Music At Maddens Podcast

Music at Madden’s Podcast #043 “No Turning Back” with Gino Lupari

Fáilte isteach to another episode of Music at Madden’s Podcast with me, Lynette Fay. Joining us in the snug this week is the one and only Gino Lupari — bodhrán player extraordinaire, storyteller, comedian, and long-time member of the legendary Four Men and a Dog. In this episode, Gino takes us through a life in music, from discovering the bodhrán, learning from greats like Séamus Kane and Arty McGlynn, and forming Four Men and a Dog, to touring the world, meeting The Band, recording in Woodstock, and eventually stepping out on his own with his solo album No Turning Back. As always with Gino, the conversation could go anywhere — and it does. Expect brilliant stories, plenty of laughs, reflections on friendship, performance, tradition, and what it really means to spend a lifetime “still at the music.”

Music at Madden’s Podcast #042 “Starry Lane to Monaghan” with Pádraig McGovern and Sabina McCague

Fáilte isteach to another episode of Music at Madden’s Podcast with me, Lynette Fay. Joining us in the snug this week are two of Ireland’s foremost traditional musicians, Pádraig Mc Govern and Sabina McCague. Pádraig, originally from Ballymagovern on the Cavan-Leitrim border, is a renowned uilleann piper who has recorded with numerous artists over the years. His recording of Easter Snow and Sally Gally with Ryan Molloy was also shortlisted in the Best Folk Track category at the 2021 RTÉ Folk Awards. Sabina McCague from Co. Monaghan is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, equally at home on harp and fiddle. She has performed across Ireland, Europe and the USA, and is also a respected teacher, having taught at Scoil Eigse, The Joe Mooney Summer School and The Francis O’Neill Irish Arts Festival in Chicago. Together, Pádraig and Sabina have recently released their new album Starry Lane to Monaghan, a beautiful collection of tunes gathered from sessions, recordings, archives and their own home, reflecting their shared love of the tradition, their musical journey, and life together as husband and wife. We had great craic recording this one, with plenty of warm husband-and-wife banter throughout, as well as a gorgeous conversation about old Irish music, the harp, the uilleann pipes, and the friendships, places and moments that shape a life in music.

Music at Madden’s Podcast #041 “Perfectionism, Sessions & Finding the Balance” with Stevie Dunne

Joining us in the snug this week is prominent banjo and guitar player Stevie Dunne. Originally from the small fishing port of Clogherhead in County Louth, Stevie now lives just outside Belfast, where he has been a pivotal figure in the traditional Irish music scene for over 20 years. Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s finest banjo players, Stevie has released three acclaimed albums: About Time in 2010, Banjo in 2012, and Live at the Crosskeys Inn in 2018. In this episode, Stevie chats about first picking up the guitar, discovering the banjo, and the stories he has gathered from years of playing sessions and performing. He also speaks honestly about how perfectionism can often get in the way, and how the balance between work, home life and session playing now suits him perfectly. Stevie also reflects on coming to Belfast to train as a nurse, how nursing became such an important part of his life, and why music continues to fit so naturally alongside it. A warm, thoughtful conversation about tunes, tradition, stories, balance and finding joy in the music.

Music at Madden’s Podcast #040 “Folk, Family & Finding the Song” with Joshua Burnside

In episode 40 of Music at Madden’s, Lynette Fay welcomes Joshua Burnside to the Snug. Joshua talks about his life in music, from discovering folk and traditional songs to developing his own distinctive sound as a songwriter. He reflects on the stories, places and people that inspire his work, the influence of Belfast, and the way songs can carry memory, identity and meaning through generations. The conversation also touches on family, creativity, local history, and Joshua’s approach to keeping old traditions alive while still making music that feels fresh, personal and completely his own. A thoughtful conversation with one of Ireland’s most distinctive contemporary songwriters.

Music at Madden’s Podcast #039 “El Paso, Belonging & Letting Go” with David Keenan

In this episode, I’m joined in the Snug by singer-songwriter, storyteller, and truth-teller David Keenan. From the very first song he wrote as a 14-year-old growing up in Dundalk—El Paso—David reflects on identity, belonging, and finding his voice in a world where he often felt like an outsider. We talk about the power of singing in your own accent, the influence of his grandfather, and how storytelling, poetry, and music became his way of making sense of the world. David also opens up about the pressures of the music industry, his personal struggles with mental health and addiction, and the journey toward healing, self-awareness, and letting go. There’s a deep dive into his latest album Just For Today, recorded and released in a single day, capturing a raw, spontaneous energy that reflects where he is now—grounded, honest, and creatively free. From grassroots gigs across Ireland to the mythology of the Cooley Peninsula, this is a conversation about reconnecting—with place, with people, and with yourself. A powerful, honest, and deeply human chat with one of Ireland’s most compelling voices.