Diarmuid De Guide

Diarmuid De Guide interview Thursday 22nd Dec 2011
On Thursday last I had the pleasure of Diarmuid De Guide  from Blarney in County Cork as my guest.  We were joined in studio by his manager Carol Rice who also manages Stephen Leeson, Jimmy Crowley and Irish Folk Group Shebeen. Also in the studio on the day was guest presenter Linda Carroll who presents another program on Youghal Radio. So with a bigger then normal crew of people all gathered around the mic it was going to be an interesting if not fun afternoon. And fun it was with some great tunes thrown in for the listeners. I spoke with Carol about how she came across Diarmuid and I also spoke with Diarmuid about how he came across Carroll, but I am getting ahead of myself again as normal. I guess I should tell you a little about Diarmuid.

Ger Thompson 2nd interview

Ger Thompson 2nd Interview Friday 16th Dec 2011

Well this week we had a chance to catch up with singer songwriter Ger Thompson. Ger who was on the show last March has been working away writing songs and getting himself out there so to speak. Since his last visit much has happened to Ger, today spent the time talking about these new events and how his songwriting was progressing. Ger, as always sang during the interview two of his great new songs. Now I know I am going a little off topic here so bear with me because I feel its important and needs to be said. I find that a second interview can tell a lot about a person, the first interview people are always well behaved, a little guarded and keeping an eye on everything they say, and this is normal after all who wants to sit down and discuss a life story live on air with people they don't know. However with Ger I found the opposite, a relaxed, outgoing, guy who loves his music and loves to talk about music in general. There was no hint of suspicion or any of the things I listed above. Ger from day one when we met in March is still the same guy, still as passionate about music, still as gentle and soft spoken, still as humble and most of all is a gifted songwriter with a lot to offer. The reason I even mention this is to try show you a little of the man rather then the public persona so to speak. I met a guy who, in the music world is a genuine, down to earth, honest hardworking guy. Now having gotten that out of the way read on.

Sinead McNally

Sinead McNally Interview Dec 1st 2011

This week I spoke with the very talented Sinead McNally a singer/songwriter and pianist from Dundalk. I am a lazy person as many of my listeners will tell you so a lot of the information below is from Sinead's own website or Myspace page. So forgive me for copying the text. However the interview is my own and you can listen into that below. Sinead spent her early years studying piano at the College of Music in Dublin and alongside that developed her love for Irish traditional music by learning the fiddle through Comhaltas. When she was 14 she won ‘The Macardle Award’ after being auditioned by renowned Irish conductor Proinnsias O’Duinn on behalf of Louth County Council. She was awarded a scholarship to pursue her classical music studies. She went on to study a degree in music at Canterbury Christchurch University.

Aine Duffy

Aine Duffy interview Friday December 2nd 2011

Well are days when all goes well, nothing can go wrong life is wonderful and nothing can get you down,  but sadly there are days when your not feeling on top of the world and everything goes wrong its dark, gloomy, boring and your simply fed up. Well there is a cure and its not medical. That cure quite simply is Aine Duffy. Now I dont normally dispense medical advice in this blog, but on this occasion what can I say. I can only talk about this miracle cure from personal experience I had on Friday last, I was tired, it had been a long night, I was having a bad day, things were not going to plan and life looked awful. Then at about ten past one, I was cured. This cure came in the form of the energetic, talented, happy, carefree, wild ball of  fun known as Aine Duffy who arrived at the studio for our interview.

Stephen Leeson 3rd Interview

Stephen Leeson Interview Dec 1st 2011

Well this week we caught up with singer songwriter, Stephen Leeson. The last time we spoke with Stephen was march of this year (follow this link to hear that interview). We spoke about his album The Isle of Hope which has received rave reviews around the country from radio presenters to fans alike. Stephen who was once singer with the renowned group The Dublin City ramblers has for the last number of years been working hard recording, promoting and getting his new album out their and available to everyone. As he says himself its hard work promoting a new album, almost as hard as putting it together, recording it and releasing it. I spoke with Stephen on the phone rather then in person today because he was busy on the set of Titanic, a new TV seris being shot in Ireland and Stephen is on set as an extra.

