 That's Clara McHugh, that's a beautiful, absolutely beautiful song. The voice is so matured just the last few years, which is great to see in the songwriting, the harmonies and everything, and I just love that, so well done Clara. So it's available on all the platforms, check it out. It's one of them great songs that you can listen to lovely with a good set of headphones on or a good stereo system, so well done indeed. Anyway, we move on and we welcome our very first guests. We say hello to Daglin McLaughlin and Jennifer Tilly. Yeah, both welcome. Tilly and Paul, thank you for having us. You're very welcome. How's things, are you? I was good, I was good. I was trying to figure out that it must be about five or six years since it was on the last time. Easy. Because we take COVID as a break and we go, you haven't been here since COVID and COVID's away a couple of years. That's right, so it's that long ago. How's things been for you? All right, all good. I still swing on the hammer as they say. I have, like I say, I have a new album ready to come out and I kind of tried to keep busy over the COVID thing, but it has been kind of hard to get back under the swing yet, so what I've been doing is looking to get back out playing again, so this new album's about to kick in the back side. I just sort of needed to kind of get back out, so I'm kind of looking at places where I'm going to start playing. So I'm kind of happy with the record and we're ready to go. That's good. After yourself, you've tamed up with this man. What's your own background in music? Well, I did a music degree, but I haven't really done much with it. How do you know? No, just kind of kept it as a hobby. During COVID as well, I would have picked up the guitar and started playing that. I'd never played the guitar before that, so COVID was a chance to learn something new. How did you find that to learn the guitar? Well, you know, it helps having a bit of musical background and I'm a big fan of someone, a musician called Laura Marling, and during COVID she put on these live tutorials of her songs and showed you how to play them, you know, had all the tablature for you. So I'm a massive Laura Marling fan, so that was just ideal for me and I just learned how to play her songs during COVID from those. And you picked it up in the guitar? Yeah, yeah. You know, I have a guitar now, it's a beautiful emerald guitar, and I pick it up all the time, but just something doesn't click right. I'd love to really do that, just play it and pick something up. You have to get through that pain of the sore fingers. Pick something simple. Third sample is the way they kind of do it, I always find. And I don't think things have to be too complicated. I think if you overcomplicate things, you pick yourself off it. I'll tell you what, Declan, if I ever get to play it, it'll not be complicated to me. It's getting the finger sore. You're gonna clap and we'll be lost nearly sleep, will you? I'll have nightmares. I mean, no, it's always something I wanted to do. You know, I've flipped away and strum away and things, but I mean, I'll get there someday, you know. I can hold a guitar. You can play their time. I can hold a guitar to get the best of them, you know. But anyway, come here, we're going to get a piece of music first anyway, and then we'll chat more, because I'm looking forward to having a good chat. So first up for us. Right, what we're going to do is, because me and Jennifer have just started playing together, I'll just do one of the new ones that we have just written. This is a song called The Brightest Flame, just again, kind of over COVID, and I'm at that age where I kind of grew up around the kind of dance music and all that kind of stuff, and now you're a bad oler, you're seeing all the damage that was done, you know. I think just being a teenager. So the song kind of deals with that. Ready? Yeah. One, two, three. One, two, three. You stood by the window still looking like you didn't care and I searched your reflection but couldn't find anyone there right in your eye music was so good there's no one to blame there's these kids they know past the old clubs but everything's changed That's my first time to hear that. That's just out of the box. Is that right? That's just probably useful. And tell me this, who does the songwriting? Is that a collaboration? Not Jennifer and all? No, no, I'm no songwriter. No, I leave that the professional. I leave that the deco. Good stuff. Well, I can't have been doing it a long time. Come here, you have been in the music money albums. You've got ten albums. Oh, no. Well, me and my own. This is the fifth album. On your own. On my own. And then I had, like, because a lot of people would kind of know of me from the whole tribe's things. Of course. You used your bad tequila there, weren't you? Aye, we done a gig there last. Nair Centre. In the Nair Centre. How'd that go? It was great. Because everybody was back, like, Tomas, the trumpet player, he loves in America now, and the boys are all scattered all over the place. The party was there. The party was there. It was a good night there. It was a good crack. I heard you saw me mark Patterson. Aye. And I thought, what, that would be some nice crack, you know? I suppose it was a good night there. And the place was jammed too, so there was plenty of money made for the charity and stuff, you know what I'm saying? The kids away to Disneyland. Is that what it was for? Aye, Aye, Aye. Wally and Patty work way in an organization called Tune Done, and they do a lot of stuff with kids, we special needs. So that's what it was for. It was for the young people, the kids away, and kind of respite. Do you know what, I know it's probably logistically, you have to work at it and all, but it's an easy one to do, like for yourselves. You know, you're making money and there's a buzz there, like. Oh, and because it was 20 years since the last time we had played. Oh, is that right? That's what I was saying, as there were people at that show that weren't even born the last time we was doing the stage. Oh, would you, did the spark, spark up? Yeah, everybody scattered doing their own thing. Wally has a fairly, you know, you know, a fairly successful solo career. I'm doing my thing. Patty's always doing his thing. Dougal's part of a choir and Johnny Nutt has always kept playing as well, you know. So everybody's doing their own thing. I think the band thing, you get to a certain age, and the band thing becomes about a, a chore. We