 Well, welcome back again, Joe Gibson and Stephen O'Garland. How are you doing lads? How's it going, Paul? It's going good. Come here. Two piece now, and you're called the Howlin' Highlands. The Howlin' Highlands. Was there a lot of thought went into that, or where did that? Well, there was at one time, it was a two piece with myself and Elaine Boyle, you know. And then, basically, myself and Stephen were like, the way things are going and the music's hopping in Ireland at the minute and the folk's very much in vogue, as you can see from the Danny Byrne band there and all the many other iterations. So, as you know, I have many other bands and stuff as well and playing flat out. So, we decided to take it on and really lean into what we really do, what we're born and bred doing. So, Stephen and I let you tell about himself, but he's a dairy trad player. And I'm a Donny Galtrad player by trade, and we grew up through the traditional scene and the folk scene, so we're both of the same wavelength that way. Excellent. But we needed a name to describe the absolute mess. And we wanted particularly something that was northern, and as you know, the Howlin' Highlands is a pretty... Jimmy didn't know what was going on, he thought I was selling scallions, you know. No, I got it right away. I know, you did. I said, because you just didn't bat an eyelid when he said the Howlin' Highlands, so that makes sense. That's a good sensible name there. Well, obviously we were kind of a powerful, you know, trad and folk group, but we wanted something to tell the audience that they'd be a bit of a crack in, but no. You know, it's important because you need a frontman, and I'm not taking it away from yourself, Stephen, I don't mean it this way, but you need someone in all these bands, you can't have the collective band and not somebody stand out as a book-eget, you know what I mean? And you fall into that category quite easy. It's funny, as you mentioned that, because another reason why myself and Stephen go quite well is when I'm busy or tuning the guitar, stepping away, Stephen's never shy of stepping up to the mic and being that other book-eget. That's good, that's good. Stephen, that's your fourth time up here with us, is it? I've been up a few times, have you? Well, memory must be going, hey. It was a good few years ago, right? Trust me, it is. When we were releasing the EO Carlin family album, I came up, I think, two years after that, and me and my brother and sister came up and played, and I think Joe played Lummi. I remember now, I remember now. So you branced away from that, Stephen? Well, I wouldn't say branced. We grew up playing Lummi Joe as well, you know, like we were in France to get our playing, we were only, what, 16? I was 18, so you may have been a wee bit. I may have been 16 or 17. I grew up playing with Joe Nune from the cult, this isn't all. You know, playing from a young age, you could see. And obviously, Stephen, the music's in the blood, like... Oh, yeah, we were playing, we came up playing music all our life, you know. Tried music. And family, from your mother and father and stuff, or what? My dad plays a wee bit of the banjo. It's not an ancestry or anything. No, it didn't come through the family or anything. My dad just got interested. They always loved Irish music, particularly folk music. Look, Kelly, Dubliners. I was just in the banjo and the oldest brother poked up his hand-muscle, quickly went on to the pipes, Kearn learned to fiddle, Kearn learned to flute, I learned to accordion. We just picked a different instrument. You're saying that like you're the youngest in the family, aren't you? I know, trying to knock myself down a few steps there. Very good. Very good. Well, I'll tell you what we'll do. It's all good having a howling and howling name, but we want to hear a bit of howling and music. And then we'll chat more there. Instead of starting with that, we'll go with the... We've actually recorded a half-dozen tunes. We've just rocked into the studio. We've knocked it a few... Are these your own tunes? No, what we're doing is we're trying to put our own spin on old tunes. Now, we have our own tunes with us as well tonight, but given what we want to showcase here tonight is that side. We go with an old classic called Fiddler's Green. Oh, brilliant. As I say, we have a good few songs recorded, and they'll be released one after another over the next coming weeks. As singles? As singles. We're going to build up to have an album, but we're going to get the best out of the album, so to speak, and release it one at a time. This is our version of Fiddler's Green. Ready? Two, three, hop! Take me, mates, along Mates, I'm takin' a trip, mates, and I'll See you some day on Fiddler's Green There's a place I hear tell Where the fishermen go, he's seen I just samed, takin' a trip, mates, and I'll See you some day on Fiddler's Green And there's never a gale The fish jump on board With a swish of their tin and jumper Samed, takin' a trip, mates, and I'll See you some day, don't want to harp Not a halo, not I just give me a breeze On your own and see And then jumper, some takin' a Tire skin and jumper Some takin' a trip, mates, and I'll See you some day That's what it's all about there, Fiddler's Green Is that part of the repertoire? That's part of the repertoire now, I've been playing it a wee while that way, and it just was one of the first songs we went to just to joke yes, the hop and the energy People looking to get in touch Where can they get you through? Well, to start off, you can either contact us directly, just search Joe Gibson or Stephen O'Carrillan, we do have a Facebook page the minute, Howlin' Highlands I'll be trying to get the Instagram and the TikToks all rockin', but we're brand new as it were, but just keep an eye out for the Howlin' Highlands, or Howlin' Highlands, and you'll start to be not the scene Stay in as a two-piece, or would you be expanding? We have a management team that's come on board to sort a lot of this stuff We're starting out as a two-piece To me, it's easier It's easier to travel, it's easier to play and we make a whale racket between stumps and loops and fiddles and all that track Did we change that then? No, we won't be changing it for a while but it should be going to doing more shows we'll want to fall behind us I have the good