Paradox

Paradox interview Friday 18th Nov 2011

Well I know I often say  I dont know where to start and on this occasion I really dont know where to start. There is so much history and so much going on with this band that its not easy to find a starting point for this page. Is it where I first met them in person at the radio station?,  is it where we first came across them online?, or is it a the start of their own story which to say the least is your typical "Rock and Roll story", I will insert bullet points here to give you an idea of what were talking about - Band, Cork, Friends, Brothers, Music, Record, First Album, LA America, Record Deal, Tour, Ireland, Album, Second Tour America , Second album, Canada, Berlin, Ireland, Mexico, Cuba, Third Album, Time off between albums, Broken contracts, Touring, Music, Band, Cork etc . Or do we listen to the interview and try make sense of it all. Tell you what I will start writing and we will take it from there.

Community Radio Awards Night

2011 Community Radio Awards night organisers interview Friday 18th Nov

Well this week we had two ladies in studio who are well known to the listeners of Community Radio Youghal, Margaret Carey and Maura Joyce, two of the ladies involved in putting together the annual Country Music Awards here at Youghal Radio. Both ladies present their own music shows on CRY each week and have been involved in putting on the awards night since it restarted 3 years ago. In our conversation they explained why they decided to start the awards night, We spoke about the success of it for the last three years and how popular it has become in the annual country music calendar here in Cork.

Polly Barrett

Polly Barrett interview Friday 11th Nov 2011

Well here we go again, another interview with another amazing singer songwriter, I guess what ever I write here will only pale in comparison to what will be written over the next few years for this talented rising star. Take it from me you have not heard the last of this fine singer, Polly Barrett a native from Kinsale in County Cork spent most of her young adult life in Cork City learning her craft and writing songs. Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Polly and of course started off with the usual where did it all start for you. "well I remember doing piano classes at a very young age but it never really was my thing and as I grew older I started to write more I got myself a guitar and from then on things changed for me. With the guitar I found I was able to compose and write songs easier with my pen ,notepad and guitar I was able to put songs together.

Sophie O Keeffe

Sophie O Keeffe interview Friday 4th Nov 2011

This week I had the pleasure of chatting with a new up and coming songwriter Sophie O Keeffe from Ballycotton. I had met Sophie before when she was about 7 or 8 years old, she was with her parents Niall and Aine O Keeffe who were heading a band called Sonic Icons and were in studio for a chat and with them was Sophie. However this time round I got to speak to Sophie and talk to her about her own music. I had a chance to listen to her sing a few songs mostly her own and to say that this young ladies star is shinning brightly is an understatement.

Shane Supple Video hits 60,000 views

Tonight my new video I want you to want me hit 60,000 views on Youtube. thanks to everyone for passing it around and sharing it, please feel free to keep on sharing it with your family friends and anyone else you can think of. Thanks to everyone.

Crystal Swing - Derek Burke

Crystal Swing - Derek Burke Interview Friday Oct 28th 2011

This is the first of several interviews I hope to conduct with Crystal swing over the next few months when our schedules will allow it. I will be talking to the three members of Crystal swing. This week I spoke with Derek Burke lead singer and front man for Crystal Swing.

Where to start, Crystal Swing comprises of the Burke family from East Cork,  Mary a fine musician and overall brains behind the outfit as well as being mother to, Derek on vocals and Dervla, who in my mind is one of the finest singers ever to come out of Cork. When she sings country you really have to listen, an accomplished singer with a great voice. Anyway I guess I better go back to the first time I came across Crystal Swing. "He drinks Tequila" was their first video I saw from Crystal Swing on the well known SKY TV Program Hot Country, My own video (Lifetime Guarantee was also on the same show) within weeks it was put on youtube and from there it went viral,  getting roughly 100,000 hits in the first few days alone, within two weeks it had hit over the half a million mark. Currently on youtube the combined footage and video clips of Crystal Swing surpass the 3 million views mark & thats not including the millions of TV viewers across the globe.