were, like, we lived in the States for the guts of five years, and, you know, it was just, if you weren't playing, you were spending. So you had to keep playing all the time. So that took, like, kind of fun out of a lot of it. But, and seeing that, it was, you know... Like, turns it into work. Aye, aye, and that was, I didn't get involved in music to do any work. No, well, I guess you, I know what you're saying. Right, so that's, we, we, so everybody's kind of doing their own thing, you know, fairly decent at it, I think. Because the standard of songwriting and the band was so good with the whole tribe, I think that has stood everybody else, you know, so it's... What about the bun lids? Oh, that's a long time ago. All right. Well, that was me, Patty and Dougal, and that's what happened was that was the kind of early, kind of very early 90s. And we were just kind of, kind of punky folk group. Aye, aye. And what had happened was we kind of, as more people joined the bun lids, we decided then we would change the name. So that was where the whole tribe come out of. Ah. And we get Tamas McShan from Belfast. He was the trumpet player, and Wally Wallace and Johnny Knott. So, and then we get the kind of deal, then we get us for the song and the stits. And that's what we done. We just kind of packed up the money and we got the Guinness bought, like, 30 seconds of the song, happy. So they were going to start using it as an ad in America. Yes. So we thought there's no point in us being hanging around the streets here. So we packed up and moved to... Moved out first to Chapel Hill in North Carolina and then from there to Hartford in Connecticut. And then I went down there. I was in Brooklyn then for a while. And tell me this, did you, you know, did that Guinness thing help you as a band? Oh, yes, it did. Because at the time, Guinness, I think there was a big push just by Guinness because they were doing Guinness, they were doing Smithics, they were doing Harp. And they were also tied under these huge, big Guinness Oyster festivals. So we got to play all of these as well, you know. So that was a good idea. How did that come about? Pure chance, sir. What had happened was we had recorded the song happy. It was a guy from North Carolina called Clinton McKay. He had given us money to go into the studio. And it was a girl who was... You might even know where she was. I think she might have been married to Luc Kelly. She had like a booking agent and Dublin. And she heard the song and what they were... Guinness put out a call for bands to put stuff on. So she phoned us and she says, look, I think this song will be good. So we sent the song on. We went down and played and they were over the moon wet. So they... away we went. Brilliant thing. So that was 90... I would have been 98, 99. And then we moved out there. And we were just getting the wheels on the bus when September 11th happened. We were supposed to be playing in New York that night. So we were, we had just left a gig in Washington. And we're making our way to New York when all that happened then in the morning, you know. So I think... That sort of just put the time... And we were signed up for a whole pile of tours, you know, after that. So we had to keep going and keep playing. Have you regrets not in there? No, or just that's the way it is? No, I think it was one of those things that's just the way the yards... There's a reason they go? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so you're back and... Yes. What did I do? Even after I moved back, I still kept in contact with a lot of people out there. And I kept on recording and writing. That's what I've done next to the other albums. I have just, you know, with different people and different musicians. And that's what I do is I just write stuff in the house and then I'll bring people in there and we're kind of record-able to the studio at the back of the house. So it'd be friendly with that. I know there's a pile of boys on this evening. I have no most of them, so... The music scene, I think, in the Northwest, you know, between Derry and Donny Gawls... It is. But we see it here, Declan, you know. We see the show. The standard of playing is incredible. It's world-class. I've said that. And the artists individually and collectively, as groups, like, they're amazing. Absolutely no doubt about that. You know, we've seen it the 10 years we're doing this. We've seen a massive change. And as I say, young people are now... they know what they want and they embrace the social media, which is a big platform as well for them and it's, you know, it's great and long may it continue, you know. But the album, anyway, is called My Northern Soul. Yes, yes. And does it feature Northern Soul? Well, it kind of does, because the kind of little stuff that I write is kind of solely, I love brass, you know, and I love kind of high-end piano stuff, so a lot of it's more kind of... a wee bit more upbeat than what I usually do because when I'm kind of writing and I have that bigger scope that you're going to go into the studio, you know, I can think about drums and I can think about brass and I can think about all that other stuff. When you're out kind of doing it live, now you have to be able to kind of do everything on the fly. Well, tell me this. As a songwriter, and I always ask this, you know, do you sit down and say right of an album to do and going to write 11 songs for it? Or do you say... You've always got that in your head. You're always working towards the next album. You're always going away at songs and you're always thinking you need 11 songs. Funnest, you need 11 songs completed. Do you keep them on one topic, kind of a thing? No. But you will find after a couple of years or looking back, you'll realise that three or four songs that you've written around the same period of time are all linked. There's a theme that runs through it that you don't even see at the time. Sometimes it takes a wee bit of time for a song even to kind of tell you what it's about. And by saying that, is your songwriting sort of gauged by what's going on in your life at that particular time? Or do you just generally... I would kind of do a lot of stuff from kind of my subconscious. What I would do is I'd sit down and kind of work on a couple of chords, try to get a melody line, and then just throw words and stuff over the topic. You'd start off with gibberish, and then what happens then is you'll get maybe a bit of a chorus and a bit of a verse. And what you do is you just