old band there ready to rock, rock at any given point It says here from Sheamus, Stevie Stevie O, a Dairy Legend Tommy Conway, I don't know if you ever tell him What's his name again? Tommy Conway What's he doing again? Tommy said, you're sounding good lads, Trudy Nadonal, hello to you Trudy, hello to my old buddy, sounding great Horry Up with the album Horry Up with the album is right We're with Tommy again this week Tommy makes up part of the management crew that's going to be working with us We're looking forward to getting stuck in We have a wee secret track that he's a cool album on so it'll be myself, Stephen and Tommy but that'll be out very soon as well If people want to go along and hear you At the moment, nowhere really We're just working on the repertoire You can watch us grow on Instagram and socials So you're basically crawling before you walk, kind of thing We're setting up all the background stuff first so we're getting our sound nailed down and doing the recording Obviously, Stephen's busy with his own projects I have my own band and all that stuff still goes on So this is a passion project so we're actually just our plan to start off is to just travel around just like Jimmy and Paul around on Igol to travel around to the local locations and stuff You'll do well with that We've just seen how well It's like the answer we've been We're putting you well Let me tell you Ah, no, it's a bit of a crack Stephen, are you yourself are you a folk-time musician? I work in a hospital in McElven I'm actually currently on a career break at the moment as of just a month ago there What's your role up there if you don't mind me asking I'm a pharmacist at Technician in there Oh, very good I work in a cancer unit I work in a chemotherapy Excellent And you took a year out a career break I've taken a career break recently that's to do with things at home It also gives me an opportunity to do an ID I work with that in my music as well Yeah, very good You're probably glad you're a musician Oh, definitely My music was always in the back burner but at least now I can maybe focus on it a wee bit more because we're always right in the way as well Oh, is that right now? We're never getting the music out there where it should be Well, that's good I hope you enjoy this and I hope it goes well for both of you because you're too talented musicians to no point in seeing you're not Any items happen as well or? Well, a couple of weeks ago I was in the UK doing a solo show just and around London Currently, talking to a few people and one person at Denmark pretty much firmed it up like to go over there in September next year but more so you can't really be darling at the minute for the music scene because it's really hoppin' especially in this genre so I think... I've never seen it as... No, as vibrant, especially... Vibrant is right in this award and, you know, you have the likes of the Tumblin' Patties and stuffin' places They really, really are and there's no reason why you can't be doing the same but you're probably quite happy pitting along with it rather than... I'd rather take me time I'm not going out to do dance... We're not really going after a dance hall scene We're going after more... I don't know what you would call it but just at the moment we'll be going for pubs and clubs but ideally to go into more shows where we can showcase what we do and there'll be a dance floor user or not but I like the idea of more folk clubs I like that where people can chat and have a crack and have a pint or whatever or a cup of tea But I know what you're saying and I've always said because... It's critically said the music in the pubs and clubs again it really is but at the same time for an artist who wants to showcase his own music and his own styles for both of you you need that sort of audience that's with you or not and I don't mean to suspectfully but not an audience that's out for the night you can't really showcase your music in that they're here to hear the old hits like aren't they really? No, when you're playing to a crowd that hasn't bought in to see you particularly you do have to play to the crowd and for the crowd but we'll have to do that now but as I say, ideally we'd like to grow into to build up a following where you could have a venue that's almost like a club but particularly a good example of the old folk clubs were playing to see what it came to that's what my target audience would be but it's going to take a long time to build that and build it real I'll take your time and do it right but the good thing is that's the kind of way you are no panic you're killing yourself not at your age now but anyway, listen I'll tell you what I'm going to do I'm going to take an hour break we'll come back with another piece of music what are you going to come back with? I'll tell you what we'll do obviously recently we lost a legend in this town and just the day of the week is such a very emotional day and the artists deal with these things in a different way and I always find comfort in writing about it so I'll probably come back with a song I wrote for Ted oh, we're looking for that first time air in the door in the air listen, come back after this break there is a word a small word of great power we add it to other words to mentor, to scholar to leader to captain and guardian it lives with friend and belongs with comrade and most of all it fits naturally with kin a word that describes a whole world that word is ship be more join the Irish naval service at Navy Darahi Sheridan security now introducing zero wire smart alarm systems zero wire, zero mess and a real peace of mind with a simple press of a button your alarm can be set or on set or download the free app and control it from your phone call us today on 0749126025 and get your alarm from 299 euro stay local, stay safe and protect what you value most with Sheridan security systems weight gain happens for many reasons in your 20s but managing stress is one of the four habits that can help learn more at gov.ie forward slash healthy weight an initiative of the government of Ireland how would you like to go on the holiday of a lifetime? then why not join us for the Highland radio hooly in sunny Saloon spend seven nights in the sun with some of Ireland's top entertainers including Robert Mazzell, Jim Devine Margo, Claudia Buckley