Kevin Glavin

Kevin Glavin Interview Friday 21st Oct 2011

Today I had the pleasure of chatting with 21 year old singer/songwriter Kevin Glavin from Cork. Kevin who has been singing and writing since the age of 17 would be known for being the recent winner of Corks got talent 2010. With influences which can be heard heavily in both his style of writing and playing, from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Waits Kevin is on the right track. So it was with great expectations I started talking to Kevin about his music.

Kym Kelly

Kym Kelly interview Thursday 20th Oct 2011

This week I had the chance to catch up with Kym Kelly from Kildare town. She is well known around the pubs and clubs in Leinster, having played as part of a two piece band with her father for seventeen years. It was only last year that Kym began to look further afield, and started to promote her music on a national and international scale. She has recorded her first album "A new road to travel" and has had a great year winning most popular local artist in the Leinster entertainment awards 2011 Country Singer - Best Breakthrough Artist 2011, Most Popular Local Artist -Leinster Entertainment Awards, Runner up in Country Bulletin Best Newcomer Award.

Eva Porter 2011

Eva Porter interview Friday Oct 14th 2011

Well after a long spell I decided it was time to invite Eva back into the studio once again to see how she is getting on since we last spoke.First and foremost I must stress I am a big Eva Porter fan, so this report may be biased but hey its my blog. now the wonderful Eva Porter for those that might not know is a very talented singer songwriter from Carrigtwohill in County Cork. What made this lady so special in the first instance was her desire to write some songs, record an album, sing on it and release it to the world. Nothing special in that you may say well you would be wrong, the reason it was so significant is simple, She had never sang in public, she had never recorded before, and in the music world she had left it a lot later then many other singer songwriters to start her musical journey.

David Blaize

David Blaize interview Friday 23rd Sept 2011

This week I had the pleasure of chatting with David Blaize singer songwriter from Cork. David who hails from Tralee in Co Kerry but now living in Cork has been playing music for aseveral years now but its only in the last year or two that he has decided to branch out a little more as a singer songwriter.  I first came across David on Myspace and while listening to some of his tunes decided I would contact him and see would he do an interview, I sent off an email and the following day I got a reply from David musch to my surprise he agreed to an interview so we set it up and he arrived at the studio on time and in great form.

Cormac O Caoimh

Cormac O Caoimh interview Aug 25th 2011.
There are weeks when all around you do great interviews, a friend of mine interviewed Jeremy Irons another interviewed several stars at Cork Opera House, but me, I think I topped them all off.  One of the reasons I decided to do this radio show and continue to do it was it gave me a chance to interview singer songwriters, the real deal of the music world, the unsung hero so to speak who normally go unnoticed.  The first time I came across Cormac O Caoimh he was on the bill  with The 4 of Us in Cypres Avenue in Cork, we got chatting after his set and I invited him down to have a chat on radio. I got home and put on his CD  "Start a Spark" and was blown away with the strength of his songs, I decided that I would have to follow up on the interview idea and email him to be sure. The following day I emailed and got an immediate response it was all set. Today was that day and as it turned out a special day. Cormac O Caoimh singer songwriter from Cork arrived in studio,  complete with guitar and on time.

Tango Extremo

Tango Extremo interview August 18th 2011

Ah What a week its been this week I had the pleasure of meeting and chating with the group Tango Extremo from The Netherlands who were on tour here in Ireland. Tanya Schaap who plays violin and is the artistic director was accompanied in studio by the rest of the group. Ben van den Dungeon who plays soprano saxophone, Rob van Kreeveld the pianist of the group, Matias Pedrana from Argintina on accordion and Bandoneon and Stefan Lievestro on the double bass.

Pat Short

Interview on Thursday 28th July 2011.