keep working that and you just keep adding. I think a baby just... You're growing from that. Like, I'm not one of these people who can sit down and write... You know, I know people who can sit down and write a song in five or ten months. I can't do that. I work over songs for months and months. So you're obviously a person who has a load of songs up in there. Yes, always. And you fall back on them at no time? Oh, that's what you would do. You know what I mean? Like, I would have stuff on my phone and have kind of doctor phones and stuff like that. I'm always kind of trying to catch wee bits and wee bits and pieces of songs. How long have you been at the music business? Because me dad was a musician. I've kind of been reared on it. My man dad played in bands as well, you know. So my father would have been the best player. We have a band called Leeroy Brown. He would have been a fairly big... They were kind of at the tail end of the show band. Yes. So me dad, he was the kind of... He was the best player on the band. So I kind of grew up climbing over musical gear and going to concerts and, you know, listening to... I think, like when people say to you about an apprenticeship, you know, if your dad was a musician, if me dad had been a brickie, I'd have ended up a brickie, you know. Yes. And that was your apprenticeship? I actually... Me dad was a crowder from Donry, you know. So where would have spent... Look, me dad's family would have been all music. On my ground I would have played the trumpet. He was from Donry. So I think that generation, there was always a lot of music, you know. Brass band. I have a love for brass band. I mean, on the side, the whole family was steeped in it. Like, you know, and unfortunately it stopped here. But that didn't take it on. Because I... But I love it. I love the sound of it. But that marching band and all that stuff was so much a big part of kind of rural community. It was? You know, it has... I think maybe the GAA to a certain extent has followed that. But, you know, you see, anytime you lift up these kind of magazines, we hold black and white photos. You're right. There's always three or four brass band, you know, the church brass band. You're right. And I can see, like I say, my grandda, my uncles, my cousins, they were all brass band people. And it's good. Right, I tell you what, we're going to take a commercial break. But coming back with another song, and that would be... Going to do a song called Shadows. After this, don't go away. Brian Adams is back on tour in 2024. Join Highland Radio on our trip to Dublin to see the man himself at the Three Arena on Tuesday the 21st of May 2024. Your trip includes luxury transfers, bed and breakfast at the four-star Carton Hotel Blanchestown. Your standing ticket to the show is a shopping trip to Dublin City Centre the following day. Find out more on the outlet at HighlandRadio.com or call us on 074-9125000. Well, Grace, how are you today? I'm good. I've just been down to the mid to measure Fireplaces Showroom in Chrysler. They have an incredible selection of over 40 colours for kitchen work-ups. And guess what? For a limited time, they're offering a 40% discount on any electric fire when you purchase a work-top there. 40%? That's an amazing deal, Grace. Absolutely. And trust me, if the discount alone doesn't sway you, they're a huge selection of Fireplaces Stoves, wood pellet burners, beams and stone cladding certainly will. Contact mate to measure Fireplaces Chrysler on 074-9138-365 on Facebook, Instagram and on mtmfireplaces.ie. A future of Irish tillage industry, winter crop management, and crop options for 2024. And aphid management in cereal and potato crops. Speakers include Andy Doyle, tillage industry Ireland, Cheh Feelin, Chagisc crop specialist and Louise McNamara, Chagisc Oak Park researcher. All welcome. I've just had the eclipse cinemas experience. Wow, they truly have taken a night at the movies to a whole new level. amazing recliner chairs, directors lounge VIP room, pizza and hot foods served to your seat. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the film on the big screen. Try it for yourself at Eclipse Cinemas Lyford Sturban, where the stars shine brighter. By the way, the pizzas are amazing. You can book your seat anytime at eclipsecinemas.ie This is Highland Radio with Paul McDevitt. I tried the nightclubs and the beautiful voice and singer from a regular listener. Thank you very much indeed. Mickey Duffy, Mickey says great writing and songs and Michael Bowner says wow great song and Brian McCool just big heartin' it. Big heart? I'll just go with that. We'll take the heart. Is that songs on the album? Yes. Now that's on the last one. The previous one is called the path of most resistance. It's on that. Who inspired you as a what singer did you sort of look up to? There's a whole pile of people but I think when I started, the way that I kind of I know I grew up in a kind of musical house but the way that I kind of fell on the playing music was the traditional sessions I don't do. Remember Jo Malhearn and there used to be trad sessions up the stairs and I don't know and if you showed up with a musical instrument you run you run and you get free drink. So me and Mimit we used to go to these sessions every week so that was kind of how I learned how to play. I've carried on with both of them and there used to be a guy there who was a traditional singer called Jo Malhearn and Jo used to be like he wrote the lot of me granny's bun. He was a great kind of humorous songwriter you know and he was somebody I looked up to because he was able to kind of deal with very you know topical stuff and serious stuff but he was always able to use humor as a way of kind of addressing serious stuff so I always admired that and then I suppose just last time you know anybody who writes for Kristie Moore you know what I mean I kind of grew up listening to Shane McGoy on Elvis Costello. You know there's that many people out there. Elvis Costello, I can get that on your song. He would be a big influence I. Very good. Very good. Jennifer yourself what about your own influences? Me! Apart from that. Well like I was saying about Laura Marlin earlier I'm a lot into the folk and Joni Mitchell of course as well you know I like a lot of female singers that have beautiful and both of them have beautiful voices and the just singer songwriters which is kind of stuff I would listen to mostly. And are you self-taught on the keyboard or piano or? No I had