Episodes
-
Having no sweater! Where's me jumper?
Artist: Sultans of Ping F.C. Album: Casual Sex in the Cineplex Year: 1993 Notable fact: The band later explained that the song was based on a real incident in Nottingham hotspot The Black Orchid, though the item lost was in fact a cardigan! https://www.racontour.com/tunes/
-
Having joy: Dreams
Artist: The Cranberries Album: Everyone else is doing it, so why can’t we? Year: 1993 Notable fact: The song famously has three videos nol less! The first by John Maybury, the second from Peter Scammell and the third one was directed by Nico Soultanakis.. https://www.racontour.com/tunes/
-
We have arrived! Zoo Station
Artist: U2 Album: Achtung Baby Year: 1991 Notable fact: Berlin’s famous transport hub, Berlin Zoologischer Garten station, may seem like an unlikely inspiration for the opening track of an much anticipated album. The band had decamped to the German capital for the recording of the album and to...
-
Having each other: Fairytale of New York
Artist: The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl Album: If I should fall from Grace with God Year: 1987 Notable fact: The Pogues used to stage an annual concert in London every Christmas, even after their split. It was assumed by many attending that Shane might well be on his last Christmas, but it…
more -
Having a mentor: The whole of the moon
Artist: The Waterboys Album: 1985 Year: This is the Sea Notable fact: Their Hibernophile roots were showing even back then. The album features Old England being a line from James Joyce's Dubliners. Other notable tunes form theat classic album include Don't Bang the Drum, Spirit and Be my Enemy....
-
Having hope: Summer in Dublin
Artist: Bagatelle Album: Bagatelle Year: 1980 Notable fact: Bagatelle was the debut album of the band. The song was released as a single that year and became the band’s breakthrough hit, spending months in the Irish charts. The reaction of the crowd in 1980 in the video here make sit clear that...
-
Having the craic: Lisdoonvarna
Artist: Christy Moore Album: Ride On Year: 1984 Notable fact: Written by songwriter Greg Stephen about a legendary matchmaking festival in the west of Ireland, the task of bringing it to life was left to Christy. He brought his trademark style and mischief to the song and it was released in 1979…
more -
Having the hots: Teenage Kicks
Artist: The Undertones Album:The Undertones Year: 1978 Notable fact: When The Undertones debut album was released in May 1979, this was not included. When it was released in October 1979, the album was expanded to include it and Get over you. It made its debut in 1978 as a stand-alone single....
-
Having grace: Into the Mystic
Artist: Van Morrison Album: Moondance Year: 1970 Notable fact: Released just weeks into the 1970s, it was Track 5 after Caravan on Side One. It was never released as a single, which probably adds to its stature. https://www.racontour.com/tunes/
-
Having heartbreak: Raglan Road
Artist: Luke Kelly/The Dubliners Album: Hometown! Year: 1972 Notable fact: Patrick Kavanagh’s ghost looms large in this song based on the old melody The Dawning of the Day. The definitive version most know actually comes from the 1983 Prodigal Sons sessions, but we’re right to kick this off as…
more -
Welcome To Jack's Irish Anthems
An outline as to why these ten tunes and why the timespan of the late 60s to early 90s. https://www.racontour.com/tunes/
-
2: Quiet Man
For private use
-
2: Dead finale
For private use
-
2: Field law
For private use
-
2: Field Outsiders
For private use
-
2: Ismay
For private use
-
2: Quint's speech
For private use. All
-
Sligo Town overview
Mary, and particularly Sean, relish the chance to go through various voices from through the ages give their critique of Sligo. If the curmudgeons they are mimicking could be won over, hopefully you will be too.
-
1: Welcome to the Yeats Country Guide
Tour curator John Ward welcomes listeners about to embark on a range of sites that inspired a young Yeats to conjure up his Celtic Twilight. All of the well-known sites, plus a few non-Yeats treats are included culminating in a visit to Yeats's grave at Drumcliffe. Please see the dedicated Yeats...
