PUB SONGS & STORIES

Marc Gunn

Irish Pub Songs, Irish Music, Drinking Songs and Marc Gunn News Podcast

  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    Manufacturing Inspiration: Songwriting Habits of Mikey Mason

    Geek-rock musician Mikey Mason joins me to talk about writing songs on schedule, his New Music Monday ritual, and how to stay creative every single week. Music by Caliceltic, May Will Bloom, The Gothard Sisters, and Mikey Mason.

    This is Pub Songs & Stories #311

    0:18 - Caliceltic "The Beer from St James Gate" from 2023 and Me

    5:25 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES

    Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

    Today's episode dives into the creative mind of comedy-rock songwriter Mikey Mason.

    If you've ever struggled to finish a song or waited for inspiration to strike, this conversation will change how you think about writing.

    Mikey writes and releases a brand-new song every Monday. And he does it without relying on his muse. We'll talk about manufacturing inspiration, using unusual prompts, and turning routine into creative freedom.

    6:59 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that at PubSong.com.

    I have a new band with my daughter Inara. We are called May Will Bloom and at IrishFest Atlanta, we released a brand new single.

    9:40 - May Will Bloom "Star of the County Down" from Single

    A big thanks to my…

    GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you're enjoying Pub Songs & Stories or you've been spinning my music for years, follow me on Patreon. It's free to join, and you'll get early, ad-free episodes along with updates on what I'm creating next.

    But the real magic kicks in when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is how independent musicians like me keep making music, telling stories, and sharing these pub-song adventures with you. For just $5 a month, you unlock a treasure trove of exclusives—unreleased songs, behind-the-scenes podcasts, video concerts, rare bootlegs, and surprises you won't hear anywhere else.

    Want the full rundown? Email follow@celtfather and I'll send you all the details.

    13:35 - NEWS

    • Mark your calendar for December 5. That's the next Bandcamp Friday. It's also the official release of Another Faire to Remember by Brobdingnagian Bards. If you loved our Renaissance festival classic, A Faire to Remember, you will love this one as well because it was made for you in mind. Follow our mailing list on Patreon to be the first to hear of the release to read some stories from our Renaissance festival past. It's http://patreon.com/thebards
    • Christmas music is in the air. In fact, Celtic Christmas Music is a podcast where you can enjoy Christmas music by Celtic musicians. There are over 80 episodes including some of my music.
    • Are you looking for the perfect Celtic stocking stuffer? Give a gift that's green… and a little bit magical. At MageRecords.com, you'll find eco-friendly Irish and Celtic treasures made to delight the music lovers, the festival wanderers, and the folklore fans in your life.Wood-burned album pins and for a limited time, Celtic Christmas ornaments. Small enough to slip into a stocking… and meaningful enough to make someone smile long after the holidays.

      So this year, skip the plastic. Go Celtic. Go sustainable. Visit com and fill those stockings with something worth keeping.

    • Check out my new Kickstarter,

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    16:33 - The Gothard Sisters "Moment in Time" from Moment in Time

    19:55 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    20:23 - QUEST & CHORUS

    of How to Write Songs on Schedule (and Still Stay Inspired)

    Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest.

    Mikey Mason is a U.S.-based "geek-rock" musician. He blends his stand-up comedy background with music rooted in sci-fi, fantasy, board games, cats and role-playing. He spent more than a decade as a full-time stand-up comedian performing across the U.S.

    In 2011 his song "She Don't Like Firefly" went viral on YouTube and earned attention from outlets including Nerdist, SyFy, MTV Geek News, Dr. Demento and Time magazine.

    Since then, Mikey has released numerous albums and EPs and now primarily works as a musician and artist whose work draws heavily on his lifelong love of geek culture.

    Before we get started, this is also a Quest & Chorus.Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest. That means you need a secret word to unlock a secret treasure chest of bonus content, this time from Mikey Mason. So listen up so you can unlock the Quest.

    How many songs does Mikey Mason average in a year with his New Music Monday releases?

    Click here to enter your answer and unlock your reward!

    46:06 - Mikey Mason "Kinda Like" from Patreon Single

    1:03:14 - Mikey Mason "Shades of Gray" from Shades of Gray

    If you want to learn more about Mikey Mason,

    1:07:35 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Pub Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra-rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe.

    Join the Pub and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    18 November 2025, 12:00 am
  • 35 minutes 36 seconds
    Quest & Chorus #6: From Carnac to Fangorn | The End of the Quest (special feat: Pub Songs and Stories #310)

    Over 3,000 stones rise from the fields of Carnac. They stand silent, waiting, like the trees of Fangorn Forest, patient and alive beneath their stillness. In this episode of Quest & Chorus, we walk among ancient alignments, uncover old legends, and listen to what endures. Featuring music from The Irish Lassies, Dublin Gulch, and Brobdingnagian Bards.

    This is Quest & Chorus #310

    0:27 - The Irish Lassies "Hammer Up Whisky Down" from Immigration Stories

    5:20 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Welcome to Quest & Chorus, where ancient stones still speak and songs remember what trees never forget. I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus.

    Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse Celtic and folk music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

    And today we walk not into a forest—but into a field that feels like one. The Alignments of Carnac stretch across the land like rows of rooted giants. They are silent. But not still. And if you listen… they speak in echoes. Today we talk of nature, of memory, and also of what I learned about food waste.

    WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR FOOD

    1. Freezing fruit
    2. Composting
    3. Planting
    4. Pickling vs fermenting
    5. Soups
    6. Granola

    You don't have to do it in one day. It's taking me several years. And it doesn't have to be perfect. You just have to be open to learning.

    Check out Sustainable Jungle and One5C. They have a lot of real, practical and non-judgemental tips on how to be more eco-friendly with your food and your life.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that at PubSong.com.

    UPCOMING SHOWS

    15:37 - Dublin Gulch "Sarah Daly/The Copper King's Daughter" from Tap 'Er Light

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    19:59 - NEWS

    • Celtic Christmas Music releases the first official episode of the season.
    • Looking for volunteers to work the Nerdy Wonderland table and promote the event. It takes place Dec 7.
    • New Band with Inara–May Bloom. Planning to release an Album Pin and Single

    A big thanks to my…

    GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you enjoy this podcast or you love listening to my music, please follow my Celtfather Patreon page. You can sign up for free and get updates on what's new and you can get an ad-free edition of this podcast before public listeners.