lessons when I was at school a long long time ago you know but this is the first time just playing with Deccan's the first time I've kind of played the keyboard where it's not I don't have sheet music in front of me and you know he's just shouting out chords to me and I'm your goomers. Yeah and then he might change the chords later if his you know his mood changes. Right. You bring your tools. It's not straightforward. Did you pay the big money for? Well now we'll go back. Gigan, are you out for gigs or what's the story? Yes well there's talk I'm going to be playing up on the song Flour up on Belfast and I think over April there's a show there and then I'm doing another gig in the nerve center on the 1st of April there's a Goudour bar reunion gig that night so there is so I would like I say I would have played around the Goudour a lot so there's myself and Jeanette Houghton and Pylor bands that are playing at that so it'll be a good old night. It should be. Brilliant. And you're on Facebook and all that. Oh I have loads of stuff and you can go to if you go to Bandcamp or any of the music sites you can get the stuff you can listen to and if people want CDs just hook me up on Facebook The album's not released yet but No I have I have physical copies of the album but the online stuff the record label in the states they want to do something else out there so I just get physical stuff done so I'm banging them out out of the back I mean they're about to make sure until I get my new fridge freezer. Ah very good I like that. Well come here listen it's been an absolute delight. Thank you very much for helping us it's great to be back on again I love that these are playing you know it's incredible. I love that you see you and yourself Jennifer and you're welcome back any time, any time at all. Thanks. The album is called My Nose and Soul it will be on the platforms but it'll be a wee while yet. Yes it will be normal. If you see this man on the street or contact him on Facebook and he'll get an album to you by Hooker by Chris. If you want to stick an old tenor under my pocket or anything. Hi Sterling please. Come here a final song if you don't mind. This is a song called Jealbird. I know a lot of stuff that we have done here the night has been a wee bit kind of doom and gloom but it's because of the kind of keyboards and the guitar works well together. So this is a song called Jealbird it's just about how you people kind of find it hard to get their lives back together after they get out of jail and somebody does their time and stuff like that but society never lets people off so. Right whatever you're ready. One, two, three, four. I got out last Christmas after serving all my time to a world that won't forgive me though I've long paid for my crime those prison guards were laughin as they opened up that gate there was no one there to meet me no reason to go straight and it's hard to swing that easy money cause it buys you so much fun I used to know this girl called Trouble we used to shoot a little bit of coke but you know those mixed up orphan girls can never take a joke she was always milk and honey someone to treat I was just a junkie saving up to be a hood cause money buys you freedom and good jokes will get you friends eyes up to meet you she's found Jesus I hope she's born again for the devil brings a boy to guide you through these wicked streets back to his light again for life is over Jesus says he loves her but so do I so do I somebody whisper and it sounded like your voice you said you'd love me till you we'll sing a jail that's brilliant folks thank you very much for having us on well thank you do you know what, I hung on to every word of that and I followed the story right through brilliant, well written thank you definitely well written and as I said, Declan McLaughlin and the album will be available shortly it's called My Nord and Soul and we're looking forward to having this and Jennifer Kelly thank you both very very much an absolute delight and you'll be back again very shortly thank you very much thank you don't miss the BAFTA Award-winning comedian Michael McIntyre's brand new show Magnificent at the SSC Arena Belfast on Friday the 31st of May 2024 as always Highland Radio make it easy for you as we look after all your needs we will provide luxury transfers overnight stay at the Clinton Hotel Belfast on a B&B basis your ticket to the show shopping time in Belfast City Centre for more information go to the outlet at HighlandRadio.com or give us a call on 07491 25,000 Michael McIntyre in Belfast with everything from pedal and electric ride-ons to go-karts and scooters there's loads of fun guaranteed all year round at Tinney's Toys in Irokenny if you have a kid's birthday coming up see the great choice at Tinney's Toys to make it extra special visit Tinney's Toys on Lech Road Letter Kenny or shop online for express delivery at Tinney's Toys.com Tinney's Toys with so much more than just farm toys with kindness, compassion and dignity to get your personal home care assessment plan visit bluebirdcare.ie or call our care team today on 07491 29562 and bring care home Iconite is deadly poisonous and I get Christy wrote a story about Iconite and killed off one of her people characters in it yeah there's another flat way back at the back it's the scuffle or scuffle it's the plant that they give 007 to get him to tell the truth plant that's Down the Garden Path a new series Wednesday nights on Highland Radio after the news at 8 p.m 5 minutes in front of 9 o'clock on a Monday night Monday night sessions and a great reaction there to Declan McLaughlin, Jennifer brilliant song, brilliant song writing absolutely amazing but it doesn't stop there it's downhill now, no I'm only joking we welcome the Murrah you're welcome lads how's it going? going good, going good that's three of the five the ORT just couldn't be bothered one of them's from there Kenny too, the rest of them just couldn't make the effort can't get the staff these days well listen to me tell you someone if you need a do why me and Jimmy's available you're welcome it's Shane Ryan and Connell Connell or Connell Tomato Mara, whatever it's easier to remember whatever it rolls off just a quick couple of seconds just to introduce yourselves how long have you formed? about two years now do you say? a year and a half this has been in my head all weekend it's the Mara meaning the Mara see the Mara exactly I knew it when I found out you were from Derry and maybe in the Stavama and I