The Galway Podcast

26. John Robb - The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

Episode 26. A conversation with musician, journalist and, in this case, author John Robb. John is currently on tour in Ireland promoting his new book 'The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth'. 
John discusses the early days of the internet, the early days of punk, the ethos of punk,  the misconceptions and nuances of punk and goth, the influences and key players of goth music including Jim Morrison, The Doors, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, The Velvet Underground & Nico, John Lydon, The Cure, Joy Division, Ian Curtis, Section 25, Virgin Prunes, Bauhaus (particularly 'Bela Lugosi’s Dead'), Daniel Ash, The Cult, Southern Death Cult, Ian Astbury and other topics.
For more information about John you can click these links:
https://www.instagram.com/johnrobb77/
https://www.facebook.com/johnrobbofficial/
https://www.theguardian.com/profile/johnrobb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Robb_(musician)
https://twitter.com/johnrobb77
 

25. Bam Artiste - Artist, Musician and Programmer: Part 1

Episode 25. A highly amusing conversation with Bam Artiste, who can often be seen on Shop Street selling his paintings or playing his drum and singing and entertaining the passers-by.
Bam has been a fixture on the streets of Galway for almost 20 years. He tells his story of how he came from Jamaica where he received his education in engineering, to travelling to Scotland and then to Ireland. Hear how he is methodical in his approach to his work which is now seeing him venture into the world of programming.
This is the first half of a two part conversation. Part two follows next week.

Séamus Finneran - Music Promoter: Part 2

Episode 24.  The second half of the conversation with Séamus Finneran about his adventures in music promotion. Discussion includes the merchant navy, getting a resident visa in Australia, setting up a tour, Seamus Eagan - Sufferin’ Gales, Willie Creedan, Martin Hayes, Michael Flatley,  Helen Bommarito, Davy Spillane, San Francisco Celtic Festival, Eddie Stack, Peter O’Neill, The Plough & Stars, Randall Bays,  Port Fairy Folk Festival, The Brunswick Music Festival, The National Celtic Festival, The National Folk Festival, setting up a tour from the opposite side of the planet,  Green Linnet Records, the importance of reflecting after booking a tour, Eilish O’Connor, Kieran Halpin, Jackie Daley, Maura O'Keefe, The Three Weeds venue Sydney, Dennis Cahill, The Guinness Tour, John Nicholls, Donal Lunny, Sharon Shannon, Altan, Mary Black, The Irish Echo paper, promoting gigs, hiring publicists, booking a tour, booking jazz clubs, The Basement Sydney, Lúnasa, being the inspiration for putting Lúnasa together, booking their first gig which was headlining a festival, Trevor Hutchinson, Donogh Hennessey, Blue Mountains Folk Festival, Bob Charter, Gaynor Crawford,  Jaslyn Hall, The World Music Show, Triple J station, Sydney Morning Herald, Seamus Begley, Jim Murray, John Dunford, Fergus Lenahan, Sydney Recital Hall, The Masters Of Tradition, Dave Power, Steve Cooney, Máirtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd, selling out the Sydney Opera House twice, Jim Murray, Jack Maher, Maureen, Canice Mills, Alan Connor, Paul Brady, Shooglenifty, Andy M. Stewart, Gerry O’Beirne, Breaking Trad, Donall Murphy, Niall Murphy, Mike Gavin, The Rambling Boys, Sean Smith, David Munnelly, Alan Burke, Gino Lupari, Capercaillie, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Dick Gaughan, Mary Coughlan, Balfa Toujours, Paul Kelly, The Lyric Theatre Sydney, Bruce Giles, Chris Richards, Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald,  Paul Brady and his most emotional concert, Crowded House, Seabill Hotel, Neil Finn, Mary Coughlan, James Delaney, Big Pond’s foray into streaming, Monday, Clare O’Meara, Paddy Keenan, Sean Tyrrell, Susan O’Neill, Mick Flannery, The Landsdowne Club, Shooglenifty and more!