    But you get so much more when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is one of the ways modern musicians and podcasters make a living. For just $5 per month, you'll get exclusive, unreleased songs, podcasts, video concerts, bootleg concerts, and so much more. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    Pull Up a Stool and Join the Band!

    Follow me on Patreon for behind-the-scenes stories, ad-free episodes of Pub Songs & Stories, and a few free MP3s to take home. It's free to follow — but if you toss a coin in the bard's hat, you'll help keep the music playing every week.

    TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    In 2017, I led a Celtic Invasion of Brittany. You can read about our search for the Holy Grail in France. In the meantime, it's time for the…

    QUEST & CHORUS of ALIGNMENTS OF CARNAC

    Over 3,000 standing stones stretch in careful lines through the fields of Carnac. No one knows exactly why they're here. Were they a celestial map? Some say they mark burial grounds. But walking by them, I didn't feel like I was in a graveyard. I felt like I was among the elders. It reminded me of Fangorn Forest, home of the Ents.

    In The Lord of the Rings, Fangorn is a place where time moves slowly. Trees remember battles that men have forgotten. Carnac is a lot like that. The stones are not dead. They're just waiting.

    I can't help but wonder who placed them here, so careful and deliberate. The stones of Carnac weren't raised by elves or Ents, but by real people. Neolithic builders, thousands of years before written history. Here's what we know about them.

    HISTORY OF THE ALIGNMENTS OF CARNAC

    The Alignments of Carnac in Brittany, France, are one of the most remarkable prehistoric monuments in Europe. They consist of long rows of standing stones (menhirs) and other megalithic features that stretch across the landscape.

    Archaeological studies show that many of the stones date from between about 4,800 and 3,500 BC — some recent research suggests parts were erected as early as 4,600 BC.

    The site is not a single line but a complex of alignments: four major groups (for example, Ménec, Kermario, Kerlescan, Petit Ménec) that lie in the commune of Carnac and its surroundings.

    Originally, these stones were erected by Neolithic peoples who lived in what we now call Brittany. Their purpose remains a subject of debate: some propose they were ritual or ceremonial, others suggest funerary meaning, or perhaps linked to astronomical patterns or seasonal calendars.

    Over the millennia, many stones were removed, toppled, or reused in local buildings, especially in historic times. The word "alignments" refers to the visible rows of standing stones that still remain.

    Today, the Alignments of Carnac are protected as important heritage sites. Research continues to refine their dating and function, and the monuments remain a remarkable testimony to the ambition and organisation of prehistoric communities.

    References:

    LEGENDS & MYTHS OF CARNAC

    There are actual legends connected to the Carnac stones. One of the most widely told involves Saint Cornély. According to Breton tradition, Cornély was being pursued by soldiers. He and his oxen fled, and the stones of Carnac are said to be the soldiers turned to stone as a result of divine intervention.

    Another version says the stones were dancing at midnight on Christmas Eve, and people who saw them would be crushed beneath as the stones marched to the sea.

    While these legends don't claim to explain the actual Neolithic origins of the stones, they illustrate how later generations understood and imagined the dramatic rows of stones in their landscape.

    MY THOUGHTS on CARNAC

    • Your walk through Carnac: Describe how it feels to be watched by stone that might remember more than you do. PLUS
    • Environmental reflection: These monuments lasted thousands of years. What are we building that will last that long?
    • "Heart of Fangorn" as a prayer for the planet: This song speaks for trees, for roots, for voices we ignore in our haste.
    • In Fangorn, the Ents stand watch over the woods. At Carnac, the menhirs stand silent on the moor. If they could speak, what would their witness be?
    • The Ents of Fangorn resist change; the stones of Carnac endure it. When do you find yourself standing still while everything else moves?

    27:48 - Brobdingnagian Bards "Heart of Fangorn" from Memories of Middle Earth

    HEART OF FANGORN

    Lyrics and music Marc Gunn

    Long before men tread Middle-Earth, Before the dwarves and elves gave birth, There sprouted a race for the trees' defense In the heart of Fangorn, there live the Ents.

    Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room. Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room.

    Patient farmers they tend the woods. Gaurdians of stems and of roots. They hear the arbors' laments and wails From falling axes and tearful trails.

    Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room. Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room.

    For Living Creatures all roam the land, But hasty judgements make careless hands. One thoughtless word from a thoughtless king A thousand creatures die beneath the trees.

    Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room. Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room.

    The rivers will flow though their course may change. The birds are born and will fly away. Men will come and men will go, But the Ents remain through the melting snow.

    Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room. Ha-room… Ha-da-ra-room.

    Mark it down. Because the stones are not silent. They're just slow to speak.

    This is the final episode named Quest & Chorus. For that matter, it's also the final episode of Folk Songs & Stories, at least by those names. I ran a poll on Patreon to see what name people liked the most. The most popular name was Pub Songs & Stories. So we're moving back to that name.

    That said, Quest & Chorus is not gone forever. This is just the beginning. I really liked this special feature and so in some episodes in the future, I hope to include a quest and chorus for you.

    I also realized that the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, my award-winning flagship program, is a great show. But over the past decade, the podcast has become more and more dominated by instrumental Celtic music. Which is fantastic. I love a great set of tunes as much as the songs. But I feel like the singers and the songwriters lost out a bit.

    I started playing music because I wanted to be a songwriter. I love all styles of music. I love learning how to write songs. Writing Celtic and folk songs are one of the reasons I continue to create music.

    So another thing I will be doing with a section of the podcast is to continue to promote the singers, songs, and songwriters that I find whether on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast or wherever.

    A great example is the interview that I'm sharing next time on the podcast. I interviewed Mikey Mason about his songwriting techniques. The things that inspire him to write a new song and share it each and every week for several years now.

    I'm trying to write more songs myself, and I will continue to share them over on Patreon but hopefully every month I will have a new song that I can share in this podcast as well.

    Additional References:

    31:10 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Pub Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Marc Gunn & Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra-rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    4 November 2025, 12:00 am
  • 24 minutes 55 seconds
    Quest & Chorus #5: Crossing the Waves to Skellig Michael (special feat: Folk Songs & Stories #309)

    The sea around Skellig Michael never rests. Waves slam the cliffs like a heartbeat, and mist rises from the rocks like breath from some sleeping giant. Eight miles off the Kerry coast, this jagged island looks less like a piece of earth and more like a fragment of another world.