said that definitely means the Mara not some well named from a book somewhere that they got a couple of years formed and five years and a gig and much we are, we're getting regular I must be around a time I won a Belfast and then won an FMRT but mostly just around the regular Derry do you write your own stuff? do you collaborate all together they're like John and Paul Ryan and James he's like Jimmy Payton after a couple of years aren't we all right to tell you we're going to get some music lads on my first first up first first time the days the first time we played this you wrote this yourself? we wrote it months ago but first time playing it ever we have the rights to this now whenever you're ready lads who else would be in there inspiring you like music wise? is that the guitar playing influence Connelly? it's more than anything you know when I hear it I think we can't have amalgamate at all and it works we hope it works you have recorded a couple of singles now with two singles released I have a few things recorded I'm various studios I'm Shane's house is that where he's recorded when you're sexual? the first one that we actually released it was produced by a guy Gordon Raffaelli produced the Strokes and I was I was kind of untrusting to have that kind of level how did that come about then did you just ask him? Shane I I just messaged him did you? he said he loves the song I'll happily do just had to pay him £200 I looked at his net worth £200 you got off lightshade the fairness you did look and did you find that helped getting that song big learning curve really just in terms of what we want ourselves he dropped man you're right you've benefaced that of course now you've got his professionalism and his skill and it gives you that way inside too but when you're recording yourself Shane or you the main man looks after that is there a lot of work involved in that when you're doing it are you just that's it? there's fake drums as well with a sort of drum machine and then we'll take it to studio and say this is what we wanted this song like I get you I get you now good idea he's right often all the time I think we have close to 30 the good releaseable songs like that you have to say that that's good going that's good going and tell me this, gig him while you're out in Benningons Benningons is Friday's just Friday night and then you're you see you're in Belfast here did you see you're playing in Belfast Colin? ah better ask him one hand boys you just turn on sometimes not another one too come here, the Belfast scene is good music scene is good for live band it's only our second time playing but we played a gig before Christmas McHugh's wasn't it? great new music spot because Derry's got a great scene but this doesn't have a lot of outlets for bands, you know for original music 2 or 3 and that's it Stevie OC music some good Derry bucks there say hello to the lads from me Stevie always likes and comments that's my boy that's my boy say hello to Steven I'm almost going to show you to my granny Agnes too she'll be listening give him the camera there she's probably wearing the red or no this year are you doing planning for summer festivals or anything we've applied for stand-offs so hopefully we'll be able to it's not only by a ticket, it's really there I'd rather get a free pass you have to apply that's the way it works now it's a great wee spot as well it's brilliant and it's going from strength to strength to musical music it'll be great because what I like about stand-offs it's not all about big names it's giving a platform really and you can go down there in the caravans they're all weekend and the music it's like you know we'd love to get another piece of music this time again what's next make my day this one's a Beatles what would you say who is the Beatles song no it's a Beatles inspired that does have a same tale as a Beatles song my microphone lost its head it's alright go on you down take your time there now one of the heads fell off the microphone I saw him you should bang it there now that's it there now that's perfect brilliant Ryan Ward in band he needs me to go up more camera one of you bright lights whatever you're ready up one there you go absolutely brilliant in a band I would love to go in here live you know what I mean if you're free tickets so tell us by the way Connell I'm not taking with nor too large but you're a guitar player in this class thank you is that a no guitar this is a 1972 copy oh copy I have a Gibson one that cost me a fortune and I got this one for less than £100 in a pawn shop I looked it all up as I say over 50 year old and it just sings less is more sometimes it works it works presently to me and I don't know a lot about guitar but there's a unique sound all that that I like you know it's part of the machines big fancy amp as well too really class see the line up of the band there so I know you're in two acoustic guitars have you a bass in the drums is that the way he's a guitar player he's a league guitar player he's a fantastic musician Brian McCloskey is our drummer what's your last name Schimmelsmuller glad I tuned in tonight Alistair Hay said you're sounding great Alistair from Memoral Guitars you said you're sounding great I have a lefty you're lefty I am a lefty as Deggy says you'll have to be a stock tick when we leave here you're stealing out of here you're not all worth stealing people want to get in touch with you where are your platforms facebook and instagram what's the name of the band what do you call them you'll find us anyway there aren't many bands called the Mora there is an Australian rapper though so we'll have to have them what they said on copyright he's family from Derry originally look at the slushers on the floor brilliant really there's a class unique sound office I genuinely mean that now Delighted he's came up well a month ago they released their second single Masterpiece where's it on all the platforms is it on Spotify as well we'll have to get a copy up here Jim and get it on the system you can email us we'll get it put on the system so we can play away at it here ourselves that's what it's all about are your plans for an album or anything? no the material is all there it's more so how do you go about that there's an expense element there too I shrink the goals one song a month for the rest of the year it's more less but that's what they want to do put it out as singles that seems to be the best a lot of people are doing that putting it out as singles it's keeping