Where does one start this write up. Ever since I played a song "Sit Down for the raffle",by Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny, I wanted to have Pat on this show as a guest. When my sister working as assistant director on the film "Man about Dog" told me all about this fella called Pat Shortt, I knew we would one day cross paths. Then, one of the greatest hours on radio ever with Joe Rooney, who now appears in Killinaskully,  followed by the legend Mike Hanrahan from Stocktons Wing who is The Chef, the main man and leading light in the kitchen in Pat Shortts bar in Castlemyrter. guested on my radio show. The signs were there, it was only a matter of getting the timing right.

Hell for Leather

Hell for Leather interview Thursday 14th July 2011

We caught up with the group Hell for Leather once again, after our first interview last year things have moved on since for the band. I asked the lads what was new in the world of this band. Well the band has increased by one bringing the group to four. The inclusion of an accordion player from Dripsey has added an element of lunacy that this group has not seen before. Ritchie is a welcome addition and Pete O Keeffe on guitar from Lisgould. Add in the tow lads who were int he studio today Mike and Ken then you have a bunch of lads who truly love their music and what they do.

Wall St Thieves

The Wall St Thieves Interview 7th July

Well we had the lads back in studio today, after their last visit its been mad with the amount of calls from listeners asking "when are they coming back on" to keep everyone happy we got them back into studio again.   The band consist of Eric Doherty on Guitar /Vocals, Che Horgan also Guitar /Vocals, Shane Norberg on Bass/Vocals, Dereck O’Shea on Drums. This week we had the pleasure of just two lads Che and Eric Dereck and Shane were unavailable to come into the studio but it was good to be able to relax and talk with familiar faces. 

Roy Buckley

Roy Buckley interview on 1st July 2011

Cork singer songwriter Roy Buckley joined me today for a chat about music and how things have been going for him so far this year. Roy has been on the show before and at the drop of a hat he would pick up his guitar and sing a song and this time it was no different. Today we spoke about his upcoming shows this weekend where he would have some very special guests on stage

Fil Campbell

Interview recorded on Thur 30th June 2011

Well this week I had the pleasure of meeting with musician ,songwriter and great singer Fil Campbell and percussionist Tom McFarland, both who took time out of their busy schedule to come to Youghal and sit in with me for an hour to talk about music,song’s and life’s great mysteries. Fil has to date recorded  over five albums mixing many old songs with her own compositions which give the listener a great choice of sounds to listen to and to be carried away on. To top it off she presented her own radio and TV shows in Ireland

Bassline

Bassline interview Friday 24th June 2011


I thought I was in for another normal Friday radio show, start with the weather,play some music interview a new band and go through the papers for the weekend tv listings. Suffice to say I never even got to read the weather. Bassline the band had arrived in the studio and after that it was more like a sit down chat, craic and talk about music in a local bar. At one stage I even forgot we were on air.

Carol Keniry

Carol Keniry interview 17th June 2011


Well its not often I am impressed by the talents of a singer so young, but this week speaking to singer songwriter guitar player Carol Keniry I have to say I was impressed by so many things. Her attitude, her skill, her voice, her style and her personality. Sitting in a studio being interviewed by yours truly is never an easy thing to have to put up, with but Carol took it all in her stride. 

Billy Cusack

Billy Cusack interview June 10th 2011 


This week we spoke with local singer Billy Cusack. Billy has been playing the local scene for over 25 years. Starting out as a two piece with Tony Moore, who later went on to become owner of “The Meeting place". Tony got very busy so I started doing a few gigs on my own until I meet up with Padraig Parker, 

NIcole Maguire

Nicole Maguire Interview 8th June 2011

Nicole Maguire has been writing music since she was twelve years old Nicole is 24 years old now so in essence she has been writing songs half her life. Having her first original gig at fourteen where she was playing opening slots to anyone who would let her, it wasn't long before Nicole knew that her lifelong journey would be in music.

Steve Whelan

Steve Whelan 30th May 2011

Singer songwriter Steve Whelan from Youghal has a very down to earth approach to delivering his music with a spirit of honesty presence and grit.  His Smokey vocals, married with his simple but poetic and addictive melodies produces a musical honesty and edge possessed by few writer composers. I spoke with Steve this week about his new album.