    More than a thousand years ago, monks climbed 600 stone steps to live here, chasing silence, prayer, and the edge of heaven. Today, visitors come for the same reason, though they may not know it. Whether you're drawn by faith, history, or a galaxy far, far away, Skellig has a way of making you listen to what the sea remembers.

    And that's where today's story begins — between exile and return, faith and freedom, stone and surf. Because sometimes, we're all just trying to find our way back to the ocean. With Music from Niamh Dunne, Wolf Loescher, and Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira.

    This is Quest & Chorus #309

    0:58 - Niamh Dunne "Ballyneety's Walls" from Portraits

    4:17 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Welcome to Quest & Chorus, where every wave might carry a myth, and every exile still dreams of home. I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus. And today, we drift to the edge of the world, To Skellig Michael, where the sea swallows history and monks once whispered their prayers to gulls. It's also where a Jedi gave up the fight. And where a selkie sings himself back into the sea. Today's theme may seem like exile or perhaps it's where you truly belong.

    Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse my love of Celtic and folk music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that at PubSong.com.

    UPCOMING SHOWS

    6:24 - Wolf Loescher "Rovin' Journeyman" from Child of Alba

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    News

    • If you're looking for Celtic Halloween music, I have a large selection of such music. While my Happy Songs of Death album fits the bill, I also did a series of concerts inspired by that theme for several years. Follow the link in the shownotes for details.

    A big thanks to my…

    7:45 - GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you enjoy this podcast or you love listening to my music, please follow my Celtfather Patreon page. You can sign up for free and get updates on what's new and you can get an ad-free edition of this podcast before public listeners.

    But you get so much more when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is one of the ways modern musicians and podcasters make a living. For just $5 per month, you'll get exclusive, unreleased songs, podcasts, video concerts, bootleg concerts, and so much more. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    9:47 - Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira "Going Home" from Here To Stay

    13:15 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    Let's begin the…

    13:47 - QUEST & CHORUS of SKELLIG MICHAEL

    Eight miles off the coast of County Kerry is the island of Skellig Michael. It is a jagged twin-peaked island. Its name comes from the Irish Sceilg Mhichíl which means Michael's Rock. It was dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

    The island's history began in the sixth century. Monks sought isolation and closeness to God. So they settled there because the early Irish monastic tradition valued hardship, solitude, and spiritual testing. The monks carved out a small community on narrow terraces more than 600 steps above sea level.

    The monastic settlement they built still survives. They built a cluster of beehive stone huts, stone crosses and terraces connected by narrow paths. Everything was dry-stone construction. That means they were fitted together without mortar. They were built so well that they have lasted over a millennium. The monks grew small gardens, caught seabirds and fish, and collected rainwater in cisterns. They survived off of what the island would allow.

    Skellig Michael was a center of devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel sometime after the 8th century. The island was also a pilgrimage site for centuries. Climbing its steps was seen as a form of penance and spiritual renewal.

    By the 13th century, life on Skellig Michael had become too difficult. Storms, isolation, and changing Church patterns led the monks to relocate to the mainland, near Ballinskelligs. But the island remained a place of pilgrimage well into the modern era.

    Skellig Michael is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is recognized for its exceptional preservation of early Christian monastic life and its haunting natural beauty. It's also become familiar to a new generation as Ahch-To, the oceanic world where Luke Skywalker lived in exile in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

    Even now, Skellig Michael stands as a symbol of endurance, of faith carved into stone, of solitude turned to sanctuary, and of the fragile bridge between human devotion and the raw power of nature.

    LEGENDS OF SKELLIG MICHAEL

    One of the more famous legends involves the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesian invasion of Ireland. It is recounted in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Book of Invasions). According to this myth:

    • As the Milesians sailed toward Ireland around 1400 BC in the mythic narrative, a storm was caused by the Tuatha Dé Danann. They are one of the faerie-like supernatural race in Irish mythology. Skellig's cliffs are sometimes mentioned as one of the treacherous places where ships were driven ashore.
    • One version says Irr, a son of Míl Espáine (the mythic ancestor of the Gaels), was travelling from the Iberian Peninsula. He drowned and was buried on Skellig.

    MY THOUGHTS on SKELLIG MICHAEL

    20:02 - Marc Gunn "Selkie's Life" from Come Adventure With Me

    Thank you for returning to the sea with me. Skellig Michael is not the end of the story. But it's where stories are kept safe.

    Next time, we wander the great alignments of Carnac, stones older than myth, standing like trees in time. Until then… If the sea calls you, don't be afraid to answer.

    23:39 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    21 October 2025, 12:00 am
  • 34 minutes 50 seconds
    Quest & Chorus Ep. 4: Come Adventure to The Quiraing on Skye (special feat: Folk Songs & Stories #308)

    The Quiraing is not a gentle place. Stone spires jut skyward, cliffs crumble toward the sea, and paths twist like they're still being carved by giants. It's a landscape that doesn't promise safety—it dares you to take another step. On Skye, they say even dragons once hid in these folds, rising to defend the island from invaders. And standing here, staring into that mist and stone, you can feel it: adventure isn't slaying dragons. It's choosing to face the one within. Music from Kinnfolk, Ed Miller, and Marc Gunn.

    This is Quest & Chorus #308

    0:39 - - Kinnfolk "Highland Laddie" from Star Above The Mountain

    4:21 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Where every hill might hide a dragon, and every fear might be your map. We stand on the edge… of a cliff, of a journey, of ourselves. The Quiraing, on the Isle of Skye, is a land caught between movement and stillness… earth sliding slowly toward the sea. And standing here, staring out over stone teeth and mist-choked valleys, you might ask: Should I go forward? Or turn back?

    I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus.

    Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse my love of Celtic and folk music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    Review of ALEP 6: A Long Expected Party. Stories:

    • 6 mile hike
    • Dressing like a hobbit
    • Playing music with Kelly and Mitch in the Dancing Pony.
    • Providing the atmosphere for Middle-Earth
    • Sunrise over The Shire
    • Singing beneath the stars.

    Ed Miller has a gift for turning lived experience into song. In "The Wide Rio Grande," he tells the story of a young Scottish singer facing the sting of rejection at the U.S. border — and how that moment bound him to countless others who've risked everything to cross into a new life. It's a song about displacement and determination, about rules that separate and courage that refuses to be denied. From Houston to Laredo, from Scotland to Mexico, it is both personal and universal — a reminder that behind every border there are human hearts, still daring to cross.

