Tag Archives: Ireland

Episode 17: The Ireland Episode

I’m back after a few weeks off, a good part of which I spent in Ireland, traveling from Dublin to Sligo, my mother’s ancestral home, and back to Dublin to see Bruce Springsteen in concert. Needless to say, it was quite a trip.

On this week’s episode, I talk about Joe’s and the Clash’s connections to Ireland (that is, in addition to Joe’s filling in for Shane MacGowan from time to time, which I’ve talked about before), from the band’s support for the Irish republican cause (including the H Block protests in 1976) to Joe writing the song “46664 (Long Walk to Freedom)” with Bono and Dave Stewart to honor Nelson Mandela. 

Having spent some time at the James Joyce Centre in Dublin and having watched the documentary Bono and the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with David Letterman, I also share my thoughts on the respective roles of Joyce and U2 in Irish cultural history, and how the latter, somewhat maligned these days, played a role in moving the country in the direction of a modern, progressive democracy. (By the way, the drag queen Dave interviews is Panti Bliss — how could I have forgotten her name?!)

Dublin City Center, May 2023

From there, I talk about Springsteen’s phenomenal show in Dublin — and, yes, there’s a Clash connection here too! As I’ve mentioned before, it turns out that Joe was quite a fan, as this letter demonstrates. All in all, it was a great trip and it gave me a lot to think about!

Anyway, please give this week’s show a listen and share your thoughts in the comments below. And remember, as Joe always said, “Without people, you’re nothing.”

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Episode 11: Belated St. Patrick’s Day Shenanigans

I’m back after a week off and I’m ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Better late than never, right? And, no, the gravelly voice you hear is not a byproduct of Jameson; it’s the byproduct of 6:30 on a Friday morning and not enough coffee.

Anyway, on this week’s show I spend some time talking about two of my favorite Irish groups, Thin Lizzy and, of course, the Pogues, giving a nod to the statue of the late great Phil Lynott in Grafton Street, Dublin, and waxing philosophical about the Pogues’ fantastic album, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, which was released in 1988 (35 years ago!). I’m especially fond of the song “Thousands Are Sailing,” which, aside from being personally meaningful to me as an Irish American, might just be the most perfect song ever written.

From there, I turn to International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which occurred on March 21, 2023 (thanks to Punk Rock History on Twitter for mentioning it!). From the Dead Kennedys’ “Nazi Punks F— Off” to the Clash’s anti-fascist, anti-violence, anti-racist credo, the true punk spirit will always stand for eliminating racial discrimination everywhere. 

But, on a serious note, I can’t help but wonder about the road we’re traveling and how eerily similar it is to William Sheridan Allen’s description of small town Germany in his book, The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town, 1922-1945. I read that book decades ago in college, yet what he describes seems a little … too familiar today. 

Finally, to lighten things up a bit, I talk about a truly enjoyable Twitter exchange I had the other day with longtime guitarist Mike Branch of the Hellcats and Night Rose. Mike is a great guy, so please follow him on Twitter and Instagram and check out his music. You won’t be disappointed!

So please give this week’s show a listen and share your thoughts in the comments below. And as Joe always said, “Without people, you’re nothing.”

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