Music.
There are stories behind all of the songs on the "Heaven's Over Here".
Heaven's Over Here
...is the result of many events that have touched my soul. If it doesn't matter then I can't write about it. Heaven's over here came to me on the way to work one morning. I was in the car dreaming about Ireland and it just flowed. What is heaven? On the balance the people, culture, history and scenery make Ireland so special.
Forgotten Child of Dublin
...was written in 1984 and was the track that I won the Cavan song contest with. The memory of a young kid playing the harmonica on the streets of Dublin, then found dead from the cold was a crime anyewhere, especially in a Christian country.
Fire in our Hearts
...came to me when the possibility of reconciliation in Ireland became a reality. The day I recorded at Sidetrax Gerry Adams and "me sweet Ian" were on Sky news together. The coincidence frightened me.
The Famine
...was inspired by Joseph O Connor's book "Star Of The Sea" It brought home the misery and suffering that our ancestors went through during the so called famine, this was a huge influence on me and triggered the song.
Old Boyne Mill
...was written in 1984 before I left Ireland.Dominic's Park the play I loved to play, and it was too. The race in Leytown Strand is the only official horse race in the world to be run on a beach. Newgrange is one of the oldest buildings in the world and is a short run from Drogheda. We used to cycle there and play in it when we were kids.
Ghosts
...is dedicated to the memory of the Chinese cockle pickers who were tragically drowned in Morecambe Bay. Unfortunatley their memory generally consists of nothing more then a series of tasteless jokes. The reality is they were victims of people traffickers.
The Celtic Tiger
...came from a conversation from my kid brother Donal. "The dogs and cats are driving new cars". Amazing to see the Irish economy in such a good condition. Sound man Bertie.
The Solomon Browne
...came to me after reading an article on the Penlee lifeboat disaster. I was amazed the selfless humanity of these lads from Cornwall. As RNLI volunteers they went out on December 19th 1981 in sixty foot waves to save the crew of an Irish coaster called "The Union Star". Their forty seven foot lifebaot "The Solomon Browne" was thrown onto the coaster's deck. Despite several attempts, both lifeboat and crew were all lost. I couldn't sleep until this song was finished, and spent many sleepless nights in different parts of the world changing it in the hope that I could do these lads justice. I hope I have.