-
Upon seeing the Bluestacks
Coming from the bleak R232 Pettigo road, the traveller will get the finally see the Bluestack Mountains reveal themselves with spectacular gusto.
-
Bluestack Mountains overview
Guide producer John Ward welcomes you to this extensive travel guide for the Bluestack Way. Along its 51 km route, hear the myriad stories this magical place has to offer.
-
Welcome to the Celtic Calendar
Speaker: archive producer, John Ward Full details on the project can be found at Racontour Welcome to the Celtic Calendar, a comprehensive audio archive on the four seasons and their cross-quarter days in Ireland. As old as time itself, the seasons were the constant path by which our ancestors...
-
Lughnasa miscellany
Speaker: John Ward Lughnasa - the time of the harvest runs from the end of July well into August. Just as a good Rosary has its trimmings, so too does Lughnasa have a number of ancillary events that need to be referenced. The first major event after Garland Sunday was the Assumption, being the…
more -
The hungry month of July
Speaker: John Ward For our Irish ancestors, Garland Sunday could not come soon enough. The bitter six weeks leading up to Lughnasa were when food was at its scarcest. Other names beyond Hungry July were 'The Hungry Month', 'The Blue Month' and 'Staggering July.' Regionally, it was known as the...
-
Garland Sunday
Speaker: John Ward These days it forms the location for one of the great Lughnasa set pieces being Reek Sunday held on the last Sunday in July. It is all in honour of St. Patrick overcoming the swarms of winged demons that plagued him for 40 days and nights on that very mountain. Few may be...
-
Puck Fair
Speaker: John Ward The royal charter from King James I in 1603 means little to the fair dwellers for they have their king, a wild mountain goat whose untamed and hardy nature reflect that of the fair itself. The festooned goat or 'poc' is crowned King Puck by the young fair queen on the main fair...
-
The pagan dance of Lughnasa
Speaker: John Ward Sounds: Drummers and MF himself! "When I was sixteen, I remember slipping out one Sunday - it was this time of year, the beginning of August - and Bernie and I met at the gate of the workhouse and the pair of us went off to a dance in Ardstraw..." Maggie prior to the big dance…
more -
The original Tailteann Games
Speaker: John Ward Lugh gave his name to the cross quarter day of harvest time, but according to the Book of Invasions, the inspiration for it is usually given as a mourning ceremony for his deceased foster-mother Tailtiu, to whom the festival was named the Fair of Tailteann. The fair was held on...
-
Who was Lugh?
Speaker: John Ward An audio overview about the sun God Lugh who gave his name to the most vibrant of cross quarter days, Lughnasa in August. Lugh played a major role in the battle of Moytura where the Tuatha de Denann defeated the Fomorians led by Balor of the Evil Eye, being his grandfather no...
-
Welcome to Big Country
Address: Trumon Barr on the R232 GPS location: 54.598846 -8.041193 Theme: the big reveal The first few miles into Donegal on the R232 Pettigo to Laghey road are deceptive. Low key and quite frankly forgettable, you start to wonder why all the fuss about Donegal's famous beauty. Here, tour…
more -
17: BSW1 Beer hops
Speaker: Maurice Timony From The Bluestack Way Audio Guide, Part One. This plant grows in the manner of ivy and it is believed its feather-like fruit heads are used to flavour beer brewed from barley. This plant grew wildly in the friars’ time and lay unrecognised for years after their departure...
-
20. BF Lean summer days
Speakers: Seoirse Ō Dochartaigh and John Ward Patrick Campbell writes that 'scarcity would still be felt in and around the small mountain farms until midsummer or even the end of July. Indeed July was called ‘the hungry month’, ‘the lean month’ (the old Irish speakers named it Iul an ghorta’)…
more -
18. BF Hirings Fairs
Location: The Diamond, Donegal Town Narrators: John Ward/Mairead McNulty Patents for these days go back as far as the early 1600s when Sir Basil Brooke had taken over the castle from the O'Donnells. The fair day was held on the second Friday of each month while the market occurred every Saturday....
