Donegal singers Mickey Joe Harte and Rory Gallagher have teamed up for a festive duet, Hey! Home For Christmas. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
The track was written by Mickey Joe, who represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, and Rory of Rory & The Island (formerly of The Revs), over zoom and WhatsApp, with Mickey recording his guitar and vocals in Donegal and Rory recording his parts in Lanzarote, where he owns a pub with his wife.
The lyric and meaning of the song focuses on young Irish people returning home from their current lives abroad and walking into their local pub and seeing an ex-partner with feelings lingering.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Mickey Joe: Well, I'm left-handed and footed, a ciotóg, as they call me in some parts of my native Donegal .. although I play guitar right hand as I learned on my big brother’s guitar as left-handed guitars were scarce on the ground.
I like to swim lots and especially in the sea! I’ve been doing this since my teenage years. I’m not one of those new wave (pardon the pun) cold water brigade. Although I do secretly like that whole movement, but don’t tell them.
When I was three yrs old, I fell into a stream and knocked myself out and had an out of body experience, a few months after that I was knocked down by a car on Lifford main street! Only time I spent a night in hospital since.
How would you describe your music?
Rory: Melodious happy sad folk pop.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Mickey Joe: Paul Brady, John Hiatt, Springsteen, The Police, Sam Fender, Rick Astley, Jim Framer Harte . . . to mention just a few.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Rory: Coming from a musical family I was lucky to be dragged along to local gigs before I could walk, but the first time I booked my own ticket was to see The Red Hot Chilli Peppers with Moby in 1995 in Dublin.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Mickey Joe: I Feel For You - Chaka Khan.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Rory: Here's The Thing by Fontaines D.C.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Mickey Joe: Nothing But The Same Old Story - Paul Brady.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rory: God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
Where can people find your music/more information?
Mickey Joe: Facebook and Instagram.
Rory: My website and Instagram.
Alan Corr
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