This Is Where I Live

This Is Where I Live was compiled for Saint Patrick’s Day 2024. It’s the equivalent of a 5CD set showcasing my favourite Irish rock tracks spanning three decades from 1970 to 1999. The cover photo was taken outside Mount Garrett Castle during the early morning stillness of Saint Stephen’s Day 2021. The camera was focused on the opposite side of the road, a lesser-traveled path. For convenience, it’s just one long Spotify playlist but when compiling it, I based my selections on creating five different CDs, each with their own vibe.

CD1 is tracks 1-20 and is primarily 1970s trad, folk and rock with a jazzy finish.
CD2 covers tracks 21-45 and the timeline spans 1977 to 1984 with a strong emphasis on local punk from all over the island & its aftermath. Lots of short, sharp shocks.
CD3 is tracks 46-66 and runs from 1984 to 1989, my secondary school years. Many of the selections were first heard on Dave Fanning’s show and remain firm favourites ever since.
CD4 made up of tracks 67-87, concentrates on 1990 to 1992. Those early Féile festivals, my first years in Dublin, getting to grips with glorious flatland and the freedom that ensued.
CD5 is tracks 88-106 and picks up the story in 1993, running until the end of the decade. Lots of memories from seeing these bands play live. Fanzines, Fosters and fun.

CD1
01 Intro: Tomás Ó Domhnalláin – Tá _ Agam
02 Seán Ó Riada – Aisling Gheal
03 Dr. Strangely Strange – Sign On My Mind
04 The Woods Band – Dreams
05 Thin Lizzy – The Friendly Ranger At Clontarf Castle
06 Tír na nÓg – Boat Song
07 Christy Moore – The Dark-Eyed Sailor
08 Jonathan Kelly – Madeleine
09 Mellow Candle – Heaven Heath
10 Planxty – The Cliffs Of Dooneen
11 Mushroom – Unborn Child
12 MacMurrough – Cuan Bhaile Na Cúirte
13 Clannad – Coinleach Glas An Fhómhair
14 Loudest Whisper – Overture
15 Horslips – King Of The Fairies
16 Andy Irvine & Paul Brady – Arthur McBride
17 Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin – The Wexford Carol
18 Supply, Demand & Curve – When You’re By Yourself
19 Van Morrison – Joyous Sound
20 Joe O’Donnell – Caravan

CD2
01 The Boomtown Rats – Mary Of The Fourth Form (Single Version)
02 The Radiators From Space – Television Screen (Single Version)
03 Rudi – Big Time
04 Victim – Strange Thing By Night
05 The Outcasts – You’re A Disease (Single Version)
06 Protex – Don’t Ring Me Up
07 Stiff Little Fingers – Suspect Device (Single Version)
08 The Moondogs – She’s Nineteen
09 Ruefrex – One By One
10 The Undertones – You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It)
11 The Zipps – Don’t Tell The Detectives
12 The Tearjerkers – Murder Mystery
13 U2 – 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
14 Nun Attax – White Cortina
15 Tony Koklin – Claude Monet
16 The Blades – Ghost Of A Chance
17 Big Self – Don’t Turn Around
18 The Camino Organisation – Human Voices
19 The Atrix – Triad
20 Virgin Prunes – Baby Turns Blue
21 Stano – Room
22 Michael O’Shea – Kerry
23 Microdisney – Pink Skinned Man
24 Those Nervous Animals – Just What The Sucker Wanted
25 Blue In Heaven – Julie Cries

CD3
01 Silent Running – Young Hearts
02 The Adventures – Feel The Raindrops
03 Andy White – Religious Persuasion
04 Barry Warner – Real Man
05 Cactus World News – The Bridge (EP Version)
06 The Golden Horde – The Curse
07 Stump – Buffalo (C86 Version)
08 The Stars Of Heaven – Sacred Heart Hotel
09 Aslan – This Is (1986 Single Mix)
10 Pierce Turner – Wicklow Hills (Single Edit)
11 Cry Before Dawn – Gone Forever
12 In Tua Nua – Seven Into The Sea
13 Operating Theatre – Queen Of No Heart
14 Sinéad O’Connor – Troy
15 That Petrol Emotion – Cellophane
16 Hey Paulette – Commonplace
17 The Stunning – Got To Get Away
18 Toasted Heretic – Galway Bay
19 The 4 Of Us – Washington Down
20 Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer – Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves
21 The Pogues – Misty Morning, Albert Bridge

CD4
01 The Fat Lady Sings – Dronning Maud Land
02 Mary Coughlan – Invisible To You
03 The Hothouse Flowers – Give It Up
04 Hinterland – Desert Boots
05 Energy Orchard – Sailortown
06 An Emotional Fish – Grey Matter
07 The Would Be’s – I’m Hardly Ever Wrong
08 Into Paradise – Bring Me Closer
09 Fatima Mansions – Blues For Ceausescu
10 Whipping Boy – Switchblade Smile
11 My Bloody Valentine – To Here Knows When (EP Version)
12 The Cranberries – Uncertain
13 The Harvest Ministers – You Do My World A World Of Good
14 Brian – You Don’t Want A Boyfriend
15 The Frames – The Dancer
16 The Frank & Walters – Walter’s Trip
17 Sultans Of Ping F.C. – Veronica
18 The Pale – Dogs With No Tails
19 Something Happens! – Daisyhead
20 Engine Alley – Infamy
21 Power Of Dreams – There I Go Again

CD5
01 The Divine Comedy – Lucy
02 Brilliant Trees – Home
03 Blink – Going To Nepal
04 Sack – What Did The Christians Ever Do For Us?
05 Therapy? – Turn
06 Revelino – Happiness Is Mine
07 Catchers – Cotton Dress
08 Compulsion – Basket Case
09 Ash – Petrol
10 Wormhole – Lay It On
11 Mexican Pets – Subside
12 The Sewing Room – Drugfree
13 The High Llamas – Checking In, Checking Out
14 Cathal Coughlan – Unbroken Ones
15 A House – Without Dreams
16 Rollerskate Skinny – Speed To My Side
17 The Hitchers – Strachan
18 Lir – There Are More Things (from I Went Down)
19 Outro: Firstborn – The Mood Club