PUB SONGS & STORIES (Atlanta, Georgia)

A question about AI music. A debate over CDs, vinyl, and album pins. And a sci-fi drinking song that carries you home. Pub Songs & Stories returns with the tales behind the tunes, from the Celtic pub scene to a Celtic Invasion of Galicia. Music from Tara's Folk, Heather Dale, and Marc Gunn. This is Pub Songs & Stories #317.
0:02 - INTRO
0:20 - Tara's Folk "O'Neils" from remember how we fall

4:10 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES
Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.
5:01 - UPCOMING SHOWS
Sep 3-7: Dragon Con, Atlanta, Ga with Brobdingnagian Bards
Oct 3: LUG Con, Atlanta, Ga
Oct 31: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga
Nov 7: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga
Nov 14: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga
Nov 28: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga
Dec 5: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga
Dec 6: Nerdy Wonderland, Avondale Estates, Ga
6:02 - AI MUSIC
11:39 - Heather Dale "Pied Piper" from Fairytale
14:49 - CDS VS VINYL VS ALBUM PINS
25:16 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.
Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.
Come hike with me on the Isle of Skye in 2027.
26:22 - STUFF I LEARNED ON A CELTIC INVASION OF GALICIA
31:41 - STORY OF BRING ME HOME, BOYS
35:59 - Marc Gunn "Bring Me Home, Boys" from Sci Fi Drinking Songs
39:44 - CLOSING
This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen. You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.
Finally, remember: summer is a reminder of what's at stake. Longer days, warmer nights, and the beauty of the natural world that Celtic music has celebrated for centuries.
Scientists are united: human activity is changing our climate, and we're already feeling it. But here's what the headlines don't always tell you. We have the tools to fight back. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. You can reduce your waste, choose cleaner energy, and push your elected leaders to act. The outdoors we love, the rivers, the coastlines, the long summer evenings, are worth protecting.
Start a conversation today. The facts are out there, and the future is ours to shape.
Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!
#pubstories

A solo bard on the Renaissance stage. A band called May Will Bloom joining the revelry. And the Georgia Renaissance Festival, alive with Celtic folk magic. Music from Marc Gunn, Bealtaine, Skara Brae.
This is Pub Songs & Stories #316

0:06 - Marc Gunn "Wild Mountain Thyme" from Heroes
3:43 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES
Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.
4:03 - NEWS
Georgia Renaissance Festival
How to follow my Celtic Invasion of Galicia
14:10 - Skara Brae "Let's Raise Another Pint" from The Mists of Time
18:02 - UPCOMING SHOWS
Jul 30-Aug 2: Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN
Sep 3-7: Dragon Con, Atlanta, Ga with Brobdingnagian Bards
TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.
Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.
Come hike with me on the Isle of Skye in 2027.
20:03 - Bealtaine "The Whale Hymn" from The Founders' Room

24:18 - CREDITS
This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen. You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.
Finally, remember: summer is a reminder of what's at stake. Longer days, warmer nights, and the beauty of the natural world that Celtic music has celebrated for centuries.
Scientists are united: human activity is changing our climate, and we're already feeling it. But here's what the headlines don't always tell you. We have the tools to fight back. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. You can reduce your waste, choose cleaner energy, and push your elected leaders to act. The outdoors we love, the rivers, the coastlines, the long summer evenings, are worth protecting.
Start a conversation today. The facts are out there, and the future is ours to shape.
Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!
#pubstories

The old songs were written for a world that was supposed to last forever. One woman found a way to make music matter right now. And Thorin Oakenshield gets a proper farewell. Music from Marc Gunn, Fialla, Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes, Brobdingnagian Bards.
This is Pub Songs & Stories #315