your name relevant all the time it's hard to know because CDs are out now it's just hard to know what platform to go on people don't really sit and listen they're like a CD-Atlantic anymore I think under my van people see me driving around Japan I'm listening to music I'm listening to CDs in my van listen to that music blasting out thanks very much for coming it's been an absolute delight your music is amazing make no mistake about that you can only go from strength to strength I hope you get good news for Stendall because that's what it's all about new local music we'd love to get a final track from you it's the one we love to rehearse this is where we came up this is our brand we don't have to put this guitar in it's full for me that's when you listen to the chords we'll get out of there what are we doing out there when are we ready? thank you thank you very much pure class, genuinely tough class Shane and Ryan and Connell from the band thank you very much indeed it's been a pleasure sitting here listening to that along with last best of luck lad, thank you very much I've actually got him up it's Danny McGillaway Paul, thank you very much I'm gone, thank you I have to give you that because you left that behind about four years ago thank you very much I should appreciate that we saw songs and stuff written and you said to me I wouldn't want to lose it and I said we'll definitely get this man it's great to see you thank you very much Paul it's nice to be back where was the last time? 2019 I think before the Covid carry on how's life been? I'm keeping busy Paul I'm still playing here and there doing a lot of teaching in the community because of what I do creatively from the musical point of view I play six different instruments Paul and I'm teaching most of them do you tell me? what do you play? I play guitar I play mandolin I play banjo I play fiddle I play boron I play whistle I do so much writing Paul I do embroidery but every different aspects of stuff so I'm out in the community teaching creative writing and with that as well I paint and sketch so I'm out teaching that as well stop it's lovely the artist work if you've been doing that for a long time as in sketching and painting it's an oil if it's paint I work with oils I love oils that was a great oil lovely so they are but the sketching that's a different thing entirely to you he was a great sketcher as well lovely art and you share that with the community? I do indeed the community hubs the community centres they would ring me and say to me look could you come give us so many weeks maybe four weeks of this or maybe five weeks or maybe ten weeks maybe a month you know what would you be trade Danny? by trade? musician? no I was a bricklayer believe it or not she's like myself well I was a bricklayer but it was a job you know I don't think anybody would like bricklaying I don't know for 30 years it wasn't so much the hard work it was some of the people you were working for they weren't happy with a bit of sweat after that then I gave that a miss maybe after so many years as well then there were a couple of factories then they were up in the school doing caretaker so then I retired then I didn't want to say if you're out on a trial now two days or digging is that much money what? unbelievable I wouldn't thank you for it again now no thanks man I agree Paul now give me the guitar and the pen that's me I'm happy with that that's a nice way to be I'll tell you what we're going to do we're going to get a piece of music first and then we'll talk more because I'm delighted to have you up here again and sharing your stories and your music with us the first song you're going to do first Danny? as I said there's always a story so I'm someone that loves to write contemporary sort of single songs Paul in those songs I would sometimes use ironed bits of Europe, America things like that but the first song I want to sing believe it or not Paul is a song that I wrote a number of years ago and I remember playing a gig in Rathmullen and it's funny because Donnie Gaw is a place that I love it's in my heart Paul you're not keeping me one but because my relations are from Donnie Gaw my great grandfather was from Rathmullen Rathmullen but anyway Rathmullen as I wanted to mention I was playing a gig in Rathmullen in the pub and it was the September night and it was a lovely sort of warm September night Paul and I took a break actually you do two hours and I took a break and I was wondering do you see down the pier so I wandered down the pier in Rathmullen and I got to the bottom of the pier there was a few boats about and there was this beautiful, beautiful warm soft light rain I get it and I happened to look down in the water and there was this lady standing on a boat making her way to come up the wee metal ladders they go up onto the pier and the lady just blew me away she was so beautiful and I thought to myself I actually gave her a hand to come up onto the pier from the ladder and she thanked me and away she went disappeared out of sight so Paul when we've been riding it's stuck in my head so what I did when I got home Paul I wrote this song you call it September rain and this is the one I'm going to do now and I sort of made a wee love song out of it listen September rain Paul whatever you're writing story of September rain and it's nice to get the background to it too as well how long goes that before Covid are you still riding on a regular basis I never stop riding Paul I'm not writing songs I'm writing poetry I'm writing short stories I'm writing plays do you find it therapeutic absolutely brilliant I went through a bad time Paul I'm through a bad time and I always said when I come through the other side of it the music kept me breathing absolutely fantastic when it does it's very therapeutic it's fantastic and I love it we when you're talking to a lot of singer-songwriters up here you find a lot of people their music changes different styles, different times and it's because maybe something's going on in their life and it's like a counselling thing they get it, they express it out through the music and it seems to be like it seems to be like a weight on their shoulders I find that when a lot of people do write it's a counselling service and I think it's brilliant that music can do that that's correct Paul it's like the devil Paul with me you know I don't give up like him, he doesn't give up I'm the same, I just keep working away you give me a book here poems and photography the