Johnny Bongos Horgan

Johnny Bongos Horgan May 25th 2011


This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Johnny Bongos Horgan, Johnny from Mallow has become well known in recent time from his television appearances in 2010s All Ireland Talent show in which Johnny represented Cork and Munster with his own unique skill. Johnny would be best known for playing the spoons a tradition of making music using items you find around you in the house. 

Ely O Keeffe

Ely O Keeffe Interview 1st May 2011

Shane spoke with Ely O Keeffe singer songwriter from Knocknagree in County Cork has been making waves in recent times on the Irish music circuit. Currently working on launching her new album she is as busy as ever. The Album was two years in the making and was not without interesting times. Ely comes from a musical family and played with her own family band for about 5 years before she branched out on her own.

Cherry Jubilee

Cherry Jubilee Interview 22nd April 2011

Cherry Jubilee the band are Martina Cullinane and Abbie O’Shea who are from Lismore, Lorna Cullen from Cappoquin and Emily Aherne from Tallow. These four girls attend Blackwater Community School in Lismore, Co. Waterford. The average age of the girls is 16 and it all started when the girls used to hang around together during school and over time they developed into a group. Shane Supple interviewed the girls this week and we spoke about where it started and what they have done in such a short time span.

Juliet Turner

Juliet turner interview 20th April 2010

Juliet Turner is a singer/songwriter from Tummery, near Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She has been a part of the Dublin music scene since she started recording in 1996. In the course of her career she has opened for such artists as Bob Dylan, U2 and Bryan Adams and toured with Roger McGuinn, Joan Armatrading and Brian Kennedy. Turner also sang on two tracks of Peter Mulvey’s live album Glencree. Her first album “Lets Hear it for Pizza” was released in 1996 on the Scottish label “Sticky Music” followed by “Burn the Black Suit” released on her own “Hear This! Records” label.

Hillary Reynolds

This week Shane Supple spoke to Hillary Reynolds, Musical Director of the Orpheus Choir which is Only in its 6th year of operation.  I asked Hillary about herself and where was she from and she explained that she was born in Venezuela and then moved to England where she spent most of her young life and studied music in London before moving to the Nederland’s where she met her husband. She spent approximately 20 years of her life teaching and performing music around Europe when she was offered a position in UCC. Her husband had a book shop in Rotterdam which specialised in Irish Literature So when the opportunity came they moved to Ireland. When she got to Cork they looked around for a place to live after a search herself and her husband decided to settle in Tallow Co Waterford.

Wall St Thieves

Wall St Thieves interview 4th April 2011

This week Shane Supple spoke to The Wall St Thieves who are a 4 piece group the lads, ranging in age from early to mid twenties,Eric Doherty on Guitar/Vocals, Che Horgan also Guitar/Vocals, Shane Norberg on Bass/Vocals, Dereck O’Shea on Drums. This week we had the pleasure of their company and to be honest it wasnt easy trying to pin them down on a few questions.

Darragh Flemming

A DJ was traditionally known for standing behind a record player spinning records and making announcements between songs. However times have moved on and so has the brief for the modern DJ no longer does the DJ stand there and just line up the next song with a new style known as mixing he has to blend one track into another without loosing a beat he finds a track that has the same BPM (beats per minute) as the one currently playing and fades from one to the other in a seamless fashion, sometimes even mixing the two tracks together. Another part of this mixing is when a DJ might take two or three tracks and mix and blend them continuously as if they were one song. So basically what the modern DJ does is create a new song using recorded material from other artists.

Ger Thompson

Ger Thompson interview 24th March 2011

This week Shane Supple spoke to singer songwriter Ger Thompson who is originally from Dublin but now living in locally. He moved to Cork with his wife Eileen whom he met while studying at Drama Collage. He spent most of his working life as an actor even after he got married. About a year and a half ago he was laid off from his job, like so many others in this current climate and he found it hard to adjust from working every day to not working. But while one door closes as they say another will open and he found that he had time to finish some projects he had always wanted to do but never had the time.

