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Landscape shot of irish duo Ispini-na-hEireann

Behind the music - Ispini Na hEireann

Irish duo Ispini Na hEireann play the Sláinte Sessions in Jameson Distillery Bow St in Dublin tonight as part of Culture Night. We asked Tomás of the band the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 19 Sep

Shane MacGowan at home with his late other Therese in Tipperary

New tour gives insights into Shane MacGowan's Tipperary

Unravelling Shane: The Shane MacGowan Tour, a new guide to the places in Tipperary that inspired the life and lyrics of the late Pogues singer has been launched by his sister Siobhan and Shane's widow Victoria Mary Clarke.

Music • 19 Sep

Landscape shot of Irish band white horse guitar club

Behind the music - The White Horse Guitar Club

The White Horse Guitar Club have announced their second album, Sos Beag, and will play a 16-date nationwide Irish tour. We asked Joe Philpott of the band the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 08 Sep

Landscape shot of irish recording artist ivan nicolas

Behind the music - Ivan Nicolas

Irish rock artist Ivan Nicolas has released his new single, Voodoo Love. We asked him the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 25 Aug

Last Apollo: "My music is very emotion-driven, quite fierce and usually contains complex instrumental arrangements that contrast with simple, vocal melodies." Photo credit: Lucy Pope

Behind the music - Last Apollo

Irish-born, London-based artist and composer Last Apollo aka Lucy Rice has released new single, Dandelion. We asked her BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 13 Jun

Kneecap teases new music amid police investigation

Rap trio Kneecap has teased the release of new music amid an investigation by UK counter-terrorism officers into footage that allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs.

Music • 02 May

Behind the music - Good Friend

Northern Irish punk trio Good Friend have premiered the video for their Ramones-referencing single, Bonzo Goes To Belfast, and support US band The Mezingers on upcoming Irish dates. We asked Good Friend's vocalist Adam Carroll the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 08 Mar

Behind the music - Cronin

Longford duo Cronin have released their new single, Overlooking Paris, from their upcoming EP, which is due in April. We asked Mick of the band the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 24 Feb

Here's Ireland's Christmas No 1

US singer Gracie Abrams has held off competition from festive classics by The Pogues and Mariah Carey to claim Ireland's Christmas No 1 with her song That's So True.

Music • 20 Dec 24

Rum Sodomy & the Lash is one of The Pogues' most critically acclaimed albums and features some of the group's best-known songs such as Dirty Old Town, A Pair of Brown Eyes, and Sally MacLennane

Pogues say MacGowan's 'spirit lives on' in album gigs

The Pogues have paid tribute to late frontman Shane MacGowan, saying his "spirit lives on" as they prepare to perform their second album Rum Sodomy & the Lash in full for its 40th anniversary next year.

Music • 23 Nov 24

The Pogues around the time of the release of Red Roses For Me

The Pogues announce guests for Dublin gig

Members of Fontaines D.C. and Lankum, John Francis Flynn and Nadine Shah are among guests who will play a gig to mark the 40th Anniversary The Pogues' debut album Red Roses For Me in Dublin this December.

Music • 02 Sep 24

Behind the music - Mikey Cullen

Hip-hop and spoken poetry artist Mikey Cullen has released his new single. Rare Old Signs. We asked him the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 09 Aug 24

Behind the music - Sauce Gang Collective

Dublin fusion band Sauce Gang Collective have released their second album, Mustard Melodies, which blends hip hop, rap, rock and punk. We asked Kevin Kennedy from the band the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 01 Aug 24

Shane MacGowan, Andrew Rankin, Jem Finer, Spider Stacy, James Fearnley and Cait O'Riordan of The Pogues, pictured together in 1984

The Pogues to mark 40 years of Red Roses For Me

The Pogues will mark the 40th Anniversary of their debut album, Red Roses For Me, with a December concert at the 3Arena in Dublin.

Music • 31 Jul 24

Euan Manning (third from right) with Oskar Gudinovic (guitar and keyboards), Aaron Hurley (bass), Kieran Hurley (guitar) and Darragh Manning. Photo credits: Ali Quinlan

Are Cork act Cardinals the best new band in Ireland?

Kinsale band Cardinals are fast becoming the most feted band in Ireland - and they prove why on their excellent debut EP. Front man Euan Manning talks to Alan Corr

Music • 08 Jun 24

Behind the music - Tom Barry

To mark World Environment Day (5 June), Galway-based songwriter (originally from Clonmel) Tom Barry has released his new single, Like Share Scroll On. We asked him the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 05 Jun 24

Peggy Seeger with her son Neil MacColl, daughter-in-law Kate St John and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Dirty Old Town re-recorded with orchestra

The song Dirty Old Town is to be given a new lease of life more than 70 years after it was first released - with an orchestral accompaniment recorded in the city which inspired its lyrics.

Music • 29 May 24

Thin Lizzy release video for Whiskey in The Jar

Veteran Irish band Thin Lizzy have debuted the first official video for their breakthrough hit Whiskey In The Jar - over half a century after it was first released.

Music • 29 May 24

James Freeney. Photo credit: fnatic headshots

Behind the music - Onion Boys

Dublin band Onion Boys play The Róisín Dubh on Friday 23 May and The Workman's Club, Dublin on Sunday 26th May. We asked front man James Freeney the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 16 May 24

MacGowan's widow reveals his rifle from 1916 is missing

Shane MacGowan's widow Victoria Mary Clarke has said the late musician's rifle from the 1916 Easter Rising is missing and has "most likely been stolen".

Music • 01 May 24

What's on? Top TV and streaming for St Patrick's Day

The top highlight of the day is the St Patrick's Festival Parade, but there's also the Dancing with the Stars final, The Pogues in Paris and The Shamrock Tenors: St Patrick's Night Concert . . .

Television • 17 Mar 24

Carnegie Hall to host Sinéad and Shane tribute

Glen Hansard, The Dropkick Murphys and David Gray are among the acts who will play a "St. Patrick's tribute" to the late Sinéad O'Connor and Shane MacGowan at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Music • 10 Jan 24

Whamageddon for Pogues as Christmas No.1 fairytale ends

The Pogues classic seasonal song Fairytale of New York has missed out on the coveted UK Christmas No.1 as Wham! claimed the festive top spot with their track Last Christmas - nearly forty years after it was first released.

Music • 22 Dec 23

Cormac Looby: "Some kind of sad folk/pop/rock type thing."

Behind the music - Cormac Looby

Tipperary singer/songwriter Cormac Looby headlines Dublin's Workmans Club this Sunday, 17 December. We asked him the BIG questions . . .

Behind the Music • 16 Dec 23

A fairytale farewell to Shane on his final journey home

As Shane MacGowan once said, "God is Irish." It was hard to disagree with him yesterday as the great and the good gathered to bid a Pogue and a rogue a final fond farewell.

Music • 11 Dec 23