and many more with live music all day every day staying in the beautiful four-star Sol Costa Jurata hotel this is a trip not to be missed book now by calling Country Music Tours on 0749119955 or email info at CountryMusicTours.ie we'll see you in sunny Saloon yes welcome back and Joe Gibson and Stephen O'Carroll and this is a forced airplay have you a name on it? it's not really a name on it we'll go with it, we're looking forward to it oh it's on your fingers no longer linger and the jokes that we shared around the musical chair there was a gentle sweetness and honest to goodness and a cunning young smile to spare and I can hear you smile as much less than you gave for everyone setting me straight the phrases you played close your eyes I can hear that you smiled as much less than you gave for everyone as much less than you gave there's a more ghost than that that's beautiful actually really really nice, loved the word the song, well thank you very much I just felt, Ted was a big part of everyone's lives in this town and further afield like and he made no difference between anyone and it was quite a shock to the whole community within a doubt, within a doubt like that day was particularly sad it was a happy day to share with a lot of friends sharing memories and stuff I found myself heading towards the pub for that comfort but I said no I'm going home and when I got home I just grabbed the guitar and just the song kind of just blew out wasn't there a better way of dealing with things? it was much better, much healthier I'll tell you that do you know what I'm saying? he's got a small child of that who don't be coming out with that well done, that's brilliant well done because Stephen and that waltz at the end because I told him I wanted to play this tune and he saw this quite like a tune he wrote and the two just brilliant fell together well done well listen we're going to take a wee abrig could we squeeze on a Norway track? we could did you want to say something about that waltz? just the last few waltz just after Joe's lovely song there was called Piper Kennedy's waltz and it was written for a man, Jim Kennedy from Inver here in Donegal he's playing the Highland bagpipes seven to eight years this year well and he plays in St Nalls pipe band in there so I have good friends with his son who lives in Dere runs a B&B in Dere there she must he's told me many great stories about him playing for five Irish presidents and all sorts so I thought it was funny to write the wee tune from you know that's brilliant and it's his anniversary today Jim and Eileen happy 62nd wedding anniversary today congratulations well done do you know you're talking about stories there Stephen I'm a great person for these stories they shouldn't be allowed to go away they should be held and booked and put on these songs and stuff like that I always believe that definitely we're run out of these characters you're not getting people that are playing for some achievement listen I'll break back after this we're on how would you like to go on the holiday of a lifetime then why not join us for the Highland radio hooly in sunny Saloo spend seven nights in the sun with some of Ireland's top entertainers including Robert Mazzelle, Jim Devine Margot, Claudia Buckley and many more with live music all day every day staying in the beautiful four-star Sol Costa Jurata Hotel this is a trip not to be missed book now by calling Country Music Tours on 0749119955 or email info at countrymusictours.ie we'll see you in sunny Saloo homeowners it's time to unlock incredible savings on your energy bills efficient renewables is here to reduce your energy consumption say goodbye to skyrocketing costs and hello to renewable energy solutions there's no vat on solar panels and the generous grants for both solar panels and heat pumps see these innovative systems in action in our state of the art showroom in Newton Cunningham today contact the efficient renewables on 0749708320 yes welcome back it's almost time for us to wrap up I just want to thank you for your company thanks to the artists in front of me here the Highland Indians and Fiona Kenney thank you very much indeed Mick Flannery good day of Mick on the program and of course Danny Bernband as he micked away home to South Armada he said well thanks for your company thanks to Jimmy Stafford on production and say I'll be back Saturday Jimmy will be back in Thursday night between 8 and 10 was centre stage Michael Christie and the Kings of Cool apologies I just couldn't get the time to get the song in so before we go Joe before we go this two piece was born out of the big band Sailor Bill we had a good few successful gigs there recently and we're delighted to announce that we'll be playing what's that bar in there called it's called Barf Barf 47 Barf 47 so tickets will be going on sale this week for Barf 47 on the 8th of December and we're going for the baller again on the 3rd of February so tickets will be on sale now shortly where can we get them through the box office at the baller gigs all through the box office at the baller and then the one in Derry will be through Eventbrite directly from ourselves so as for that the howl heidens thank you very much indeed listen to me myself Stephen and Joe it's a pleasure as always you know where the doors open Aiden Murphy's on the way next have a good week folks thanks very much Paul singing us out is a wee song called St Brandon's Voids a boat sail at a brandon in the gear of 501 it was a dump on dirty morning in brandon's void he should be gone tired of turning turnips and cutting curly kale he got back from the creamery and hoisted up a sail all the way plowed with a lonely furrow from the north south east and west of all the navigators in brandon was the best when he ran out to holy water he was forced to make a stop he tied up in Long Island put America on the map did you know the tunnel was bumpy a carry man to a tunnel find a slayer in china and japan when he was touched in 17 he began to miss a crack turning to his albatross as he am heading back how is it right or left for her what tactic would take from his head well as he said all the entire population came the town was chock-a-block lovin' the money wouldn't get your nose inside a shop man hauled up their nets and farmers stuffed their hay sure carry people know