What do Irish rebel songs and Star Trek have in common? This week on Pub Songs & Stories, we raise a glass to courage, truth, and the songs that refuse to obey. From the Easter Rising of 1916 to a Cardassian interrogation chamber, today's songs ask one dangerous question: Do you trust your own eyes? Music from Kinnfolk, Erin Ruth, Marc Gunn, The Irish Lassies

This is Pub Songs & Stories #312

0:29 - Kinnfolk "A Wintertime Feast" from A Wintertime Feast

5:15 - 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.

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12:39 - UPCOMING SHOWS

• Feb 19: Bandcamp Concert
• Feb 28: Maggie McGuinness Pub, Huntsville, AL
• Mar 8: Irish & Celtic Music PodFest @ The Lost Druid Brewery, Avondale Estates, GA
• Apr 4-11: Sherwood Forest Faire, Paige, TX
• Apr 17-19: JordanCon, Atlanta, Ga

The Foggy Dew is an Irish rebel song written to honor people who fought for Ireland's freedom during the Easter Rising of 1916. Instead of praising Irish soldiers who died fighting for England in World War I, the song asks why they were not fighting for their own land instead. It tells of ordinary men and women who stood up against a powerful empire, even when the odds were stacked against them.

That's why it's a rebel song—it's about choosing freedom, courage, and self-respect over obedience. Versions like the one by Erin Ruth keep that spirit alive, reminding us that quiet voices can still challenge injustice and inspire change.

15:09 - Erin Ruth "The Foggy Dew" from Erin Ruth

18:25 - NEW PROTEST SONG INSPIRED BY STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION

"Chain of Command, Part II" from Star Trek: The Next Generation centers on Captain Picard as a prisoner of the Cardassians. His captor, Gul Madred, uses pain and fear to try to control him. But the real goal is not information. It is obedience. Madred wants Picard to stop trusting his own eyes and accept what the government tells him is true. Again and again, Picard is pushed to say something he knows is false. The episode shows how power can try to rewrite reality—and how courage can be as simple, and as hard, as holding on to the truth.

It echoes George Orwell's 1984, reminding us that the final test of freedom is whether we trust our own eyes—or believe the government when it tells us we are wrong.

21:34 - Marc Gunn "Four Lights" from Four Lights single

23:56 - 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.

The ads on this podcast pay for some of the hosting and podcast editing. My time producing the show is paid for by my…

24:30 - 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.

27:08 - QUEST & CHORUS of IRISH LASSIES

The Irish Lassies are a 6-piece American Celtic folk band native to New York's Finger Lakes region. The band started when long-time childhood friends decided to take their casual Irish sessions and grow into a professional folk group. In only a few short years, the Irish Lassies have become known as one of the premier Celtic bands in New York State.

Their self-titled album The Irish Lassies is comprised of traditional Irish music with unique Lassies' arrangements. Immigration Stories, an all-original album, aims to take listeners back to 18th and 19th century America with heart-felt true tales of Irish settlers. The Lassies' unique style focuses on powerful ballads using six-part harmonies and soulful songs that will invite you to raise a glass, dance, and sing along with a set list that takes you on a journey from Ireland to America. Slainte!

32:42 - The Irish Lassies "Burnout on the Peanut line" from Immigration Stories

35:14 - 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!

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