Séamus Finneran - Music Promoter: Part 1

Episode 23.  A conversation with Séamus Finneran about his adventures in music promotion. Discussion includes the merchant navy, getting a resident visa in Australia, setting up a tour, Seamus Eagan - Sufferin’ Gales, Willie Creedan, Martin Hayes, Michael Flatley,  Helen Bommarito, Davy Spillane, San Francisco Celtic Festival, Eddie Stack, Peter O’Neill, The Plough & Stars, Randall Bays,  Port Fairy Folk Festival, The Brunswick Music Festival, The National Celtic Festival, The National Folk Festival, setting up a tour from the opposite side of the planet,  Green Linnet Records, the importance of reflecting after booking a tour, Eilish O’Connor, Kieran Halpin, Jackie Daley, Maura O'Keefe, The Three Weeds venue Sydney, Dennis Cahill, The Guinness Tour, John Nicholls, Donal Lunny, Sharon Shannon, Altan, Mary Black, The Irish Echo paper, promoting gigs, hiring publicists, booking a tour, booking jazz clubs, The Basement Sydney, Lúnasa, being the inspiration for putting Lúnasa together, booking their first gig which was headlining a festival, Trevor Hutchinson, Donogh Hennessey, Blue Mountains Folk Festival, Bob Charter, Gaynor Crawford,  Jaslyn Hall, The World Music Show, Triple J station, Sydney Morning Herald, Seamus Begley, Jim Murray, John Dunford, Fergus Lenahan, Sydney Recital Hall, The Masters Of Tradition, Dave Power, Steve Cooney, Máirtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd, selling out the Sydney Opera House twice, Jim Murray, Jack Maher, Maureen, Canice Mills, Alan Connor, Paul Brady, Shooglenifty, Andy M. Stewart, Gerry O’Beirne, Breaking Trad, Donall Murphy, Niall Murphy, Mike Gavin, The Rambling Boys, Sean Smith, David Munnelly, Alan Burke, Gino Lupari, Capercaillie, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Dick Gaughan, Mary Coughlan, Balfa Toujours, Paul Kelly, The Lyric Theatre Sydney, Bruce Giles, Chris Richards, Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald,  Paul Brady and his most emotional concert, Crowded House, Seabill Hotel, Neil Finn, Mary Coughlan, James Delaney, Big Pond’s foray into streaming, Monday, Clare O’Meara, Paddy Keenan, Sean Tyrrell, Susan O’Neill, Mick Flannery, The Landsdowne Club, Shooglenifty and more!

Prof Thomas Ritter - Rare Eye Diseases

Episode 22. A conversation with Prof Thomas Ritter who, with his team in University of Galway, is embarking on a journey of advancing treatments for rare eye diseases in Europe. Restore Vision is a project funded by the European Commission aiming to develop and test new treatments for 7 rare eye diseases (REDs). The consortium joins 10 European key players on rare eye diseases and is led by University of Galway.
With 25+ years of experience in immunology and gene therapies for eye diseases, Prof. Ritter’s research focuses on novel gene and cell therapies. He earned his Ph.D. in 1994 from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and completed his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Marseille Center of Immunology in 1995.
At Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany, Prof. Ritter led the gene therapy program in experimental transplantation under Prof. Volk’s directorship. He obtained significant funding from the German Research Foundation, Ministry of Health and Research, and industry (Schering).
In 2002, he completed his ‘Habilitation’ in Immunology, becoming an assistant professor in 2003. Since joining the University of Galway in 2005, Prof. Ritter secured significant funding from various agencies, totaling approximately €7M.
He has published 90+ research articles and 30 reviews in peer-reviewed journals, delivered 50+ invited lectures, and served as Vice-Dean for Research at NUI Galway. He is an Associate Editor for Molecular Therapy, serves as a referee for high-impact journals, and is involved in multiple European networks for Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST-Action).
For more information visit:
https://restorevision-project.eu
https://www.aniridia.eu
 

Chris Duignan - Ar Imeall Festival

Episode 21. The 'Ar Imeall' Fesitval is underway. It is the brainchild of Chris Duignan. The festival is in its second year and lasts 18 days - last year's ran for 17 days. The beauty of Ar Imeall is that it is a platform for local artists and musicians. It also serves as a training ground for anyone who is interested in production and all the goings-on regarding staging a performance or an exhibition. 
We took a walk up to Aras Na Gael to catch up with Chris and we got to sit in on a Modular Synth Workshop with Donnacha Walsh as well as catching up with Nathan and Aoibheann, a couple of art gallery punters who were ambushed into becoming art critics. Thanks to you both!
You can find out more information on the Instagram account of Ar Imeall. 

