David A Dunlop was born and raised in north Antrim; he divides his time between there and his home in west Donegal. He spent many years in education, both as a teacher and as a school leader; in those roles he exercised his passion to bring together young people from across the various political and religious traditions in Ireland, north and south, so as to encourage a shared understanding of their history and culture.

His six novels, as with a number of musical dramas he wrote and produced during his career in Limavady High School, have historical and cross-cultural themes, and draw on his experience of performance in various musical genres.

The podcast includes an excerpt from David's song "Covenant" sung by his daughter
Ciara Young.

Eilidh (pronounced EYElee) is a warm, engaging singer songwriter of startling clarity.  With songs that cut straight to the heart, delightfully accurate guitar playing, and crystal clear vocals, Eilidh immediately connects with audiences everywhere. 

Having released 5 studio albums and an EP to date, Eilidh (from Derry, N. Ireland) is a hard-working independent artist who is driven by her desire to connect with people.  This desire has seen her perform regularly across Northern Ireland and at festivals such as SxSW in Austin TX (3 times), Folk Alliance in Memphis TN, and Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland.  

Over the years she has worked with established artists in the folk scene both in the studio and on stage, most notably with Beth Nielsen Chapman.  Regularly appearing on TV and radio, Eilidh has taken part in many live broadcasts and programmes for BBC NI and her music is played on radio stations across the UK and Ireland. 

https://eilidhpatterson.com/

Steve Stockman in conversation with Zach Trouton 

The trú was a mythological trio of poet-musicians in ancient Ulster. They were revered throughout the Celtic world, some believing their songs and stories came to them from the future. Others maintained that the trú were possessed by spirits during performance. As such, they were considered gatekeepers to the Otherworld.

It’s here where this Northern Irish trio draws their inspiration. Zachary Trouton,  Michael Mormecha and Dónal Kearney grew up with different musical palettes, but also came from distinct cultural identities as children of the Peace Agreement in Northern Ireland. The trio has mixed heritage (British-Ukrainian and Irish Nationalist) and together they have fostered an unusual and fruitful collaborative ethos based on respect and exploration. Leaning into their individuality, an eclectic repertoire of influences (from Clannad to Nine Inch Nails via Joni Mitchell and The Beatles) makes for an intriguing chemistry.