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Episode Notes
Episode 8
Donal Ryan is an award-winning Irish novelist and short-story writer. Several of his novels have all been No. 1 bestsellers and critically acclaimed, earning EU and national literary awards. He is a leading voice of contemporary Irish literature - a compassionate chronicler of small-town life, whose novels blend moral insight, lyrical realism, and emotional depth.
Album Choice: The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy and the Lash (1985)
Rum, Sodomy & the Lash is The Pogues' raucous masterpiece - blending punk energy with raw, poetic, and defiant Irish folk.
Tracks Played: Sally McLenane, A Man You Don't Meet Everyday, The Old Main Drag.
Listen here on Spotify.
Muireann Bradley is an 18‑year‑old Irish country‑blues and folk‑blues singer‑songwriter and expert fingerstyle guitarist. She made her UK TV debut on Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny. Touring across Ireland and Europe in 2025; she is praised as a young blues prodigy reviving and reinterpreting classic ragtime and country blues. She is teenage blues virtuoso, who channels country and ragtime guitar with soulful authenticity, gaining rapid acclaim and major label success.
Album Choice: The Beatles - The White Album (1968)
The White Album is The Beatles' sprawling, eclectic double LP—genre-hopping brilliance mixing introspection, chaos, and creative experimentation.
Tracks Played: Blackbird, Julia, Rocky Racoon.
Listen here on Spotify.
Oisín Leech is an Irish singer-songwriter and former half of The Lost Brothers now building a solo career. His 2024 debut solo album Cold Sea, produced with Steve Gunn, topped UK folk charts and received critical acclaim. Known for atmospheric, introspective folk blending acoustic guitar, subtle synths, and orchestral touches from renowned collaborators. He is a talented and introspective Irish artist who has emerged from acclaimed duo work into a cinematic, solo folk voice.
Album Choice: Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is a landmark folk album - poetic, political, and personal, introducing Dylan’s voice as generational conscience.
Tracks Played: Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Blowin in the Wind, Masters of War.
Listen here on Spotify.