0:19 - Marc Gunn "The Scotsman" from Heroes
2:18 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES
Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.
Before we get started, a quick word about Patreon.
If you're listening to this on the public feed, you're getting it a week after my patrons already heard it. Just so you know.
Those folks also get a second podcast nobody else hears. Concert bootlegs. Brand new songs I'm writing right now. And two live pub albums that flat-out don't exist anywhere else.
All that for five bucks a month. One pint.
If that sounds like your kind of thing, head to patreon.com/celtfather. There's even a free tier. You get a whole album just for showing up.
Right. On with the show.
NEWS
Sherwood Forest Faire
Jordan Con, Meeting author of Hills of Tanchico
Stellar Con, New video shorts
New song: First Rule of Flying
3:33 - UPCOMING SHOWS
May 9-10: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Fairburn, Ga
May 16-17: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Fairburn, Ga
May 23-25: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Fairburn, Ga
May 30–31: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Fairburn, Ga
May 30: The Lost Druid Brewery, 2866 Washington St, Avondale Estates, GA
Jul 30-Aug 2: Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN
Sep 3-7: Dragon Con, Atlanta, Ga with Brobdingnagian Bards
7:54 - Fialla "Maid in Her Father's Garden" from Home & Away

11:14 - INTERVIEW WITH DANIELLE DUPONT OF WASHER WELL WENCHES
A couple years ago, I did an interview with Danielle DuPont, the founder of the Washer Well Wenches that you might see at a Renaissance festival near you. She invited a bunch of entertainers to perform at Women's shelter in Austin, Texas. I was so inspired by her I had to interview her.
25:12 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.
Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.
Come hike with me on the Isle of Skye in 2027.
25:51 - Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes "Four Thousand Weeks" from Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes
If you'd like more details, just email follow@celtfather. I'd love to have you along for the journey this year.
28:56 - STORY OF THORIN'S EULOGY
32:37 - Brobdingnagian Bards "Thorin's Eulogy" from I Will Not Sing Along
35:34 - THANK YOU GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON
Alright. You made it to the end. That means you're my kind of person.
So let me tell you about something. And I promise I'll only take a couple of minutes.
I've got a Patreon. patreon.com/celtfather. And here's the thing... most people don't realise what's actually over there.
Just following for free gets you Virtual Public House. A whole live album. Recorded live for my Pub Songs & Stories podcast. No catch, no credit card, nothing. Just follow my Pateron and it's yours.
But if you want more... five dollars a month is where it gets interesting.
You get six studio albums. You get Kilted Drinking Songs, which is another live Pub Songs & Stories podcast album I recorded for this very podcast. It's not on Spotify. It's not on Apple Music. It doesn't exist anywhere else. Same with Field of Drams at the Hero level.
You get the rough cuts. Songs I'm writing right now, before they go anywhere. You're hearing tomorrow's music today. Which is either exciting or terrifying, depending on the song.
You get a new original song every month. Concert bootlegs. Sheet music if you play along at home. And Stories from the Road, which is another podcast... the one where I talk about all the stuff that happens between the shows that I can't quite say on stage.
Oh, and you get this podcast a week early. Which means none of that suspense you just endured.
For the real enthusiasts... the Superhero tier gets you both pub albums mailed to you on actual physical CDs. The only way to own them. Pressed and shipped to your door. This offer is only available during the month of May 2026.
Look, I make this music because I love it. The Patreon is what makes it possible to keep making it. Every patron matters more than you know.
If you've been meaning to join, now's a great time. I'm playing four weekends at the Georgia Renaissance Festival through May. Patrons are getting the behind-the-scenes of all of it.
patreon.com/celtfather. Free to follow. One pint a month to unlock the lot.
Sláinte. And thanks for listening to Pub Songs & Stories.
This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen. You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.
I've been singing old songs my whole life.
Songs about green hills. Cold rivers. Seasons that came and went like they always had.
Those songs were written by people who assumed the world would look the same forever.
It won't. Not if we don't pay attention.
I travel a lot. I play music in fields and forests and festivals. And I notice things. Things that weren't there ten years ago. Things that are gone that used to be.
The old songs are worth saving. So is the world they were written about.
Climate action isn't political to me. It's personal. It's about keeping the world worth singing about.
Vote like the world depends on it. Because it does.
The songs are counting on it.
Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!
#pubstories

A month without a voice. A question about Firefly Drinking Songs. And a highwayman riding the moor. Pub Songs & Stories returns with stories to tell, from the Celtic folk tradition to the far reaches of the 'verse. Music from Marc Gunn, Faoileán, CaliCeltic, Whiskey Bay Rovers, May Will Bloom.
This is Pub Songs & Stories #314