    11:19 - Ed Miller "The Wide Rio Grand" from Many's The Fine Tale

    The Wide Rio Grande

    Lyrics and music by Brian McNeill

    Fifteen years gone, the airport in Houston

    A young Scottish singer stands waiting in line

    He's been too long apart from the home of his heart

    It's a young Texas sweetheart so fair and so fine

    But the man at the desk with his uniform shoulders

    Gives uniform reasons and a uniform smile

    Takes more than a song son. The paperwork's wrong son

    Fly back where you came from just 5000 miles

    Come all you brave lads who follow my story

    I'll stand at the border and give you my hand

    Here's honor and luck, good health, and glory

    To those who would try for the wide Rio Grande

    London to Mexico, ready to try again

    Walk through a border that thousands have crossed

    Join the bold dispossessed of the South and the West

    For a white boy from Scotland, no irony lost

    But he knows as he reaches the light in Laredo

    With the guards looking on and the sun beating down

    That the hard law and order, the rules on the border

    Has made him at one with the men who have drowned

    Come all you brave lads who follow my story

    I'll stand at the border and give you my hand

    Here's honor and luck, good health, and glory

    To those who would try for the wide Rio Grande

    So the next time you walk the wrong side of the border

    Remember this song as you think on your lot

    For every man, Jack, who can take the road back

    Should think on the fortune of those who cannot

    For Wetback's a name that they whisper in corners

    But there's one man hear who will wear it with pride

    For a fence or a wall means nothing at all

    For a heart full of courage will ne'er be denied

    Come all you brave lads who follow my story

    I'll stand at the border and give you my hand

    Here's honor and luck, good health, and glory

    To those who would try for the wide Rio Grande

    Compadres and amigos who follow my story

    I'll stand at the border and give you my hand

    Here's honor and luck, good health, and glory

    To those who would try for the wide Rio Grande

    15:50 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    News

    • There is also a 10-day Sale at com for the 2025 Firefly Drinking Songs t-shirts. This is the only time you'll be able to get a copy of this shirt this year. The store closes on October 10. So get those orders in!
    • October Patreon Membership Drive. I'm running a Patreon Membership Drive from October 1-10, 2025. When you become a Patron, you get a free album: Kilted Drinking Songs. I say a free album. But to be fair, you get several free albums. This is the latest. It features songs that were once recorded exclusively for this podcast. It's now together as a digital-only album. There's only one way to get it.

    A big thanks to my…

    GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you enjoy this podcast or you love listening to my music, please follow my Celtfather Patreon page. You can sign up for free and get updates on what's new and you can get an ad-free edition of this podcast before public listeners.

    But you get so much more when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is one of the ways modern musicians and podcasters make a living. For just $5 per month, you'll get exclusive, unreleased songs, podcasts, video concerts, bootleg concerts, and so much more. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    18:38 - Marc Gunn "Paddy Murphy" from Kilted Drinking Songs

    24:17 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    Let's begin the…

    QUEST & CHORUS of QUIRAING, SCOTLAND

    The Quiraing lies on the northern Trotternish Ridge of Skye. It's part of the largest landslip in Britain — a massive collapse of rock that stretches nearly the length of the peninsula. What makes the Quiraing remarkable is that it's still moving. Every year, the road below must be repaired, because cracks open and the land shifts. The cliffs and pinnacles here are not frozen in time; they are alive, in motion, reshaping themselves even now.

    Within this landscape are some striking features: The Needle, a tall jagged spike of rock; The Prison, a crag shaped like a fortress; and The Table, a grassy plateau hidden away within the folds of the cliffs. These names reflect how the landscape feels — not just natural, but storied.

    The word Quiraing comes from Old Norse — Kví Rand — which means "round fold." It's thought to describe the way the land curves inward, almost like a natural pen or hollow. Local lore says the hollows were once used to hide cattle, especially during Viking raids. The geography itself became a shield, a place of protection.

    There are stories of dragons living in the Quiraing. However, the dragon stories don't come from ancient Gaelic tradition. They appear more in modern folklore retellings and travel writing — stories told to capture the atmosphere of the landscape. It's easy to see why. The Prison, a huge crag that looks like a fortress, seems like the perfect lair. The Needle rises like a spear ready to strike. The Table, hidden within the fold of the cliffs, feels like a secret clearing where wings could unfurl.

    One version says the dragons hid in the folds of the Quiraing, guarding the people of Skye from Viking invaders. When longships came over the horizon, the dragons rose from the cliffs themselves — wings beating like thunder, breath as fierce as the Atlantic spray. The Vikings fled, and the people survived.

    It's not a tale you'll find in the oldest manuscripts. In a place where the land still moves, where cliffs shift and stones crash down, dragons feel less like fantasy and more like a natural explanation for the Quiraing's wild power.

    So when you set foot there today, you're not just walking among rocks and landslides. You're stepping into a landscape that invites adventure — where the air feels charged, as if dragons might still be hiding just behind the next ridge, waiting for the moment to rise again.

    In Middle-earth, places like this are where heroes are tested. This is where Frodo keeps walking. Where Aragorn faces the dead. Where you ask: Am I brave enough to keep going?

    Talk prompts:

    • Fear is not the enemy—stagnation is. Talk about how fear can be a compass, not a wall.
    • The illusion of safety: The "door" we hide behind may protect us—but it can also trap us.
    • Personal story: Have you ever reached a moment of internal Quiraing? When you had to keep going even if you were shaking?
    • D&D parallel: Every great campaign starts with a hesitant first step. Players choose to walk into darkness.
    • The song's core idea: Adventure is not slaying dragons. It's choosing to face the dragon within.

    This song came from that moment— That catch in the chest before you say 'yes.' That step forward that feels like a leap. It's about choosing the road that scares you… Because it also might save you. This is Come Adventure With Me.

    29:24 - Marc Gunn "Come Adventure With Me" from Come Adventure With Me

    Thanks for walking the edge with me today. The Quiraing doesn't give answers. But it gives perspective. Next time, we dive into a different kind of exile, on Skellig Michael, where legends go to disappear beneath the waves. Until then, wherever you are… Come adventure with me.

    33:52 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    7 October 2025, 12:00 am
  • 27 minutes 47 seconds
    Quest & Chorus #3: Tintagel - History, Shipwrecks & Myth (special feature Folk Songs & Stories)

    Welcome to Quest & Chorus, where songs remember what history forgets. I'm your bard, and today, we climb a legendary cliff—where myth and memory blur. To Tintagel. Some say King Arthur was born here. Others say he died here. And whether that's true or not doesn't really matter… Because this place feels like the kind of place where someone says goodbye. Today, we raise a glass—to stories that fade, and the people who carry them.

    This is Quest & Chorus #307

    0:30 - Heather Dale "Mordred's Lullaby" from The Trial of Lancelot and The Secret World of Celtic Rock

    3:41 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest. I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus.

    Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse my love of music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    UPCOMING SHOWS

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    News

    A big thanks to my…

    GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you enjoy this podcast or you love listening to my music, please follow my Celtfather Patreon page. You can sign up for free and get updates on what's new and you can get an ad-free edition of this podcast before public listeners.

    But you get so much more when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is one of the ways modern musicians and podcasters make a living. For just $5 per month, you'll get exclusive, unreleased songs, podcasts, video concerts, bootleg concerts, and so much more. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    7:55 - Brobdingnagian Bards "Do Virgins Tast Better Medley" from A Faire To Remember

    12:43 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    Let's begin the…

    QUEST & CHORUS of TINTAGEL, CORNWALL - History & Myth

    Tintagel is carved into the coast of Cornwall — cliffs like the broken edge of a sword, sea spray rising like breath. Ruins cling to the stone. A castle? Maybe. A dream? Definitely.

    But before we step into the realm of Arthur and Avalon, let's talk about what Tintagel really is.

    🏰 The History

    The site we call Tintagel Castle was built in the 1230s by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, the brother of King Henry III. Richard was a man of immense wealth and ambition. And his castle wasn't entirely practical. It wasn't raised to defend farmland or trade routes. It was built as a statement — to tie himself to the powerful myths already woven into Tintagel's cliffs.

    But Tintagel's story stretches much further back. Archaeological excavations reveal traces of a post-Roman settlement from the 5th to 7th centuries. Pottery and glassware from the Mediterranean show that Tintagel was a hub of high-status trade — a gateway where Cornish kings connected with the wider world.

    Of course, life on these cliffs was never easy. The seas around Tintagel are beautiful but brutal. The jagged rocks and fierce Atlantic storms made this stretch of coast notorious for shipwrecks. For centuries, sailors feared the Cornish coast as "the graveyard of ships." Wreckage would wash ashore, and in the medieval period — and even later — locals salvaged timbers, cargo, and stories from the sea. These wrecks added to Tintagel's aura: a place where lives and legends were broken against the rocks, where the ocean itself seemed determined to test humanity's endurance.

    So Tintagel is not just a romantic ruin. It is a site of trade, ambition, and survival — a place shaped as much by the storms of the sea as by the myths of men.

    🗡️ The Mythology

    Of course, it's the legends that have made Tintagel famous. Geoffrey of Monmouth, writing in the 12th century, set part of his History of the Kings of Britain here. He claimed that King Arthur was conceived at Tintagel. According to the tale, Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, was enchanted by the wizard Merlin. Disguised in the form of Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, Uther gained access to Tintagel and to Igraine, the Duke's wife. From that union, Arthur was born.

    That story, scandalous and magical, placed Tintagel forever in the Arthurian landscape. And once Richard built his castle a century later, the connection between myth and stone was sealed. Visitors came not just to see a fortress, but to walk where legends were born.

    Other traditions place Tristan and Iseult at Tintagel. Some even whisper of Avalon, the mystical isle where Arthur was carried after his last battle, half-dead, half-remembered.

    🌊 The Atmosphere

    When I walked those paths, I didn't feel like I was seeing where a king was born. I felt like I was walking through the last pages of a story.

    There's a heaviness here, like the final chapter has already been written. And that's why I thought of Camelot. Of knights and queens and betrayal and loss. Of Avalon, where Arthur was taken, half-dead, half-remembered.

    This isn't a place where stories begin. It's where they echo.

    • Ritual and memory: The "parting glass" is more than a drink. It's a tradition that tells someone: "You mattered."
    • Arthur's LegacyArthur's story lingers, half-history, half-legend. What legacies in your own family or culture do you want to carry forward, even if the details blur with time?
    • The Parting Glass ItselfThe Parting Glass is about lifting one last drink, remembering friendship and love even as we say goodbye. If you were raising that glass tonight, who — or what — would you be remembering?
    • UNLOCK THE SECRET WORLD

    This song is centuries old. It's been sung by warriors and wanderers, by friends who know they won't meet again. And even though it's often the final tune of the night… It never feels like an end. This is 'The Parting Glass.

    20:49 - The Haar "The Parting Glass" from single

    At the end of this story—both Arthur's and ours—there's something shared. A symbol of closure. Of memory. What item do we raise to honor what's been lost? You've already heard it. It's in the title. Write it down.

    Thank you for climbing to Tintagel with me. Partings are never easy. But they're where the real stories live.

    Next time, we cross into the Quiraing—the jagged edge of Skye—where dragons hide and courage trembles. Until then… May you never raise the glass alone.

    26:54 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    22 September 2025, 11:00 pm
  • 21 minutes 29 seconds
    Quest & Chorus #2: A Lonely Shore on the Calf of Man (special feature Folk Songs & Stories)

    The Calf of Man, just off the southern tip of the Isle of Man. There's a decayed building there. And on its wall hangs a strange thing. A life preserver—round, red and white, worn by time. It made me wonder: What do we leave behind to save the ones who come after us?"

    This is Quest & Chorus #306

    0:21 - We Banjo 3 "Alive With You" from Open The Road

    3:14 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest. I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus.

    Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse my love of music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

    We're sailing to the Isle of Man to talk about hope, abandonment, legacy, moving forward, and what comes next.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    UPCOMING SHOWS

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you listen. Email pictures of where you're listening to follow@celtfather . I'll send you a free gift and you can learn more about how to follow this podcast.

    4:55 - Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh "Cad É Sin Don Té Sin" from Neadú

    8:23 - Bill Mullen "Irish Rover" from The Beginning

    A big thanks to my…

    11:06 - GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    If you enjoy this podcast or you love listening to my music, please follow my Celtfather Patreon page. You can sign up for free and get updates on what's new and you can get an ad-free edition of this podcast before public listeners.

    But you get so much more when you become a Patron of the Arts. Patreon is one of the ways modern musicians and podcasters make a living. For just $5 per month, you'll get exclusive, unreleased songs, podcasts, video concerts, bootleg concerts, and so much more. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    Let's begin the…

    QUEST & CHORUS of CALF OF MAN

    The Calf of Man is a small island located about a half mile off the southern tip of the Isle of Man. It is a protected national park that is part of the Manx National Heritage. It is home to large number of species of birds, including some colonies that migrate there. Around 33 species of seabirds breed on the islet annually, including Manx Shearwater, Kittiwake, Razorbill and Shag.

    Every year, I take a small group of people to explore our Celtic heritage. It's called Celtic Invasion Vacations. Next year, we're going to Galicia in Spain. That's one of the most-obscure Celtic nations. But in the summer of 2024, we did a Celtic Invasion of the Isle of Man.

    On the invasion, we took the Wild Life and Scenic Trip around Calf of Man with Shona Boat Trips. They are one of the small boat operators that give tours. Desi was our guide. He lived on the island for a year.

    We didn't get to explore much of the land. Because the Calf of Man is raw. The kind of place the sea keeps for itself. There was a building by the shore. We couldn't inspect it during our fifteen minutes on the ground, but it looked like just the bones of a dwelling, stone clinging to stone. And from its wall, there was one oddity that stood out in the stark landscape. A life preserver.

    That's wild to think about. A life preserver is a tool meant to save someone in the future, and it was hanging on the ruins of a home from the past.

    It reminded me of Miranda, from the movie, Serenity. A planet left behind. A warning not given. A silence that cost too much. That building, that place… it feels like Miranda. Not because it's dead. But because someone left it—hoping it might save someone else.

    In the first episode of Firefly, Malcolm Reynolds is fighting in Serenity Valley. A soldier standing next to him is terrified that they are gonna die. Mal tells him, "we're too pretty to die." He's filled with so much hope. A moment later he watches in horror as his air support leaves. He watches his Angels fly away as the soldier next to him is shot down.

    Two-thirds of the Independents died in the Battle of Serenity Valley. Two-thirds of Mal's fellow soldiers did not make it home. And yet he lived. He was preserved.

    MUCH LIKE THE SECRET WORD OF THE DAY. WHAT WAS PRESERVED?

    Were you ever left behind? How did you move forward?

    Music is my safe place. That's one of the reasons I wrote "Serenity Valley Waltz". I wanted a song for survivors. For those who were left behind. To not just face the future, but to also take care of the next generation.

    This is why I spend so much time thinking about sustainability and my music career. Are we making a life preserver for the next generation? For my daughters?

    I've been reading the book Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. He does an amazing job at illustrating the tipping point of climate change. When we HAVE to start doing something about it. The very first chapters of the book lay out a horror that brought tears to my eyes. Especially when I imagined what my children will most likely face at some point.

    We can use that life preserver right now by changing how we do stuff right now. And perhaps music can be our guiding light. Our healer. Our hope.

    "Serenity Valley Waltz" is a song all about healing and hope. It's about overcoming our nightmares and looking out across the ocean from the Isle of Man and seeing a better future for all of us.

    This song is for the places that hold pain. But also for the objects that remind us to stay afloat. That round red and white ring… it didn't save a life today. But it might tomorrow. This is Serenity Valley Waltz."

    16:19 - NEWS

    Thank you for standing on the shore with me today. The Calf of Man may be forgotten, but its story, like yours, is worth remembering. Next week, we climb to Tintagel, the seat of Camelot, to raise a glass to myths and farewells. Until then… Leave something behind. Not because you're going… But because someone might come looking.

    19:30 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    9 September 2025, 12:00 am
  • 26 minutes 52 seconds
    Quest & Chorus #1: Don't Blink at Kilmartin (special feature)

    Quest & Chorus is a six-part series where I share songs, stories, and places along with a game to make the adventure even more fun. This is the first episode in your quest.

    A reminder to be present with those who you love, while we travel through time to Kilmartin Glen in Scotland.

    This is Quest & Chorus on Folk Songs & Stories #305

    0:12 - Tan and Sober Gentlemen "All the Time" from Regressive Folk Music

    4:18 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

    Where legends meet lyrics, and every place sings a story. I'm your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus, and we begin our journey in a place where time stands still, literally.

    Welcome to Kilmartin Glen, in Scotland. A valley lined with stones that don't move, don't blink, and yet they watch… As you and I walk the long path of memory, love, and time itself.

    If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    NEWS

    4:55 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    5:05 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

    In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

    6:02 - Tulua "Rambling Boys of Pleasure" from No Coming No Going

    11:48 - The Secret Commonwealth "Dubhachas (I'll Dream of Times Like This)" from Last Call

    The ads on this podcast pay for some of the hosting and podcast editing. My time producing the show is paid for by my…

    15:43 - GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

    Thank you so much for your generous support of my music. Patreon is how the modern musician makes a living with music. Album Pin and CD sales help me to perform in person. But my livelihood is entirely funded by Patrons of the Arts.

    You can sign up for as little as $5 per month. You'll get exclusive, unreleased songs. You'll get this and other podcasts I produce. Plus, you'll get access to a huge archive of video concerts. Email follow@celtfather to get more details!

    If you can't support me financially right now, just sign up on Patreon for free. You'll also get weekly updates.

    Please leave a comment on the podcast show notes at pubsong.com or wherever you're listening. You can also message me on Facebook. Email me, send me pictures of where you're listening. follow@celtfather

    Let's begin the…

    16:54 - QUEST & CHORUS of KILMARTIN GLEN

    In a valley near the West Coast of Scotland is Kilmartin Glen. There you will find standing stones. Not one or two, but many laid out like a memory.

    Kilmartin Glen is considered to have one of the most important concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland. There are more than 350 ancient monuments within a six mile radius of the village, with 150 of them being prehistoric.

    In the glen that we visited, we got a nice sized taste of those monuments. If you stand still long enough, you might be able to look back into time, like the TARDIS from Doctor Who. But these time machines don't fly, they stand cold and alone, watching everything, never blinking. Count the stones in the cover image and let prime numbers guide you to unlock your first Quest.

    These stones watched lovers part and children grow old. And in their stillness, they remember everything. They carry the weight of forgotten voyages.

    They are beautiful. And they are a little bit sad.

    That sadness seemed appropriate in 2022 when I led my Celtic Invasion of Scotland to Kilmartin Glen. The group was shrinking due to Covid. The feeling as people left the group.

    This song, 'Blink,' was born of that fear, the fear of blinking and losing something beautiful. Of falling in love with someone so radiant, so unique, that you fear time itself. But also…

    It's a love song for the moment. It's for every second you choose to stay present, even when it hurts.

    Learn more about my song #277 "Blink".

    Unlock the secret page.

    22:31 - Marc Gunn "Blink" from Come Adventure With Me

    That's the end of today's tale, but the song lives on.

    Come back next week as we sail the Calf of Man through loss and resilience.

    Until then, don't blink. Don't look away.

    And may your memories always sing.

    26:04 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories #doctorwhoblink #kilmartinstones #questandchorus

    26 August 2025, 12:00 am
  • 28 minutes 39 seconds
    Harry Potter Rising of the Moon: The Cat Who Lived (to Sing Irish Songs) #304

    Wanna hear a Harry Potter inspired cat song? Plus learn some facts about whether you should declaw your cat. Celebrate Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers' 20th anniversary with this special podcast of the new and the old.

    This is Folk Songs & Stories #304

    0:34 - Marc Gunn "Rising of the Moon" from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion

    2:40 - WELCOME TO FOLK SONGS & STORIES

    I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic folk musician living in Atlanta, Georgia and host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I'm also a cat lover as you'll hear later on in the show.

    If you're new to the show, please subscribe. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    Got a cat picture? Send it to me to post in the podcast.

    NEWS

    3:23 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    4:16 - Blibbering Humdingers "No Shame in Hufflepuff" from Free Awkward Hugs

    8:21 - SUPPORT THE CLUB

    The show is brought to you by my supporters on Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast or my music, please join the Club. You get something new every week. It could be a blog, an exclusive podcast, downloadable song, printed sheet music, or stories from the road. Plus, you'll get access to all of my Coffee with The Celtfather video concert series. Email follow@celtfather !

    If you can't support me financially, just sign up on Patreon for free. Special thanks to our newest and returning patrons:

    CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I lead a small group of people on an exciting adventure to one of the Celtic nations and other exciting locations. In 2026, we're going on a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Galicia is indeed one of the more obscure Celtic nations to those of us who are most familiar with Ireland and Scotland.

    Find out more at CelticInvasion.com.

    9:52 - CAT MUSIC LOVERS #6: "HARRY POTTER AND THE RISING OF THE MOON" & DECLAWING CATS FAQ

    Why you should not declaw your cats, and some great alternatives, plus a cat silliness on the net.

    Cat Music & News

    • Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers now available
    • The Mows, a daily cat web comic
    • Stuff On My Cat, pictures of cats with things on them.
    • My Cat Hates You.com, Pictures of sneering putty tats
    • House of Dra, designer shirts for Renaissance & Celtic Festivals,
    • Cats I Met on the Road
      • Artemis (She's a tabby colored singularity...)
      • Cassiopeia (Cassie for short, she used to belong to Satan, but he couldn't handle her so he dumped her off at MadLadyRed's house.)
      • The kitties were Cicero (the big gray that tried to conquer my car), Ophelia (the nervous orange one), and Fortuna.
    • Declawing FAQ, Original article was written by Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling
    • Declawing Alternatives,
    • Another declawing alternative is Soft Paws, or call 1-800-989-2542.
    • Irish Drinking Songs, the Cat Lover's Companion CD

    Special thanks to these suppporters: Susan Saint-Lockhart, Charles Walker, Scott Robinson, Jennifer L. Sperry, Shelley Oden, Elizabeth Northrup, R N Goddard, Mary Mealiffe, Larry Lochner, Catherine Devine, David & Deborah Kaye Bibb, Kathryn Robinson, Charlotte Straight, Tay Aston, Fred Milano, Sandra Bobleter, Shelley Clifford, Matthew Williams, Dennise D Hunting, Roger Skulsky, Brenda Jarvis, Virginia Page, Kelli McLaughlin, Alan Brown, Steve Shonk, Fireball Express, Sarah leonard & Sarah Gruetz, Rebecca Jordan, Sara Carman, Beth Beal

    The Cat Lovers Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn.

    24:45 - Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats "Harry Potter and the Rising of the Moon" from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

    harry potter/rising of the moon

    autoharp, lead vocal: Marc Gunn

    banjo: franco bordoni

    fiddle: James "Cedric" Hazlerig

    dombek: Michelle Hedden

    bass: Ari Koinuma

    bgv: Marc Gunn, Ben Hamby, Blake McCaig, Sarah Dinan

    27:10 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Folk Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Have fun and sing along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    1 July 2025, 12:00 am
  • 25 minutes 40 seconds
    Lord of the Pounce: A Feline Folk Fantasy #303

    Make sure your cat is drinking water. Cats love to pounce. It's another 20th anniversary celebration of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers as I share the story behind "Lord of the Pounce".

    This is Folk Songs & Stories #303

    0:29 - Marc Gunn "Lord of the Dance" from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion

    3:05 - WELCOME TO FOLK SONGS & STORIES

    I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic folk musician living in Atlanta, Georgia and host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I'm also a cat lover as you'll hear later on in the show.

    If you're new to the show, please subscribe. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    Got a cat picture? Send it to me to post in the podcast.

    NEWS

    3:51 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    5:09 - Ruth Keggin & Rachel Hair "Mish as y Keayn" from LOSSAN

    9:54 - SUPPORT THE CLUB

    The show is brought to you by my supporters on Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast or my music, please join the Club. You get something new every week. It could be a blog, an exclusive podcast, downloadable song, printed sheet music, or stories from the road. Plus, you'll get access to all of my Coffee with The Celtfather video concert series. Email follow@celtfather !

    If you can't support me financially, just sign up on Patreon for free. Special thanks to our newest and returning patrons:

    CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I lead a small group of people on an exciting adventure to one of the Celtic nations and other exciting locations. In 2026, we're going on a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Galicia is indeed one of the more obscure Celtic nations to those of us who are most familiar with Ireland and Scotland.

    Find out more at CelticInvasion.com.

    11:33 - CAT MUSIC LOVERS #5: "LORD OF THE POUNCE" AND CAT VET VISIT

    TnT's Annual Visit to the Vet, Cat CD House Concerts, Kitten War, Cats need to drink lots of water, "Lord of the Pounce"

    • TnT's Annual Visit to the Vet
    • Cat CD House Concerts
    • Thanks to the Musicians on the CD. Some will be at the Austin Celtic Festival this November, including: Heather Gilmer, Sarah Dinan, Cedric of the Bedlam Bards and Christopher Buckley of Cluan.
    • Kitten War
    • Cats need to drink lots of water
    • I want to offer Special Thanks to these Kind Supporters: Molly McDevitt, Pamela Worsham, Carole Simpsons, Robert Freeborn, Aaron Williams
    • Vote for the Cat Lovers Podcast at Podcast Alley, no longer available.

    I want to offer Special Thanks to these Kind Supporters: Lanora Davidson of Things Celtic, Ashley Crawford, Kim Lambert, Dorothy Washburn, Holly Hill, Theresa Pittman, John Wohlers, Michele Piantà from Italy, Joshua Summit, Patrick Patterson, Zia King of Fifth House Candles – Cat Candles.

    20:46 - Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats "Lord of the Pounce" from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

    lord of the pounce

    autoharp, lead vocal: Marc Gunn

    fiddle: Heather Gilmer

    bass, guitar: Ari Koinuma

    bgv: Marc Gunn, Ben Hamby, Blake McCaig, Sarah Dinan

    CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Folk Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Have fun and sing along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    24 June 2025, 12:00 am
  • 27 minutes 18 seconds
    Catnipping Green: Where Good Kitties Go #302

    What happens when a kitty passes from this life to the next? It's filled with milk and catnip and all the luxuries a cat could possibly enjoy. Hear the story of "Catnipping Green" as we celebrate 20 years of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers.

    This is Folk Songs & Stories #302

    0:34 - Marc Gunn "Fiddler's Green" from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion

    4:38 - WELCOME TO FOLK SONGS & STORIES

    I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic folk musician living in Atlanta, Georgia and host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I'm also a cat lover as you'll hear later on in the show. This show is for fans of my music.

    If you're new to the show, please subscribe. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    Got a cat picture? Send it to me to post in the podcast.

    NEWS

    5:20 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    6:26 - Socks in the Frying Pan "Irelands Struggle" from Waiting for Inspiration

    10:49 - SUPPORT THE CLUB

    The show is brought to you by my supporters on Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast or my music, please join the Club. You get something new every week. It could be a blog, an exclusive podcast, downloadable song, printed sheet music, or stories from the road. Plus, you'll get access to all of my Coffee with The Celtfather video concert series. Email follow@celtfather !

    If you can't support me financially, just sign up on Patreon for free. Special thanks to our newest and returning patrons:

    CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I lead a small group of people on an exciting adventure to one of the Celtic nations and other exciting locations. In 2025, we're going on a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Galicia is indeed one of the more obscure Celtic nations to those of us who are most familiar with Ireland and Scotland.

    Find out more at CelticInvasion.com.

    12:01 - CAT MUSIC LOVERS #4: "CATNIPPING GREEN" AND BATHING YOUR CAT (REBOOT)

    The martial art of bathing your cat and cat world domination in action on Cat Drinking Songs.

    Cat Music & News

    • Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers
    • Cat World Domination in Action
    • Cat Bathing as a Martial Art
    • "Catnipping Green" by The Dubliners' Tabby Cats
    • Vote for the Cat Lovers Podcast at Podcast Alley

    Cat Lover Websites

    I want to offer Special Thanks to these Kind Supporters: Lanora Davidson of Things Celtic, Ashley Crawford, Kim Lambert, Dorothy Washburn, Holly Hill, Theresa Pittman, John Wohlers, Michele Piantà from Italy, Joshua Summit, Patrick Patterson, Zia King of Fifth House Candles – Cat Candles.

    21:43 - Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats "Catnipping Green" from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

    autoharp, lead vocal: Marc Gunn

    penny whistle: April Porter

    bass, piano, mandolin: Ari Koinuma

    bgv: Sarah Dinan

    26:06 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Folk Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Have fun and sing along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    10 June 2025, 12:00 am
  • 25 minutes
    Furagone's Wake: Zombie Cats and One Wild Party #301

    Can cats become zombies, outside of Stephen King's Pet Sematary? Apparently, it happens in songs too. I'll share the story behind "Furagone's Wake" and another Cat Lovers Podcast episode. We're celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers.

    This is Folk Songs & Stories #301

    0:34 - Marc Gunn "Finnegan's Wake" from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion

    3:16 - WELCOME TO FOLK SONGS & STORIES

    I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic folk musician living in Atlanta, Georgia and host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I'm also a cat lover as you'll hear later on in the show.

    If you're new to the show, please subscribe. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

    NEWS

    3:48 - UPCOMING SHOWS

    4:35 - Kinnfolk "Byker Hill" from Kinnfolk

    6:26 - SUPPORT THE CLUB

    The show is brought to you by my supporters on Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast or my music, please join the Club. You get something new every week. It could be a blog, an exclusive podcast, downloadable song, printed sheet music, or stories from the road. Plus, you'll get access to all of my Coffee with The Celtfather video concert series. Email follow@celtfather !

    If you can't support me financially, just sign up on Patreon for free. Special thanks to our newest and returning patrons:

    CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

    Every year, I lead a small group of people on an exciting adventure to one of the Celtic nations and other exciting locations. In 2025, we're going on a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Galicia is indeed one of the more obscure Celtic nations to those of us who are most familiar with Ireland and Scotland.

    Find out more at CelticInvasion.com.

    7:12 - CAT MUSIC LOVERS #3: " FURAGONE'S WAKE", CATNIP FAQ (REBOOT)

    How to know if your cat is plotting world domination and a funny story about fresh catnip on Cat Music Lovers Podcast.

    Cat Music & News

    • Cat Medical News – Catnip FAQ
    • Pet Product Could Harm Your Cat
    • The 16 Signs Your Cat Is Plotting World Domination
    • Irish Drinking Song for Cat Lovers News

    21:14 - Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats "Furagone's Wake" from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

    Based on the Irish folk song, "Finnegan's Wake", this cat song tells the story of a Sphynx Cat who loses his ninth life. His fellow cats gather for a wake that turns into one big cat fight. Look for it on my Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers CD.

    furagone's wake

    autoharp, lead vocal: Marc Gunn

    mandola: James "Cedric" Hazlerig

    bass, mandolin, maracas: Ari Koinuma

    bgv: Marc Gunn, Ben Hamby, Ari Koinuma

    comments & sound effects: Marc Gunn, Ben Hamby

    24:00 - CREDITS

    Thanks for listening to Folk Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

    You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.

    Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

    Have fun and sing along at www.pubsong.com!

    #pubstories

    3 June 2025, 12:00 am
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