Paul McDermott

Educator – Broadcaster – Documentary Producer – Writer

Latest Documentary:

An Draíocht
the music of Sliabh Luachra

A Learn & Sing production for RTÉ Lyric fm.

“An Draíocht is an evocative reminder of the magical role music can play in our lives.” Mick Heaney – The Irish Times

“An Draíocht is a powerful piece on the music of Sliabh Luachra.” Declan Lynch – Sunday Independent

Podcast & Further Information

Documentaries Playlist:

Latest Podcast Episode:

Latest Articles:

To Here Knows When -
Great Irish Albums Revisited:
1977
by Ash

by Paul McDermott
The Goo - Issue 23 (May 2024)

To Here Knows When -
Great Irish Albums Revisited:
Heartworm
by Whipping Boy

by Paul McDermott
The Goo - Issue 22 (April 2024)

Featured Blog Posts:

Top 10 Irish Songs*

“Top 10 Irish songs” taking in: “best of” lists, subjectivity, lost 80s classics, cover versions, The Royal Showband, an orange and cream 1970s Fidelity turntable and keeping music evil. Last week the Irish Independent published a “best of” list titled “The best Irish songs of all time”. Their list was subtitled “ranked: the definitive top 50”. Let’s agree on one thing straight away, “best of” lists are ridiculous, they’re also simultaneously highly entertaining and incredibly frustrating.

*Today

Peter Watkins’ Privilege

“Peter Watkins’ Privilege” taking in: Paul Jones, Manfred Mann, Jean Shrimpton, Terence Stamp, Tom Jones, Patti Smith, Mike Leander, Eureka Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema series, Punishment Park and The War Game. “A film so bizarre, so controversial, it shall crucify your mind to the tree of conscience.” They don’t write taglines like that anymore.

Steve Albini - An Appreciation

“Steve Albini - An Appreciation” taking in: Big Black, Shellac, The Wedding Present, Pixies, Nirvana, Palace, Slint, Low, Connolly’s of Leap, Nancy Spains, Sir Henry’s, Bandicoot Promotions, Zeitgeist magazine, Adrian Crowley, Nina Nastasia, Palace Music, Magnolia Electric Co, Bikini Kill, Dirty Three and The Auteurs.

Julian Cope’s Postcards

“Julian Cope’s Postcards” taking in: Krautrocksampler, Cope’s Notes, Julian Cope and Donald Ross Skinner’s Rite, Faith magazine, 1993’s The Acoustic Tour, bootleg tapes, John Cooper Clarke, The Modern Antiquarian, Royal Kilmainham Hospital, Vinyl Dublin, stone circles, Gaulstown Dolmen and The Heavy Camel Corps of the Sudan campaign of 1885.

Werner Herzog in Ireland

“Werner Herzog in Ireland” taking in: Skellig Michael and Skellig Bheag; Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry; Reek Sunday; Croagh Patrick; Popol Vuh; Joy Division; Ian Curtis; Factory Records; dead wax inscriptions; Fitzcarraldo; Aguirre; the Wrath of God; Heart of Glass; The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser; cinema lobby cards and secondhand records.

Blog Archive

Instagram

View fullsize To Here Knows When- Great Irish Albums Revisited Episode 42 - Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft by Stano On this episode I’m joined by Stano for a deep dive into his debut album Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft released in 1983.
View fullsize Happy 4th of July! #nowplaying🎧 Galaxie 500 #4thofjuly #fourthofjuly #vinylcollection #vinylrecords #vinyl #galaxie500
View fullsize
View fullsize Public Service Broadcasting - The Race for Space #nowlistening🎧 #nowspinning #publicservicebroadcasting #theraceforspace #vinylcollection #vinylrecords #vinyl
View fullsize Pizzicato Five - Happy End of the World #nowplaying🎧 #nowspinning #pizzicatofive #vinyl #vinylrecords #vinylcollection
View fullsize Episode 42 of #ToHereKnowsWhen #GreatIrishAlbumsRevisited will feature Stano's Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft. Stano’s 1983 debut album of avant-garde electronic music was years ahead of its time and quite rightly deserves its place
View fullsize
View fullsize
View fullsize
View fullsize Songs To Learn And Sing EP 968 11pm Wednesday, 26 June 2024 Last night's playlist. 10 songs I'd include in my own personal list of "the best Irish songs of all time." New blog. Top 10 Irish songs taking in: “best of” lists, s
View fullsize Section 25 - Always Now #nowlistening🎧 #nowspinning #vinylcollection #vinylrecords #factoryrecords
View fullsize No Journeys End - the story of Michael O'Shea. Sun 23 June, 6pm @rtelyricfm Michael pictured with Sean O'Hagan in Cork 1982.