0:20 - Faoileán "Brennan on the Moor" from Why Should I Not
3:52 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES
Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.
NEWS
What's the Secret Word? Unlock your secret reward now.
May Will Bloom new single available
A month with no voice
How Irish & Celtic Music PodFest went
UPCOMING SHOWS
Apr 4-5: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX
Apr 8: Bards Internet Concert @ 6:30 PM or 7:00 PM
Apr 10-11: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX
Apr 17-19: JordanCon, Atlanta, Ga
Apr 24-26: StellarFest, Duluth, Ga
Apr 25: The Lost Druid Brewery, Avondale Estates, Ga
Weekends May 9-31: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Fairburn, Ga
Jul 30-Aug 2: Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN
11:16 - CaliCeltic "A Pub With No Tunes" from West of Shannon
15:38 - FIREFLY ANIMATED SERIES? WHAT'S UP WITH SONGWRITING?
What direction shall I go with writing songs?
Firefly animated series or Doctor Who Drinking Songs
24:36 - Marc Gunn "Run Away With Me" from Patreon
27:17 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.
Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.
Come hike with me on the Isle of Skye in 2027.
The ads on this podcast pay for some of the hosting and podcast editing. My time producing the show is paid for by my…
THANK YOU GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON
Thank you. Truly. Your support is the reason I'm still making music, telling stories, and showing up month after month.
Patreon is how modern, independent musicians survive and thrive. Album Pins and CDs help get me on the road and in front of live audiences, but my day-to-day livelihood—the time it takes to write, record, podcast, film, and share—comes directly from Patrons of the Arts.
As we continue into a new year, Patreon is where everything comes together.
Patrons receive a brand-new song download every month. These are exclusive tracks you won't find anywhere else—works in progress, experiments, and finished songs that come straight from my creative desk to you. You'll also get regular updates when there's news to share, behind-the-scenes blogs, short and long-form videos, and access to a growing archive of bootleg concert recordings and special performances.
You can join for as little as $5 a month. That small commitment adds up to real stability. It buys time to write songs. It funds recording and production. It keeps the creative engine running without chasing algorithms or trends.
And if supporting financially isn't possible right now, that's okay. You can still join Patreon for free and receive regular updates, thoughts, and stories as they happen. Being part of the community matters, whether you're pledging or simply listening along.
Patreon isn't just support—it's collaboration. It's how these songs, podcasts, and ideas exist at all.
If you'd like more details, just email follow@celtfather. I'd love to have you along for the journey this year.
30:33 - Whiskey Bay Rovers "Away Rio" from Taverns and Tides
33:47 - STORY OF "REAVERS MALCOLM REAVERS
38:56 - Marc Gunn "Reavers Malcolm Reavers" from Sci Fi Drinking Songs
42:25 -  CLOSING
Complete the Quest to Unlock your secret reward now.
46:59 - May Will Bloom "I'll Tell My Ma" from Single
49:17 - CREDITS
Thanks for listening to Pub Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.
You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.
Before we go, a quick reminder: caring about Celtic culture also means caring about the land that shaped it. The songs we love were born from fields, coasts, forests, and villages that depend on a healthy planet.
Climate action doesn't have to be loud or perfect. It starts small. Walk when you can. Choose renewable energy if it's available to you. Support artists, farmers, and local businesses who care about the earth. Reduce waste. Reuse what you can. Leave a place better than you found it.
When we protect the land, we protect the music, the stories, and the generations yet to sing them.
Join the Spring Celtic Challenge!
Sláinte—and thank you for listening.
Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!
#pubstories

Irish Millie is wasted. The Brobdingnagian Bards are in love… with alcohol. And the Gothard Sisters will send you down the road with a smile. Every song has a story worth telling. We've got the full spectrum from rowdy to reverent. Pull up a stool. Music from May Will Bloom, Brobdingnagian Bards, Rogue Diplomats, Irish Millie, The Gothard Sisters
This is Pub Songs & Stories #313
0:21 - May Will Bloom "I'll Tell My Ma" from Single

