34 years ago this year, one of my favourite groups played a free concert in HMV, Grafton Street. As a rebellious 17-year-old who happened to have a Walkman-sized cassette recorder, I surreptitiously recorded their set. Fast forward more than three decades and, back home in Dublin for Christmas, my brother handed me three cassette tapes … Continue reading “Dignam & Goff, recorded July 1992”Read more…
Electronic music history
For a few years now, I’ve been doing shows on electronic music history as DJ Discordian on The Thursday Night Show. They’re all on Mixcloud, but I decided to do a kind of timeline with the shows in historical order: Electronic music genealogy Starting with my early electronica show, the shows cover everything from industrial … Continue reading “Electronic music history”Read more…
Dance music history: Injected with some Belgians (and Germans)
In an earlier piece, I mainly focused on the influences on the UK dance scene. Of course, the UK isn’t the centre of the world and Europe also has a huge dance scene. Of course, you can’t write about European dance music without mentioning …Read more…
Dance music history: Injected with some Belgians (and Germans)
In an earlier piece, I mainly focused on the influences on the UK dance scene. Of course, the UK isn’t the centre of the world and Europe also has a huge dance scene. Of course, you can’t write about European dance music without mentioning …Read more…
Manchester talk on Harry Boland
I’m giving a talk on my great-granduncle Harry Boland’s Manchester roots in the Irish World Heritage Centre in the city on 5 June. Tickets are free and can be ordered on Eventbrite. AdvertisementsRead more…
Manchester talk on Harry Boland
I’m giving a talk on my great-granduncle Harry Boland’s Manchester roots in the Irish World Heritage Centre in the city on 5 June. Tickets are free and can be ordered on Eventbrite.Read more…
The underground history of UK dance music
I’ve watching another history of dance music in the UK and the same frustrations are rising up. Every single one tells the same story – interesting stuff was happening in the US – in particular DJ Frankie Knuckles in the Warehouse Club in Chicago in 1979 where House Music was born, and then…Read more…
Reinterpreting the Milesians in Irish pre-history
Irish pre-history is a pain. Because Celtic culture was non-literary, it wasn’t until the arrival of Christianity that Irish myths and legendary history were written down. As a result, a lot of the myths were Christianised. St Patrick crops up a bit, meeting legendary figures like Oisín. One…Read more…
19th century Irish history – help needed
I’ve been researching my family for a few years with a view to writing their story. My mother’s family were the Bolands – major figures in the Irish revolutionary movements pre-independence and government ministers in the decades afterwards. I’m trying to go back over four generations. The more…Read more…
Last “whites” of the East End
So, after a great NUJ meeting with a brilliantly ethnic diverse turn-out, I turn on the TV and the BBC is showing “Last Whites of the East End“. Despite being fully aware it would annoy me, I watched it. I’ve been trying to think of something to blog about, so here’s another…Read more…
EU migrants to Britain and Irish people
There are some very careful phrased statements being made at the moment about EU migration into the UK. The wording is important, because there is a key different between EU migrants and EU nationals working in the UK. This difference is the Irish. Whi…Read more…
Slaveholders in Ireland
After yesterday’s popular blog about Irish slavery, I wanted to write a short one about another issue with Liam Hogan’s work. Another thread of his work is researching Irish slaveholders. Where he’s traced information those who left Ireland and “became white” and…Read more…
Irish slavery – fact or myth?
There has been a stupid debate going on for over a year now about whether Irish slaves existed or not. Irish historian Liam Hogan has made a name for himself condemning those who talk about the Irish history of slavery. Firstly, and most importantly, H…Read more…
A history lesson for Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith has attempted to appeal to the Left with today’s argument that the EU and “uncontrolled immigration” has caused a downward pressure on wages. Despite being at the forefront of taking from the have nots and giving to the haves for years, he’s now blaming the…Read more…
The 23 Enigma – three stories
I’m a Discordian – which means nothing other than I think religion is a joke, so I claim membership of a joke religion. One of the articles of faith, in a religion that believes nothing, is that there’s something going on with the number 23. Or maybe there isn’t, or maybe there…Read more…