The Point of Everything

Eoghan and Cíara talk through their favourite Irish and international albums of 2025

Flynn Johnson released his debut album The Green Box Theory via Golden Éire Records on November 7. It's a concept record about place, memory and everyday decision-making in mid-to-late 2000s Dublin 15. The project treats the estate's green electricity box as a meeting point, memorial and recurring narrator, tracing the "children of the hill" as they learn to find beauty in a place many people describe as broken. In this interview, Flynn Johnson talks through his journey as a young rapper from Blanchardstown, exploring the duality of his hometown and the responsibility he feels to inspire the next generation. He reflects on the evolution of Irish hip hop, the collaborative energy of Golden Éire Records, and the guiding influence of his mentor ROC. We start off by talking about the closing track on the album, '4Eva', which acts as a manifesto for his community, grounding his music in authenticity, history, and pride. Buy The Green Box Theory: https://flynnjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/the-green-box-theory

Maykay returns to the TPOE podcast to discuss her self-titled debut solo album, released October 10 via Grainstore Records. Known for fronting Fight Like Apes, she’s also spent years collaborating with Le Galaxie, Elaine Mai, DJ Kormac, Jerry Fish, and appears on the forthcoming third album from Ailbhe Reddy. You might also know her as a co-presenter of Other Voices. In this conversation, she gets into the creative process behind the album she made during lockdown and held onto for a couple of years - a record she describes as the soundtrack to both the most trivial and the most painful moments of her life. We talk about the realities of the music industry, pushing through self-doubt, finding her own sound with the help of Ian McFarlane (Squarehead, Tieranniesaur, Cruel Sister), and we break down a couple of tracks on the record as well. Buy the album at https://maykay.bandcamp.com/album/maykay Maykay plays a full-band show in Whelan’s on December 18. Tickets: https://www.whelanslive.com/event/maykay/

Dublin/Galway guitar band Adore released their debut EP Biter on September 26 via Big Scary Monsters. Lara Minchin and Naoise Jordan Cavanagh. We talk about the transition from the remnants of their previous band to starting Adore with the premise of having it be fun, what it's like pitching to labels and playing London showcases, the Galway and Cork music scenes, working with producer Daniel Fox, and we talk through some of the songs on the EP. Adore play the Button Factory, Dublin, on Saturday, November 29. Tickets: https://singularartists.ie/show/adore-25/ Buy Biter: https://adore4.bandcamp.com/album/biter

ispiní na hÉireann release their second album Poxtail Soup on Friday, November 21, via Faction Music. The lineup features Tomás Mulligan (lead vocals, guitar), Paahto Cummins (vocals, banjo), Pádraig Óg Mac Aodhagáin (saxophone, uilleann pipes, flute), Aongus MacAmhlaigh (vocals, cello, fiddle), and Declan Gillen (drums, bodhrán, pad). Tomás, Paahto and Declan join for a chat in the backroom of the Cobblestone Bar in Smithfield, Dublin, to chat through lineup changes, the band taking things more seriously since their debut Hard Working Men in 2022, touring, Temple Bar, collaborating with How to Gael's Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, giving up alcohol, and lots more. ispiní na hÉireann tour dates: November 21: Bank Lane, Waterford (Official Album Launch Night) November 22: DeBarra’s, Clonakilty November 26: 30 min set at Spindizzy, Dublin (signing + meet & greet) November 28: The Commercial, Limerick November 29: Gleneagle, Killarney Buy the album: sausagesofireland.com irishmusicmarket.com