2:40 - WELCOME TO PUB SONGS & STORIES
Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. I am your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
If you're new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.
5:32 - NEWS
What's the Secret Word? Unlock your secret reward now.
Celtic Protest Songs on Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
Maggie McGuinness show
February album writing month
Still making videos + Taking a step back from social media
Booking gigs for St. Patrick's Day
Preparing for Irish & Celtic Music PodFest
13:20 - Rogue Diplomats "Come Out Ye Black And Tans" from Whiskey Picnic
16:41 - UPCOMING SHOWS
Mar 12: St Patrick's Day Music Party on Bandcamp
Apr 4-11: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX with May Will Bloom and Brobdingnagian Bards
Apr 17-19: JordanCon, Atlanta, Ga
Apr 24-26: StellarFest, Duluth, Ga
Apr 25: The Lost Druid Brewery, Avondale Estates, Ga
May 30: The Lost Druid Brewery, Avondale Estates, GA
19:25 - STORY OF LOVE SONG TO ALCOHOL
24:10 - Brobdingnagian Bards "Love Song to Alcohol' from Another Faire to Remember
28:33 - TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don't see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.
Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.
Come hike with me on the Isle of Skye in 2027.
The ads on this podcast pay for some of the hosting and podcast editing. My time producing the show is paid for by my…
29:49 - THANK YOU GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON
Thank you. Truly. Your support is the reason I'm still making music, telling stories, and showing up month after month.
Patreon is how modern, independent musicians survive and thrive. Album Pins and CDs help get me on the road and in front of live audiences, but my day-to-day livelihood—the time it takes to write, record, podcast, film, and share—comes directly from Patrons of the Arts.
As we continue into a new year, Patreon is where everything comes together.
Patrons receive a brand-new song download every month. These are exclusive tracks you won't find anywhere else—works in progress, experiments, and finished songs that come straight from my creative desk to you. You'll also get regular updates when there's news to share, behind-the-scenes blogs, short and long-form videos, and access to a growing archive of bootleg concert recordings and special performances.
You can join for as little as $5 a month. That small commitment adds up to real stability. It buys time to write songs. It funds recording and production. It keeps the creative engine running without chasing algorithms or trends.
And if supporting financially isn't possible right now, that's okay. You can still join Patreon for free and receive regular updates, thoughts, and stories as they happen. Being part of the community matters, whether you're pledging or simply listening along.
Patreon isn't just support—it's collaboration. It's how these songs, podcasts, and ideas exist at all.
If you'd like more details, just email follow@celtfather. I'd love to have you along for the journey this year.

31:37 - COMMENTARY - THANK YOU WHAT YOU DID FOR US
34:55 - Irish Millie "WASTED" from Between Then And Now
42:38 - QUEST & CHORUS of THE GOTHARD SISTERS
The Gothard Sisters are three sisters Greta, Willow and Solana. They are contemporary Celtic folk multi-instrumentalists, composers, performers and songwriters.
Blending Celtic, folk, world, classical and new age musical influences, the Gothard Sisters bring songs to life with violin, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bodhran, djembe, whistle and vocal harmonies, creating music that is "vivid, inspirational and captivating." (Tim Carroll, Folk Words Review 2018)
Raised and homeschooled by artists in the Pacific Northwest, USA, the Gothard Sisters grew up immersed in nature, imaginative play and traditional folk and classical music. Their music takes inspiration from folk music traditions around the world, timeless stories, new age and classical records, and nature itself.
Writing and recording near their home in the Pacific Northwest, USA, the band has released 11 albums and performed over 2,000 live shows over the course of their career.
48:46 - The Gothard Sisters "See You Down the Road" from Moment in Time
Complete the Quest to Unlock your secret reward now.
52:40 - CREDITS
Thanks for listening to Pub Songs & Stories. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.
You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I'm performing.
Before we go, a quick reminder: caring about Celtic culture also means caring about the land that shaped it. The songs we love were born from fields, coasts, forests, and villages that depend on a healthy planet.
Climate action doesn't have to be loud or perfect. It starts small. Walk when you can. Choose renewable energy if it's available to you. Support artists, farmers, and local businesses who care about the earth. Reduce waste. Reuse what you can. Leave a place better than you found it.
When we protect the land, we protect the music, the stories, and the generations yet to sing them.
Sláinte—and thank you for listening.
Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!
#pubstories