It is not uncommon in these times to have movies shot on location in Ireland. Going back over half a century there was probably the best remembered of them all “The Quiet Man” which had its Irish premiere 70 years ago – June 5th 1952 to be exact.

We lost another musical legend in March with the passing of the mighty Pete St John. Phil Coulter aptly hailed him as “a gentleman, a proud Dub and a proper songwriter.” President Higgins praised him as an “indomitable source of inspiration and song.”

Yippee, Garth Brooks is coming to Croke Park in September. For five concerts! Do you remember the hoo-ha about him eight years ago? Of course you do. That was the last time Garth was supposed to be coming to Croker.

Fennelly’s of Callan was the venue for a presentation of Arán & Im, in October, a performance by travel writer/broadcaster Manchán Mangan in which he enthralled the audience for 70 minutes with his own peculiar take on the history and mythology of Ireland, and his passion for the Irish language.

The American born son of Irish immigrants who became one of Hollywood’s most celebrated, and feared, film directors.

Phil Coulter has an uncanny way with music. He can give expression to any sentiment, idea, story, or emotion via his writing. His compositions would draw tears from a stone. His song The Town I love so Well has won the hearts of millions; not only in Ireland but across the globe, with its homage to the city of his birth and its heartfelt plea for justice.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most famous films ever made in Ireland.

Wagon Wheel is one of those songs that you can’t get out of your head once you hear it, and revellers aged from nine to ninety have been dancing, singing, whistling or humming along to it since Nathan Carter breathed new life into the song back in 2012.

By James Reddiough It is with much sadness that this writer learned of the death of Brian Coll early in the hours of Sunday morning, 8th November, and I reflected and prayed for a wonderful...

By Rico Biriah Lots of start-up companies will fail, as will the careers of so many budding music artists and musicians. A degree can’t guarantee your business idea will turn into the next Google. Just...

Located in the heart of Ireland, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath boasts musicians like Niall Horan, Bressie, Joe Dolan, Emmet Cahill, Eurovision winners, The Swarbrigg Brothers and The Aftermath to name but a few as well...

When you hear Cliona Hagan sing, and if you did not know any better, you’d swear she came out of Nashville. This young Tyrone-born beauty is oozing with talent and confidence, such is her vocal ability and great stage presence.

Judy Garland’s rendition of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ was voted The Best Song of the twentieth century by the record industry.

By Martin Gleeson Gene Kelly’s father was an Irish Canadian from Ontario, and his mother was Harriet Catherine Curran, whose mother came from Derry. Gene was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1912. Gene’s mother sent him...

By John Fitzgerald "The Nation holds it breath." The famous quote from an RTÉ commentary on Ireland’s penalty shoot-out in Italia 90 came to mind a few weeks ago when a humble priest from Ireland...

By Noel Coogan An outstanding contributor to Irish folk music was lost on St. Patrick’s Day, 2018 with the passing, following a long illness, of Thom Moore.  Although an American-native, the popular singer lived in...

By Martin Gleeson John Brendan Kelly, known as Jack Kelly, started a bricklaying business in Philadelphia. In his spare time, he became a competitive rower and by 1916 he became a national champion. He then...

By Martin Gleeson Since the first James Bond film was made in 1962, there have been 24 more films about the secret agent and 7 actors have played the leading roles. There have been three English...

Jimmy had been writing poems and songs from an early age and while he was waiting to be posted to Nigeria, he embarked on a career as a professional songwriter by joining a Denmark Street music publishing firm.

No child of modern times could imagine the magic long ago attached to going to the pictures. We had no television in Ireland in the fifties and radio was operated with wet and dry batteries, which our family bought in O’Donoghue’s Electrical in Thurles.