naked spine and there's a load of poems in it I'm looking forward to having a I would love to recite one or two poems you're certainly doing that and the book actually is all the poems in Donegal photographs in Donegal but I don't Dan and Miguel are ways here and we're going to get another track we're going to get a poetry as well which we love and it's on the way after this break don't go away the world's first road death since then thousands of our loved ones have been added to the list of people who have lost their lives on our roads that list of names does not have to keep growing because together we can bring an end to road deaths starting now make life-saving changes today and you will help Ireland achieve vision zero no road deaths or serious injuries by 2050 learn more at rsa.ie with everything from pedal and electric ride-ons to go karts and scooters there's loads of fun guaranteed all year round at Tinney's Toys in Etter Kenney if you have a kid's birthday coming up see the great choice at Tinney's Toys to make it extra special visit Tinney's Toys on Leg Road Letter Kenny or shop online for express delivery at tinneystoys.com Tinney's Toys with so much more than just farm toys and you will find the list of sports that you are looking for in the Helifish Trust here if you want to learn more about sports in the future whether you're looking for a sports car or a sports car and you're looking for a sports car or a sports car go to www.toys.com www.toys.com www.toys.com visit our website Welcome back, as I said, Danny. Danny, the poetry, you know, how do you determine between, how do you determine between a, if you're gonna write, do you say, no, if I'm gonna write a poem or I'm gonna write a song? How do you determine between that? You know, I can give you maybe a half an answer for that. You know, I always say that a poem is meant for the eye where the lyric is meant for the ear. Yes. And that makes sense, Paul. Yes. You know, but see, Paul and me being, I was mad heavy on the photography. Yes. And I love the landscape. And I have Donnie Goll photographed out, Paul. I don't know where else they go now. Donnie Goll has taken photographs. And this is a book here that I have got out, called A Naked Spine. When did you, when was that published? About three years ago, two years ago. But, and it's all poems on Donnie Goll. And each poem relates to a photograph. It's in the book on the page. You know, you have the photograph and you have the poem. And the poem relates to the building or the place or whatever it is. Would you do one of them for us now? I would love to, Paul. Is that okay? Oh, thank you very much. Thank you very much. You're welcome. I'll pick one out. Sure, maybe. Let me see. Would you mind if I read one on Don Louie Church? Read it. Beautiful place, Paul. Oh, gorgeous, I know. So this is simply called Don Louie Church. Right. Nestling among the gorse and fern stands a lifeless beauty alone. In a sacred place of solace with either rocks of aging stone, deep within her crumbling walls lamenting voices utter and sad despair. No velvet ringing of tower bells just echoes of spirit and lonely prayer. On the soil where once angels tread are Don Louie's scented flowers and bloom. And where mists on distant dreamy hills lie absorbed in subtle gloom. Chirping swallows dart and glide and disappear in the cold sunlight. Like a quiet breath and a sullen wind to rest in the ghostly towers of white. The warm blue uplifting sky reflects her shadow upon the lake. By gentle lapping of clear water from shallow sleep will soon awake. Oh. Don Louie Church. That's damn nice, Chris. Thank you very much. Thank you, Paul. We don't get poetry up here much. We don't. And, you know, if there's anyone listening, I don't know, they feel, you know, they have poetry written, the fans are coming up some night to share it. Yeah. I think it's equally important to share it. Don't be keeping it for yourself and get in touch with us. And you're more than welcome. See, Paul, but, you know, challenges and stories like, what do you say, loss, grief, humor and fun. I appreciate your friends and what they mean to you. You know, this is poetry, Paul. I'm talking just here about choose a friend or a group of friends that you want to read about. Choose a form of style of poem. Landscape, sea, sky, you know, even the old barn gate. So, there to be written about, Paul, everything. You know, people. I mean, don't worry about, you know, grammar or spelling at first. Just focus on about getting your ideas and your emotions on paper. And then you can revise and edit your poem or poems and be prepared for their reactions and feedback. You might be surprised, you know, touched or even moved to tears by your poet. You know, that's the way I'm looking at it, Paul. You know, it's beautiful. I love it, you know, I just love it. Of course. You know, you can see it, and I think to be, obviously you have a creative mind when you, you know, you can create art. You can create poetry, that's a gift. Yeah, see, inspiration, Paul, you know, inspiration is, it's like, it's filled with enthusiasm. You know, and if you take, you know, someone or something, you know, that may say something or do something, it gives you a creative sort of something to write about, you know what I mean? You just don't know, you mean, what people... How have you, how long, you know, have you been writing, Danny? I've been writing from, I was in school. Yeah. Wow. When I was in school, before I left school, I was writing wee bits of things, you know, when I was young, and it was the first on the wall, you know, in school. You know, like, we short poem or we short story or a painting on the wall. But for years, Paul, I've been writing on it just, I write 24-7, Paul. I was writing today before I come over here. So I did. Is that the only poetry book you've written? No, there's another one. Is there another? On the city, same sort of book, you know, on the city, Paul, but, you know, the one I've done on the city is just not finished yet, you know, on Derry, like, you know, once I get that finished, too, then, you know. But... People want to get that book, don't they? Well, Paul, do you know this here? Because of the COVID, you know, I took a back step, you know. I mean, I have some copies at home, but there's none in the shops, Paul. Unfortunately, there's not, you know. But I am looking, again, Paul, at getting this one done again and the one on the city done again, and then they could go on. Maybe we