So nice, you wouldn’t rest a pint on it.

A good friend of mine, Stephen, works as a barman in what has to be one of the finest establishments in Dublin, Kavanaghs of Glasnevin. If you’re a Dubliner, odds are you’ll know it as The Gravediggers. Just far enough from town to be quiet, but close enough for anyone visiting who has done any [...]

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Mise an Fear Ceoil

Seamus Ennis (1919-1982) from the Naul, North Dublin. Just a short post, I’ll let the music talk. I’ve been returning to Leagues O’ Toole’s fantastic book The Humours Of Planxty, which has opened me up completely to the music of Seamus Ennis. Ennis essentially served as a mentor to Liam Óg O’ Flynn of the [...]

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For 157 years, he kept “a watchful half-eye over Ireland’s capital city”.

Earlier this week, RTE broadcast a very well made documentary on the history of Nelson’s Pillar. The programme contains amazing archive footage along with contributions from Des Geraghty, Jimmy Magee and David Norris. If you missed it, viewers in Ireland can watch it on RTE Player until Monday, 15 February. Though it focuses on the [...]

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The Forgotten Fire Brigade Of Dublin,The boys of ‘Arthur Guinness and Sons’

Recently, I spent painful hours online attempting to track down information on the Guinness Fire Brigade. Bass, Powers and Guinness all operated functional (and branded) fire services in their respective workplaces due to the nature of production and the risk posed. My interest in the men of what was branded the ‘Arthur Guinness and Sons’ [...]

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African Nations Cup Final Celebrations @ Dalymount Park

The CHTM team (bar DFallon who’s gallivanting in Belgium) will be enjoying a day full of soccer, music and food as part of the African Nations Cup Final celebrations in Dalymount Park this Sunday. With free entry, traditional African food to taste and reggae & afrobeat DJs till late – you’ll be mad to miss [...]

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Dates for your diary

January 30: After you’ve recovered from the January Punky Reggae Party, head into town on Saturday for the Recession Club. Moving their operation from Shebeen Chic to Pravda, expect the usual classic sounds of punk, ska and rockabilly. February 6: Garage rock n roll with the lovely Laura Lovejoy on decks. March 13: A two [...]

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Classic Dublin Albums: Finbar and Eddie Furey (1968)

“…in 1966 Eddie and Finbar Furey won the international folk award in Tralee against eighty other groups. For this they got £170 in prize money which they say lasted about three days. ‘It went to charity’ says Eddie. The ‘Guinness charity’ says Finbar” Finbar and Eddie Furey, Transatlantic Records, 1968. “You’ll meet a tall, dark [...]

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Charles Donnelly benefit night – January 29th

Some friends of ours are organising a benefit night next week to help raise money to erect two monuments in the memory of Charles Donnelly, poet, anti fascist and UCD graduate. The first near his birthpace in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone and the second near the spot where he died at the age of 23 in [...]

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I know a man…

I’m not sure if the same situation carries here in Dublin, it probably does up in North County anyways, but the mother said something today that put the notion of it back in my head… When I was younger, much younger, you’d hear tell in the house of “Oh, she has the cure for the [...]

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Reading On a Jetplane.

Brendan Behan decided to go to Spain- and you must remember this was General Franco’s Spain- on his holidays one time. Now Brendan was high spirited enough when he was working, but when he was on his holidays- well! In any case he arrived at Madrid Airport and the police had obviously been advised and [...]

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A Random Drop Inn: The Bernard Shaw

dfallon will be away for a week or so, publicans may relax. The Bernard Shaw, 12 South Richmond Street, D2 Nothing like cabin-fever, or January exams. With minimal effort, I’d roped two friends into having a look at the W.D Hogan photo exhibition in Temple Bar. “You’ve feck all else to be at” can win [...]

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Andy Irvine, Jape, Glen Hansard and others do their bit for Haiti.

I’m a big fan of Foggy Notions. I picked up a pretty old copy a few days back and thought to myself: This has to be the only magazine in Ireland with the Junior Boys, Joanna Newsom, !Kaboogie and Planxty within its pages. Leagues O’ Tooles book Planxty too blew me away, and is probably [...]

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