want to appreciate that. Thank you very much indeed. Sent me a lovely box of chocolates. Where are they, Jimmy? There they are. Behind look. If you're watching on the camera here, right? Over this camera, Paul, look. Oh, which one are we on? Here that one. I was looking away at that, but let's talk. Right, we've got this box of chocolates here, right. Hang on. And they weren't... They're lint ones. They're not... They're just your old... Pound shop stuff here. This is lint. Not a bit of range. So I opened them up, and we came back up to get them this evening, and there's two left. And there's the two Caroline Orders and like, and I know that for a fact. I'm making my stuff here. What did she leave? She left the... She left the chocolate fondant ones. Oh, they must have the coffee ones. They'll have me jelly beans only. I'm not too worried only. Brilliant. It's a great competition, Paul. And music at Highland Radio, get your entries in by the 31st of January. Don't send them anywhere else. Only music at highlandradio.com. And we expect over 100 and something entries. I would suspect, you know, by the time we get to go on. Mickey Duffy is writing a message here. He's smiling, he's laughing. We're looking forward to Mickey's gig. And Mickey's coming up to see us. Priority's gig. He's playing in the... And all sorts of... I can't wait. Mickey Duffy is something else. That Christmas song was just incredible. It's not even... You can nearly play it all year round, like a Christmas jingle to it. But it's actually... You could. It's about missing people and all. Well, I played it six days a week, going twice in a Sunday. You know what I mean? But, Mickey, listen, keep in touch with us. Sorry. Mickey Duffy, sit down there for a bit. Walk it. Paul, maybe Michael D. Higgins will give us a word of encouragement too. Yes, I encourage all of us to take part in getting the music in MP3 to musicathighlandradio.com. And we'll throw them. Mario Rosenstock. He's just... No, but it is. Buttercrack as old as, you know, nothing else. Anyway, listen, Amy Meehan won our regional, I could say, competition. And it was two years ago. And the song is Say Goodbye. Now, if you haven't heard this, have a listen to this. This is absolutely...