Stephen Leeson

Stephen Leeson interview 20th March 2011

This week Shane Supple had the honor of chatting with Stephen Leeson, Stephen who has decided to go solo after a long career working with other bands. Best known for his unique voice, Stephen has toured all over Ireland, Europe, America & parts of Asia.  He has been front man and lead singer for bands such as: Porter Black, Dublin Legacy and for 4 years with the ‘Dublin City Ramblers’.

Art Supple

Art Supple interview 13th March 2011

This week I spoke with Art Supple during the week on Youghal Radio and I know Art and myself are related but when it comes to music and music connections the simple fact that Art is one of our best known musicians in Cork. I asked Art to explain how he became involved with the music business.

Will they Run

Will they run interview 6th March 2011

This week the band Shane spoke with are called Will They Run
This week I spoke with two members of the band “Will They Run” Singer Diarmuid O Leary and drummer Greg Ahern. The lads are currently working on getting new songs sorted and a set list put together, they have been rehearsing for the last several weeks getting themselves ready to launch on an unsuspecting world. I asked them where did it start.

Vincent Lynch

Vincent Lynch interview 27th Feb 2011

This week Shane talked to singer songwriter Vincent Lynch from Cork. Vincent arrived for the interview accompanied by Pascale Lutz his bass guitar player and guitarist Hugh Dillon who also works quite a lot with another Cork Legend Mick Flannery. Also in the party was Aisling O Leary from Topline Management who are the management company for Vincent.
Oh, don’t let anyone tell you that there are no earthquakes in Cork! The rebel city’s Vincent Lynch packs a seismic punch with enough magnitude to knock any rock fan off their feet! With fierce guitars and full throttle rhythm, Vincent Lynch is a definite force of nature.

Claire Regan

Claire Regan from Local Group the Birds interview 21st Feb 2011

This week Shane had the pleasure of chatting with local singer songwriter Claire Regan. Currently you can hear The Birds on local CD the Marine Sessions with a recording called Wildflower from The Birds. as Claire herself says this was a great song by All about Eve so we rearranged the guitar added vocals and bass and hey presto our version of this song. I asked Claire to take us back to where it all started

Warren Tivy

Claycastle on top of the Mountain 14th Feb 2011

This week I spoke with Warren Tivy who during the year undertook a charity climb to one of the world’s best known mountains Kilimanjaro in Africa which is 12,000 meters above sea level. Warren musican, producer, sound engineer and owner of Claycastle Studios in Youghal decided to do some work for charity and he was doing work for different  bands and acts who were all raising funds for the Charity Africa Direct so it did this seemed like a good idea at the time.

Mike Hanrahan

Mike Hanrahan interview 7th Feb 2011

Mike Hanrahan would be best known for his work with Irish band Stockton’s Wing, He also spent 10 wonderful years working alongside Legend Ronnie Drew, spent some time as Chairman of IMRO and decided in later years to change career to that of Chef, nothing too strange in that except its a brave man who would decide at the age of 48 to change direction from a very successful career as a songwriter singer guitar player musican.

Annette Buckley

Annette Buckley interview 29th Jan 2011

I spoke with singer songwriter Annette Buckley from Cork this week while she was in the studio recording her new songs.  Annette Buckley, who is no stranger to the Cork live scene, received rave reviews after releasing her debut album “The ever changing colors of  the sea” in Hotpress Magazine. The future was bright for this up and coming rising star.

David & Chris

Two Song writers team up interview 24th Jan 2011

On Friday last I had the privilege of speaking with two local singer songwriters and in our conversation we discussed music, politics and much more. However as this is a musical article I will concentrate on the music for now and let’s leave the politics till another day. The two Singer songwriters are Dave Murphy from Youghal and Kyata Known as Chris Yewell now living in Youghal but originally from America,