Fire Draw Near

Episode XL is a big Christmas special full of dead heros, secret guests, strange dreams, folk weirdos, camp highwaymen, throat-singing cowboys, young girls drinking ale straight from the barrel, Finno-Hibernian cryptids, and people who spend Christmas in Jail. Dedicated to the memory of Angelo Badalamenti. Tracklist Osa Mosafinn – Brurermarsj (Bridal March) Micho Russell – Christmas Day in the Mor...

This is a one-off bonus episode featuring a number of live performances from Luke McManus' new film North Circular. The film is a documentary musical journeying along the North Circular Road in Dublin's North Inner City. Written & directed by Luke McManus, edited by John Murphy, produced by Luke McManus & Elaine Gallagher. Score by Kevin Murphy and Seti The First. North Circular opens on December...

This episode looks at English and Scottish versions of the ballad Bonny Barbara Allen aka The Ballet of Barbara Allen aka Barbara Allen's Cruelty aka Barbarous Ellen aka Edelin aka Hard Hearted Barbary Ellen aka Sad Ballet Of Little Johnnie Green aka Sir John Graham aka Barbry Allen. Tracklist: Norman Candler – Barbara Allen Sam Larner – Barbara Allen Caroline Hughes – Barbary Allen Debbie and Pen...

Episode XXXIX features lots and lots of really interesting new music as well as some forgotten gems of the past - from the far-flung hinterlands of folk, traditional and beyond! Tracklist: Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin – Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin – The Deepest Breath Neil Ó Lochlainn & Cuar – Johnny Seoige Burd Ellen – The Chariot Paleface - Emme Suostu Pelkäämään De Gyldne Løver...

This episode looks at Irish versions of the ballad Bonny Barbara Allen aka The Ballet of Barbara Allen aka Barbara Allen's Cruelty aka Barbarous Ellen aka Edelin aka Hard Hearted Barbary Ellen aka Sad Ballet Of Little Johnnie Green aka Sir John Graham aka Barbry Allen. Tracklist: Norman Candler – Barbara Allen Tom Lenihan – Barbry Allen Elizabeth Cronin – Barbara Allen Sarah Makem – Barbara Allen...

Fire Draw Near Episode XXXVIII is a recording of the interview I did with Jack Dempsey McMahon aka DJackulate at the Dun Laoghaire Folk Festival in September 2022. We talked about many things including his musical techniques, uilleann piping, trends in traditional music, the North Strand Kontra Band, Klezmer music, trawling vinyl for samples, the Trad Rave, tradition vs innovation and lot's more....

This episode looks at the Unquiet Grave aka Cold Blows the Wind. Tracklist: The Dubliners – The Unquiet Grave George Dunne – The Unquiet Grave May Bradley – The Unquiet Grave Stanley Robertson – The Unquiet Grave Jim Keeping – The Unquiet Grave Hedy West – The Unquiet Grave Gryphon – The Unquiet Grave Steven Wilson – The Unquiet Grave Ween – Cold Blows the Wind https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

Episode XXXVII features over one hour of audio hallucinatory magick stemming from the world of traditional folk and slowly creeping into other spheres, eldritch tendrils maintaining their core DNA even as they mutate and transform. Old tunes, comedic verses, devilish songs and poppy bleeps, from the wonky to the whimsical, the woeful to the wacky, the wondrous to the wocious. Let it ooze into your...

Episode XXXVI was made in the North Woods of Minnesota and features songs recorded along the way by Summer Newman and Katee Rose as well as tracks by FDN favourite Marlais, West of Roan, Swan Arcade, Frank Harte Liam O'Flynn, Gay, Conor and Seán McKeon and more! Tracklist Gay, Conor and Seán McKeon – The Humours of Lisheen / The Gallowglass / The Cordial The Dubliners – Three Lovely Lassies from K...

This episode looks at the ballad The Lass of Roch Royal aka The Lass of Loch Royal aka The Lass of Aughrim aka Lord Gregory aka Annie of Lochroyan. Tracklist: Elizabeth Cronin – Lord Gregory Ollie Conway – Lord Gregory Thomas Moran – Lord Gregory Lisa Hannigan – The Lass of Aughrim Dave Maguire – The Lass of Aughrim Peggy Delaney – The Maid of Aughrim Isla St. Clair – Annie of Lochroyan Ewan MacCo...

One more for all the weirdos out there! This one ponders ideas relating to the existence and nature of traditional song arrangement and features tracks by all kinds of wonderful and fantastic oddballs such as FDN favourites DJackulate and Marlais, as well as Deviant and Naive Ted, Logan Bragg, Nathan Salsburg, JPH, Anna and Elizabeth, Cedric Dind-Lavoie and Jumpleads. 'The idea of a living traditi...

This episode looks at Lord Lovel aka Lord Lovat aka Lord Levett. Tracklist Tom Lenihan – Lord Levett Nora Cleary – Lord Levett Sara and Rita Keane – Lord Donegal Jeannie Robertson – Lord Loval The Hennessys – Lord Loval Spriguns of Tolgus – Lord Lovell The Broadside – Lord Lovell Walter Pardon – Lord Lovel Frank Profitt – Lord Lovel Susan Ruth Brown – Lord Lovel Peggy Seeger – Abe Lincoln Stood At...