can come up, when I get them all done and get a wee chat. Donnie, you're more than welcome. Yeah. As I say, you have a creative mind that there's a gift and it's lovely to be shared with us. Thank you. And the listeners, because I have no doubt, you know, people, people love... I love non-complicated poetry, you know, the stuff that you're going to be reading, you know, and you could just have a clue what that's on it, but you know what it takes to you. But that, you can relate to all that, you know. You see, some poetry, you know, doesn't rhyme, doesn't have to rhyme. I don't think it has to rhyme. It probably doesn't have to rhyme. Or lyrics, you know, you'll find it'll rhyme all the time, you know. If you can catch the story, if you can take your mind on it, and you've got good... Because of what you're saying, you're on a wee don't-lew-wee chapel there. Yeah. Yeah. It's something that clicks in my head, because I know, you know, we all know it. Yes, you know it. Yeah. As you're reading that... You can see it, yeah. I can see it, you know. People can see it, yeah. That's good. Come here, it's not a wee song. Oh. You have an album here, sorry. Sorry, Paul, yeah. A change in light. Yeah. How many albums have you released? Two. Two. And obviously, these are all your own, so... That's the last one, yeah. That's all my own material on there, Paul. Right. And where was that recorded on, dummy? That was recorded on a very good friend of mine's recording studio on Paul. I was up here with you before, Brian. Beachwood recording studio was in the city, yeah. Ah, very good. Yeah. So, that was recorded, yeah. And there's some fine artists on there playing too, as well, from the city, you know. I really was lucky to get them, you know. They helped you out. Nice. I play on the CD, yeah. Well, come here. The next wee song you're going to do first. Yeah. This song here, Paul, is, again, it's a sort of, like, you know, we love Tangle Song. All right. And, you know, it's a song called Love Sweet Song. So, what it basically is, we'll keep it very short. All right. And then they're just in it. It's about love's comfort in a song. Excellent. That's all I'm saying. We'd love to hear it. Thank you very much. If you're ready. OK, thank you. Totally appreciated, let me tell you. And I think Brian McGonigal sums it up rightly here in the slave notes in your album. The manner of expressing his talent and to appreciate it is to just sit back and listen. His mastery of poetic matter lend beautifully to the music. People who hear him and his work for the first time shall no doubt be impressed with both the songs and his music set out in a template invites listeners into a world of its own making. And that couldn't be said better. And nice words. Thank you. Because, you know, what you're... I think all this stuff should be put out down and let people hear it and see it. I know Paul, it's laziness with me, honestly. I don't think you have the time. I don't think you have the time. We're probably on it to disagree with that now. We're going for a quick ad break. Come with more. Don't go away. For new perspectives and a fresh vision, join me, Greg Hughes, on the 9-Til Noon Show every Thursday at 10.15 for Your Voice, Your Community. Wow. That was a quick flight. Never mind. Bondi Beach Barrier Reef. Here we come. Holiday of a lifetime. Can't wait. Me neither. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll shortly be landing in Austria. Austria? We're supposed to be going to Australia. Oh, what have you done? I should have gone to SpexAvers. Book an eye test online. Does anyone have any long trousers I could borrow? We've got a bikini, Andy. 10 minutes in front of 10 o'clock on a Monday night. Don't forget, coming up after us, the man with the golden ear, Aidan Murphy. He'll look after you between 10 and 12 as always, and always enjoy the music on their road. Trying to guess what you're doing. I always get it right, but he never tells people that, because I always text them. I never even got an angel or a muppet or not. Come here. We're done. Let's go. Let's go. I'm sorry, I didn't text him. I never even got an angel or a muppet or not. Come here. Danny McGillaway has been with us. And as I say, Danny, I'm going to tell you genuinely, you're one of these people that, your name's always in the back of my head. And I always said we have to get you back up again, and I'm delighted, genuinely delighted that you have agreed to come up because I know we're getting up here. You need a transport, and you need a love. I know, I know, I know, Paul. I really appreciate it, Paul. Not as much as we do. Well, I just love Donny Gawal on the Island radio. Well, as I say, if you're bringing out a book on poetry about dairy and stuff, and you're launching it while the door's open here, you just get the torch and we'll come up. The final song, Donny, if you don't mind, this one you're going to do first is? This is a song that I wrote just recently. And I've been performing it in a few places that I've played on. And it seemed to get requested a wee bit again and again. But I'll tell you the story of it. Paul, if you don't mind, very briefly. Go on ahead. It's a song titled Summer in Chicago. And it's a song about the tail end of the conflict in the north. When a young dairyman left the city, I went away to America. And he went to Chicago. And he found work in Chicago off the Chicago River, close to a big place called the Magnificent Mile, where he worked. And on the Magnificent Mile, at the top of the Magnificent Mile, there was a pub called as the McNeils, where he spent most of his time. But in living in America for a short period or whatever, he'd missed home. And he was longing to get back home again, probably like every Irish man or lady does, you know? Of course. So in and around there, there's a place too called the Lake Shore, where it's a beautiful poll, too. You know, this is mentioned in the song. These places are mentioned in the song, you know? But this is him thinking about, you know, wanting to be back home again, you know? It's called Summer in Chicago. Whenever you're ready, Danny. We're going to hear. Thank you. The busy magma of Chicago, and a bar still in Lizzie and my kneels, thoughts got lost in a cool pint of beer. The music played out chicks and reels. They're a beautiful girl, she's summer soft in Chicago. Thank you very much. Well written. Where can people get you, Danny? You're playing giggin' or are you? I'm giggin', but not giggin' as much.