-
19. BF Booleying
Speaker: John Ward Lest we think that only the young lads had it tough after the 1st of May with the Hiring Fairs, there is a summertime activity reserved for the young girls that certainly was no picnic. Transhumance may sound like a phenomenon from a sci-fi film, but it's the more prosaic...
-
17. BF Midsummer's Eve
Speaker: John Ward Midsummer's Eve was celebrated on the 23rd of June. At the heart of the celebrations was the bonfire which had been so for centuries in saluting the sun at its height before it declined south once again. All ages were involved in the gathering of any material to complete the...
-
16. BF Whit Sunday
Narrator: John Ward From the Celtic Calendar archive saluting all of the folklore associated with the calendar year in Ireland. Lady Jane Wilde doesn't mince here words in her evaluation of it: Whitsuntide is a very fatal and unlucky time. Especially beware of water then, for there is an evil...
-
15. BF Gretta's Bealtaine
Wexford storyteller Gretta Browne gives us her take on the customs associated with Bealtaine - everything from May Bushes to pisoegs to sayings to even a poem at the end. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel...
-
12. There's something about Brigid
Speaker: John Ward With some wry Patrick bashing, John talks about Brigid has a proper aura about that Patrick simply cannot compete with! © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but…
more -
14. Imbolc review
Speakers: Dessie McCallion in conversation with John Ward Dessie dwells on the pagan elements of the festival and the portents that people expect at that time of year. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel…
more -
13. Beliefs around Brigid
Speakers: Dessie McCallion in conversation with John Ward Brigid served an important role in helping Christianity gain traction. In this piece, Dessie elaborates just how she went about it despite John teasing him on whether she actually existed! © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms...
-
10. Getting her dues
Speaker: Dessie McCallion Dessie speculates on whether Brigid - along with Patrick and Colmcille is actually buried in Downpatrick. He also salutes her in ensuring she got her dues in the ensuring her position in the pantheon of irish saints. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms…
more -
11. Divination
Speaker: Mary Murphy Divination being the practice of foretelling one's future husband was a well established custom in ireland at both Samhain and Imbolc. Here, Mary tells us more about this curious tradition. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio...
-
9. Imbolc rituals
Speaker: John Ward Pagans or indeed non pagans out there will enjoy the list of activities that can be done in anticipation of Imbolc. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but with a...
-
8. One powerful woman
Speaker: Dessie McCallion Brigid was a woman with serious clout who managed to get things done. Here Dessie explains how much of a force of nature she actually was. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free…
more -
7. Holy wells
Speaker: Sean McMahon RIP Sean discusses that most pagan of shrines that was appropriated by Christianity. There are some 3000 or so in Ireland with accompanying customs and pattern days. Many are believed to have cures for particular conditions. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms...
-
6. Brigid's Cross
Speaker: John Ward There is a lot of lore to explore with the ancient custom that still exists. Here, John tells us about them in a comprehensive review. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if...
-
5. Desecration by Diarmaid mac Murchadha
Speaker: Dessie McCallion Never shy of a theory, Dessie tells us that the real reason for the invasion of Ireland by the Normans has more to do with the sacking of Brigid's Kildare monastery by Diarmaid than it does with his Breffni shenanigans! © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms...
-
4. Gretta's Brigid overview
Speaker: Gretta Browne Wexford native Gretta Browne gives an excellent overview of Brigid and the customs that are associated with her. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but with…
more -
3. Brigid - a starting point
Speakers: Dessie McCallion and John Ward Dessie tells John about the harbinger of better days herself and of the miracle that was the survival of Catholicism in ireland no less! © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour…
more -
2. Saluting Brigid
Speaker: John Ward In 2022, there's a great new lease of life for Brigid's memory around the capital city. Audio based on an Irish Times article about Brigid or Brigit as they have it. © 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour...