The District Music Podcast

What makes Irish songwriting so special? In this episode of the District Music Podcast, brought to you by An Post as part of the Making Better Happen campaign, Rachel and Dray explore the words, stories and voices behind some of Ireland’s greatest songs. From Sinéad O’Connor, Phil Lynott and Dolores O’Riordan to Christy Moore and Paul Brady, they ask what makes a songwriter truly great, after hearing from Kabin Crew about finding your voice, putting words on a page and the power songwriting can have for young people.

This week on the District Music Podcast, Rachel and Dray unpack Oasis’ return to Slane Castle and the history tying the band to Ireland’s most iconic live venue. They look at CMAT’s latest international milestone on SNL UK, before getting into the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s US tour following his pro-Palestinian statements, and what it says about politics, artists and the commercial machinery behind live music.

Dray chats to actor and writer Ciarán McMenamin about Skintown, his semi-autobiographical story of youth, rave culture and escape in 1990s Northern Ireland. Set in Enniskillen during the summer of the 1994 IRA ceasefire, Skintown captures a generation more concerned with music, friendship and getting to the next rave than the divisions they had inherited. They discuss the real experiences that inspired the story, the role rave culture played in breaking down sectarian barriers, and why music offered young people a rare sense of freedom at a pivotal moment in Northern Irish history.

On this episode we talk about all the latest headlines in the music zeitgeist. Dray talks about his experience at the wrestling-music hybrid event 'Clash At The Quays' as well as attending the Frost Children afterparty. This segways into a chat about the yearn for nostalgia in the modern day and the trickle down influence of the late 2000s and early 2010s. We also explore two huge lawsuits in the music world which surfaced this week: the CCPC vs Ticketmaster over Oasis at Croke Park and Athropic AI vs Sony and Warner Music over data scarping of artists.

Fontaines D.C. have gone from Dublin post-punk hopefuls to one of the biggest bands in the world. This week, we look back at their rise and rank our five favourite tracks of all time, from early Dogrel anthems to the reinvention of Romance. Plus, we hear your picks, give our bonus tracks, and look ahead to what comes next for the band.

This week, Rachel and Dray catch up on Electric Picnic 2026 before getting into one of the biggest Irish gig announcements in years: Fontaines D.C. are heading to Slane. Plus, Olivia Rodrigo launched her own women-led festival, the music world pays tribute to Dolly Parton, and there’s a major update in the long-running Tupac Shakur murder case.

Electric Picnic weekend is here. Rachel and Dray dive into the festival’s evolution from a 10,000-person boutique experiment to Ireland’s biggest music festival, revisit some legendary line-ups and pick the artists you need to catch at Stradbally this year. Plus, This Week in Music History and a final Track to Impress Your Mates With.

Phil Lynott would have turned 77 today. To celebrate, Rachel and Dray look back at the life, music and legacy of the Thin Lizzy frontman before sitting down with legendary Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick to talk friendship, art and the visual world he helped create around the band.Plus, This Week in Music History.

Fairies have shaped Irish folklore for centuries, but they've also left an unmistakable mark on Irish music. In this episode, Rachel Mae Hannon sits down with Luke Conroy of the Pisrógs podcast to uncover the strange relationship between traditional music and the supernatural. From haunting fairy melodies and musicians lured into the Otherworld to banshees, changelings and the legends behind Ireland's most mysterious tunes, they explore how folklore has influenced generations of artists. Together, they also discuss why these stories continue to resonate today, and what they reveal about Ireland's cultural imagination, oral tradition and enduring musical identity.