Broadcasting Thurs April 2nd at 1pm. Repeated Thurs April 9th at 1pm
O’Donoghue’s Pub, Merrion Row, Dublin, is celebrated as the birthplace of The Dubliners and a home for spontaneous traditional and folk sessions—but behind the music lies a deeper story. In the 1950s and ’60s, as waves of young people arrived from rural Ireland, the pub became a crucible where city and country styles collided. Amid post-war social change, European and American folk, skiffle, and rhythm and blues met with Irish melodies to forge a new, modern sound, yet true to the tradition. This was more than a meeting place—it was the heartbeat of a cultural awakening that reshaped Irish music at home and across the world.
Across two episodes, O’Donoghue’s: Birthpalce of Dublin Pub Sessions brings together legendary voices—, Finbar Furey, Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynihan, Paddy Keenan and others—to tell the story of how a modest Dublin pub became the engine of a global folk revival. The series, produced and presented by Tommy Fegan, traces the intertwining of traditional instrumental music,ballads and protest songs, and the evolution of a living musical tradition that echoed Ireland’s changing social and political landscape. This is the story of a sound—and a spirit—that still defines a nation.
Credits and Contributors
A big thanks to O’Donoghues Pub, Dublin
Old O’Donoghue’s Facebook page: Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynahan, Finbar Furey, Gerry McCartney, Phelim Drew, Peter Woods
O’Donohue’s Reunion: Frank McNamara, Néillidh Mulligan, Tom Mulligan, Paddy Keenan, Niall McDonagh, Frank Owens, Tommy Chambers, Brendan Freeman, Pat Sheeran, Ann Diver
Production Tem
Producer and Narrator: Tommy Fegan
Editor: Donagh McKeown, Love Lurgan.
O’Donoghue’s Recordings and Tech Support: Paul Loughran, Near FM, Dublin
Research assistant; Ann Diver
Made with the support of Coimisiún Na Mean with the Television License fee.
