We're collaborating on a very special concert at Cork festival

Tell us about yourself

We’re Diarmuid and Brían Mac Gloinn, brothers from Carlow and core members of Ye Vagabonds, a band that plays original and traditional folk music with lots of harmony singing, stringed instruments and various drones.

We’re hosting the final event at the upcoming Sounds From a Safe Harbour festival where we’ll be collaborating with a very exciting group of artists to create a unique concert called Lighthouse Constellations.

Where were you born?

We grew up in a small village outside Carlow town.

Where do you live?

Dublin and Wicklow.

Family?

Yes, we’re related. How could you tell?

Best friend?

We both have a few really close friends in common but the third core member of the group is our buddy Alain Mc Fadden (All the Brave Hunters) and you couldn’t hope to find a better friend than him.

Earliest childhood memory?

Our earliest shared childhood memories are probably playing in the fields around where we grew up in rural Carlow, whacking each other with sticks no doubt.

Person you most admire?

The person who reads this interview and immediately buys a ticket to the event we’re hosting.

Person who most irritates you?

The opposite person to the one mentioned above.

Where was your most memorable holiday?

The trip we took up the midlands waterways on a barge a couple of years ago, stopping off and playing gigs in places like Digby bridge, Meganey and Clashganny Lock. 

Really opened our eyes to the beauty of that part of the country.

Favourite TV programme?

Twin Peaks.

Favourite radio show?

Mystery Train.

Your signature dish if cooking?

We both eat mainly vegetarian and we love Indian food so probably something from a Meera Sodha cookbook.

Favourite restaurant?

Grano in Stoneybatter.

Last book you read?

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin.

Best book you read? Ever?

Oh, that’s too hard. But recently, Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb, very addictive fantasy.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast.

Favourite song?

On The Road Again by Willie Nelson, which we play in the van at the beginning of every tour and it never gets old.

One person you would like to see in concert?

Willie Nelson.

Do you have a pet?

No, but it would be a dog.

Morning person or night owl?

Morning owl, preferring to get up earlyish to get work done but tend to find it hard to sleep too early at night.

Your proudest moment?

Will be hosting this event at Sounds From A Safe Harbour so you’d better get your tickets so you can be there to witness it.

Spendthrift or saver?

Having learned to live very cheaply in order to survive in the early days of our music careers, we still haven’t quite shaken some of those habits and tend to find ourselves saving rather than over-spending.

Name one thing you would improve in your area in which you live?

Build more homes and make it affordable to buy a house there. That’d be good for a start.

What makes you happy?

Music and dancing, food, friendship, coffee and books.

How would you like to be remembered?

With laughter and singing. 

Maybe have a bridge named after us too, like one each though.

What else are you up to at the moment?

We’re writing songs for the next album and Brían, with Anja Murray, is putting out a radio series about birds for Lyric FM.

Sounds From A Safe Harbour, in association with Quiet Lights festival, present Ye Vagabonds ‘Lighthouse Constellations’, an evening of collaborations at Cork Opera House, on Sunday, September 10 at 6pm. Soundsfromasafeharbour.com