Fire Draw Near

26/05/2026

Broken tokens, the practice of 'doubletting' and weirdos hanging around in bushes, no it's not the first Iron Maiden album, it's the Dark Eyed Sailor aka Fair Phoebe and Her Dark-Eyed Sailor, no made public for the good people of the internet to listen to on this fine summer's morning. https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

01/05/2026

Paddy, Johnny or William? They're all rides, but in the end there can be only one. Bonus episode #47 is now online for all faithful Patreonites to consume, share and enjoy. If you are not on patreon subscriber then simply wait a few months and it will be free in the world for all and sundry. The episode looks at the song P stand for Paddy aka T stands for Thomas aka B Stands for Barney aka J stands for Jack aka I'll Climb Up a High High Tree aka As I Walked Out One May Morning aka Come In Come In aka As I Walked Out aka The Lover Proved False aka As I Roved Out aka the False Lover's Farewell aka the Indifferent Damsel aka Johnny's the Lad I Love aka The Verdant Braes of Screen...

27/03/2026

Episode LXV is now online and has songs and tunes, old ones and new ones, drink and meat, hares and pigs, parties and funerals, sacrifices and tributes. It is respectfully dedicated to the memory of the late Nellie Weldon R.I.P. Pic by Colm Keating. https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

16/02/2026

I just finished an episode all about the mysterious murder ballad Rose Connolly / Down in the Willow Garden. Is it from the USA, Ireland or England? Did W.B. Yeats hear it being sung in his youth? And should you sing burgundy wine, burglar's wine or burgaloo wine?! The answers are all in this episode, out today for Patreon subscribers and out in about 6 months for everyone else. If you can't wait that long but also can't afford to support FDN on patreon then just let me know. X (Pic from the 2023 film of the same name)

21/01/2026

I made this episode all about the song The Greenland Whale Fishery last year just before I fulfilled a lifelong not-even-a-dream-because-its-too-mad and sang it with the Pogues in the 3 Arena. This was a class episode to do and worth it for the 1935 version for the Bahamas alone. Listen to it at all the usual places (but not Slopify please) and enjoy! X (Link in bio).

https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

28/12/2025

24/12/2025

FDN LXIX wasn't very festive, so instead why not listen to my favourite ever episode, XIV from Christmas 5 years ago. I drank 10 bottles of very strong beer and got extremely sh*tfaced live on air. I reviewed the beers, got into the musical motifs behind God Rest You Merry Gentlemen and ad-libbed psycho-visuals over an Iron Maiden song. Different times and different vibes, but I used to love this kind of ridiculous drinking and this one in particular was a LOT of fun! Happy Christmas!!! X

Fire Draw Near Episode XIV is a Sh*tfaced Christmas Extravaganza Bonanza! Featuring the amazing tale of the Donegal Tarantella, me doing a Felix Doran but its Iron Maiden, more bad language than usual

20/12/2025

69, LXIX or تسعة وستون is a number symbolising completion, harmony and the beginning of new cycles. It is also the sequential number of the FDN episode that I have just uploaded. This one features more gems from my recently unearthed music collection, songs of protest, songs of love, songs of dark magic, as well as more proggy folk rock than you've ever heard in one single episode. It is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Margaretta D'Arcy who sadly passed away last month. Rest in Power. X (Pic courtesy of NCTV)
https://www.mickmoloneyfilm.com/


https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

15/11/2025

I have just finished a bonus episode on the traditional song that people like to refer to as the Cuckoo. It is a longer episode at about 1 hour and 22 minutes and just by simply listening to it you can find out all about floating verses, folklore surrounding the cuckoo bird and why it is associated with infidelity, where various verses for the song might have come from, how manky I think sucking eggs is and much more. You can also hear many different versions of the song, from the well known to the obscure, stemming from Ireland, England and the USA. For the moment you have to be signed up the the FDN Patreon to hear it, but it will be made available to all and sundry in about 6 months time. Illustration from The Book of Nursery Rhymes Complete, 1846. X https://campsite.bio/firedrawnear

06/11/2025

New Bonus Episode on the way! So this is an interesting one, essentially a conglomeration of floating ballads that has crystallised into a few different recognisable versions. This one should be out next week!