Episode XXXIV features music songs, bird songs, harmony songs, prison songs, drill songs, Irish songs and Sicilian songs. Tracklist: Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill – The Night Poor Larry Was Stretched Planxty - Pat Reilly Nightingales and Beatrice Harrison - The Derry Air David Harper - The Turfman from Ardee Skara Brae - An Cailín Rua The Voice Squad - The Banks of the Bann Francie Byrne - The Wi...

This episode looks at the ballad Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship aka Stock or Wall aka The Keeper of the Game aka He Rolled Her to the Wall aka The Song of Riddles aka The Laird o' Roslyn's Doughter. Tracklist Frank Harte – He Rolled Her to the Wall Thomas Moran – Captain Woodburn Rose McCartin – The Keeper of the Game Sarah Makem – You and I in One Bed Lie Maggie Murphy – Stock or Wall Willie Clan...

This episode concentrates on recent releases that have come under my radar over the last while as well as some Anne Briggs and Moldy Peaches thrown in for good measure. Concertina, mandolin, guitar, voice, fiddle, bronze age horns, chest rattling bass, dulcimer, drums and more!!! Tracklist: Cormac Begley – To War Ye Vagabonds – The Humours of Glin Ye Vagabonds – Go Away and Come Back Hither Bryony...

This episode looks at the ballad The Trees the Grow Tall aka The Trees They Grow So High aka Long A-Growing aka Young But Growing aka He’s Young But He’s Daily A-Growing aka The Bonny Boy aka Lady Mary Ann aka Young Craigston. Tracklist Joe Heaney – My Bonny Boy is Young Joe Holmes – My Bonny Boy is Young Landless – The Trees the Grow Tall Maija Sofia – The Trees they Do Grow High Lizzie Higgins –...

Episode XXXII was cobbled together on my travels around the USA and is now online - featuring new songs and interviews with Andy the Doorbum and others as well as numerous iterations of the tune The Girl I left Behind Me by The Pogues the Skillet Lickers, Sweeney's Men, Seán MacDonnchadha, Cisco Houston and more, some songs from the South East of Ireland, a song in a dead Irish language, as well a...

This episode looks at the ballad Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight aka the Gowans Sae Gae aka The Water o' Wearie's Well aka The Outlandish Knight aka May Colvin aka Along the North Strand Tracklist Angus Mohr – Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight Polly Paulusma - Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight Judith Weir - Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight Freb Hunt-Bull - The Water of Wearie’s Well Corny McDaid – False Lo...

Episode XXXI looks at possible influences for the tune to a Ewan MacColl song and features piping, fiddling, singing, tunes that sound like other tunes, the Cradle ov Filth and more! Tracklist: Peat and Diesel – Western Isles Joe Byrne – Snowy Breasted Pearl Luke Kelly – The Bonnie Shoals of Herring Ewan MacColl – The Famous Flower of Serving Men Matt Cranitch, Paul De Grae & Jackie Daly – Sliabh...

This Episode looks at the ballad The False Knight Upon the Road, aka The False Knight, aka The Smart Schoolboy, aka The False False Fly, aka The Child Upon the Road aka False Fidee, aka Où Vas-tu, Mon P’tit Garcon? Tracklist Norman Kennedy – The False Knight Upon the Road Bella Higgins and Andrew Stewart – The False Knight Upon the Road The Bitter Withy – The False Knight Upon the Road Barry Glees...

Episode XXX is one for the weirdos featuring new tracks by Junior Brother, D.C Cross, the Deadlians, Brìghde Chaimbeul as well as hurdy gurdys, didgeridoos, throat singing, cheeky mash-ups and your oul one. Tracklist DJ Dolphin Boy - Bazouki Fuckers Junior Brother - No Country for Young Men Topette - Winstanley's / Le Trois Canards Pól Ó Ceallaigh and Jimmy O'Brien-Moran - An Laib Scapithe / Íoc a...

This episode looks at The Gosport Tragedy aka The Cruel Ship's Carpenter aka Pretty Polly Tracklist The Gosport Tragedy - Ethel Findlater Sam Larner – Pretty Polly Trees – Pretty Polly The Dublin Murder Ballad - Jeannie Robertson Miss Brown - Frank Harte Miss Brown – Joe Heaney Richard Dawson – The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter Ted Ashlaw – The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter Pretty Polly - Addie Graham The Coon...

Fire Draw Near Episode XXIX features songs by the Watersons, songs from the north of England, a song by Lingua Ignota, songs from Scotland, songs and tunes from Ireland as well as some puerile nonsense from the 1940s. Tracklist: Cormac Begley – The Flogging Reel Lick the Tins – Can’t Help Falling in Love The Watersons – North Country Maid The Watersons – The Broom of the Cowdeknowes The Watersons...

This episode looks at the ballad The Elfin Knight aka The Wind Hath Blown Ma Plaidie Awa aka Scarborough Fair The Tri-Coloured House aka Rosemerry Lane aka The Cambric Shirt aka Impossibilities. Tracklist Ewan Mac Coll and Peggy Seeger – The Elfin Knight John Mac Donald – The Wind Hath Blown Ma Paidie Awa Margaret Tait – The Wind Hath Blown Ma Paidie Awa Ewan Mac Coll – Scarborough Fair Martin Car...

Episode XXVIII features an in-depth analysis about how we’re all descended from the great eternal drone of the universe, recently recorded uilleann piping from Chris McMullan, Jason Rouse and Pádraic Keane, recordings from the Inishowen International Folk Song and Ballad Seminar and Café Oto, dying for love and my own personal favourite - dying for poor old Ireland. Tracklist FDN live podcast intr...