Welcome to a new episode of Music At Maddens Podcast with me, Lynette Fay.

This week in the snug, Lynette welcomes Clare Sands

A sixth-generation fiddler, bilingual singer, and fearless creative whose stories stretch from Cave Hill to the Bosphorus.

Known for her boundary-crossing artistry and deep connection to place, Claire brings a voice that blends the mythic with the modern, where folklore, language, and activism meet melody.

We talk about fearlessness as a practice, not a personality trait; about how the sea, woods, and wild places keep her compass steady; and about the quiet ritual of breaking bread before pressing record.

Claire reflects on the rare creative kinship she shared with the late Manchán Magan, the power of old words in new songs, and how macaronic songwriting, weaving Irish and English, lets her unlock the emotional double meanings hidden in both.

From Donegal cabins to Wicklow woods, from swimming the Asia-to-Europe strait to raise funds for Palestine, to crafting songs that carry community as much as melody, Claire’s world is one where music holds both grief and grace.

We also face the hard truths of being an artist today, AI voice theft, streaming struggles, and the cost of speaking up, and why, for Claire, the answer is always community over isolation.

If you care about Irish traditional music, language revival, creative courage, and songs that speak truth to power, this episode will stay with you long after it ends.

New episodes every Monday.

Maddens Bar

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddensbarbelfast_home_of_trad/

Hatch Belfast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belfasthatch/?hl=en

Avalon Guitars

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avalonguitarsofficial/

Website: https://www.avalonguitars.com/

Smithwicks Irish Ale

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithwicks_ireland/

Website: https://www.smithwicksexperience.com/