Pam Finn - JFK The Three Miles

Pam Finn (a.k.a. PR Pam) has made a wonderful documentary around the visit of President John F. Kennedy’s to Galway in 1963, only five months before his assassination. Amongst other things Pam discusses the impact of JFK’s visit to Galway, why she choose to make this movie, why JFK chose to come to Galway, the route in which he took. where the helicopter came from and where it travelled to, sourcing the interviewees for the film, her advice to parents who have children who might be interested in the movie business, where the movie can be seen, the impact this documentary is having on Galway so far, to storyboard or not to storyboard, how much footage was shot, the challenges of filming outside in Galway, funding such a project and her plans for the future.
Please support Pam by buying the film at www.jfkthethreemiles.com.
Special thanks to her dog Boo and to Cormac agus Na Cataí Cáis for also starring in this episode. Thanks.

Jane O’Leary & Sally Coyle - Galway Music Residency, GIAF and more

Episode 19. We are joined with Jane O'Leary and Sally Coyle who discuss their involvement with Galway Music Residency over the years, the role of ConTempo Quartet in Galway, the upcoming Galway International Arts Festival and the concerts in which ConTempo will be performing as well as the challenges of describing contemporary music.
Also included in the discussion are Music for Galway, the Galway Arts movement, Ed Bennett, West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Christopher Marwood, Siegmund Nissel, getting Galway Music Residency up and running, Matthew Berrill, Hamza El Din, minimalism, Philip Glass, Miles Davis, the negative image of contemporary music, composing music that is popular but without dumbing down, getting into contemporary music for new listeners, free concerts in St. Nicholas Collegiate Church the first Tuesday of every month, Elizabeth Maconchy, female composers, Bill Whelan, Dave Flynn, Amanda Feery, Padraic Keane, Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta, Finghin Collins, Arvo Pärt, Oscar Wilde, Eduard Vilde, Rhona Clarke, music oscillating between art and science, the pros and cons of putting a child in music classes and music lessons, how a string quartet functions, a string quartet's ranges and arrangements, Turlough O'Carolan, commissioning music in the 17th century, Beach Boys, the closeness of timbral qualities in siblings and cousins, the future of contemporary music in Ireland.

Jim O’hUiginn - 3 Castles Project Update

Episode 18. A quick conversation and presentation from Ireland's first Heritage Officer, Jim O'hUiginn (Higgins) from Galway City Council updating us all on the conservation repair and consolidation works carried out at Menlough, Tirellan and Merlin castles a.k.a. The 3 Castles Project.
This recording was grabbed at the 13th Annual Galway City Heritage Conference 2023. Download the programme - https://tinyurl.com/4rmnvpp5
For more information, please email planning@galwaycity.ie

Prof. Brian Arkins: Joyce, Ulysses, Galway and Aédin Moloney’s Performance

Episode 17. Brian Arkins is a Professor Emeritus of Classics at the University of Galway. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College and at University College Dublin, where he obtained an M.A. in Classics and a Ph.D in Latin. He is the author of 14 books and counting.
Brian will give a lecture in Galway Arts Centre at 6pm on Bloomsday, June 16, 2023. The lecture will be entitled ‘The Prototypes of Joyce’s Character, Leopold Bloom’.  Admission will be free.
Although Brian has been on the radio many times this is his first podcast appearance. We are thankful that we were given the opportunity to have had so many insights into Ulysses shared by Brian.
Furthermore, given that the conversation took place the day after Aédin Moloney’s spellbinding performance of ‘Yes! Reflections Of Molly Bloom’, we are privy to an extra layer of understanding of this densely faceted masterpiece.