Des's Island Discs

Des's Island Discs is a programme grown from the Covid lockdown - a kind of escape during difficult times. The final guest to the island is Public Health Nurse Maria Burke who represents all the frontline workers still working day and night to keep us safe during the Covid crisis.

Lead singer of Aslan, Christy Dignam joins Des on the island via a shaky Skype call, and talks about his early musical influences, his father's hands, and his struggles with addiction.

Irish singing great Mary Coughlan joins Des on the island to talk through her musical memories, her love of Billie Holiday, and how the Covid crisis has impacted her touring but given her a bit more time at home with the family.

On Des's Island Discs today former president of DCU Brian MacCraith talks through his musical memories including his preferred Van Morrison version of Raglan Road, his son's successful Tom Morello Make a Wish, and a final thanks in the form of Kodaline's I Wouldn't Be.

Former master of the National Maternity Hopsital Dr Rhona Mahony is Des's guest on the Island today, sharing her musical memories Rhona talks bout slow dancing to Stairway to Heaven, maintaining high hopes in a high pressured job, and her family's love of Liverpool Football Club.

Writer. artist, activist and Dublin City Councillor Mannix Flynn visits Des on the island. Mannix talks about the impact of institutional abuse on his life, his battle with alcohol, and how radio and music gave him a view of the world outside.

TV chef and food author Catherine Fulvio takes Des through her musical and cooking memories on her visit to the island including listening to a Chinese ABBA band, and having her son help out as a cameraman for her latest online cooking videos.

Award winning author John Boyne joins Des on the Island to talk through his musical memories, his love for Kate Bush (she once touched his hand!), how he thinks Sinead O'Connor is maybe Ireland's greatest vocalist and how he enjoys playing Elton John songs on the piano.

Journalist, author and broadcaster Susan McKay shares her musical memories and chats with Des on the Island about growing up in Derry during the Troubles, how she couldn't wait to leave, but quickly found herself returning to help set up the Belfast Rape Crisis Centre.

RTÉ's Washington correspondent Brian O'Donovan is today's visitor to Des's Island Discs and walks Des through his musical memories, how his music choices are heavily influenced by his parents, and what his social life is like for himself and his family in Washington DC.

Musician, screenwriter and director Barry Devlin

Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former legendary Kerry Footballer Eoin 'Bomber' Liston.

Irish trad singer supremo Cathy Jordan joins Des on the Island to share her musical memories. It took an appearance on the Late Late Show to convince Cathy's parents that she had a viable career in music which has taken her around the world and has seen her perform with Dervish to an audience of 250,000 between Iron Maiden and Sepultura.

Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin joins Des on the Island with his musical memories. He talks to Des about growing up during the Troubles and how some of his closest friends today are friends from when he was in primary school.

Des is joined on Island by none other than Irish music great Christy Moore, as he recalls his early days starting out in music and how he's been working on a few new songs during lockdown.

Cork comedian, writer and broadcaster Colm O'Regan joins Des on the Island with tales of growing up on a farm in Dripsey, how long school bus journeys turned him into a listener, and the intricacies of stand-up comedy over Zoom.

Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former amateur jockey and now race horse trainer Ted Walsh.

Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is Michael Carruth who pulled off one of the biggest shocks in amateur boxing when he beat Juan Hernández Sierra of Cuba for the welterweight crown at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.....Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal since 1956 when Ronnie Delaney won the 1500m in Melbourne.

Singer/songwriter RuthAnne joins Des on the Island and discusses moving to LA they day after doing her leaving cert, how when she's not singing her own songs she's writing them for a plethora of stars, and we get to hear the fruits of her labour during the COVID lockdown.

Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former Armagh footballer Joe Kernan who reflects on life in Crossmaglen during the troubles and Armagh's greatest sporting triumph.

World-renowned soprano singer, Claudia Boyle is Des's latest guest on the island. Claudia talks about the influence of Maria Callas on her career, a trip to New York to see Bruce Springsteen, the joy of motherhood and so much more.

Ever popular, colourful musician Brush Shiels joins Des on Des’s Island Discs. Brush talks about his aim to break the Over-70s 100m sprint record, growing up on a very musical Phibsboro Road and how The Beatles’ All My Loving brings back a shocking memory.

Publican, columnist and broadcaster Billy Keane tells us he’s looking forward to the eventual return of American tourists to Ireland, how as a child him and his friends once stole a glass eye from one of his Dad’s pub patrons so they could play marbles, and how he suffers for months whenever Dublin beat Kerry.

World renown magician Keith Barry visits Des on his island and tells us how he started magic after getting a Paul Daniels magic set when he was just five, how he used to work inventing cosmetics, and how he first met Huey Morgan from the Fun Loving Criminals by blagging his way into a pub by saying he was The Edge’s cousin.

Des Cahill's guest on today's Des's Island Discs is award winning Irish Journalist based in Uganda, Sally Hayden

Des Cahill's guest on today's Des's Island Discs is award-winning Irish singer and songwriter Gavin James.

Former minister of State for Food and Horticulture, and Green Party leader Rev Trevor Sargent joins Des to talk about life in the church, how we’re all politicians in some way, and waltzing for the Waterboys.

Proud Donegal man, Children’s Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon joins Des on the Island and talks about how he ended up leaving a job in a bank twice much to his father’s chagrin and how, for his 40th birthday, his wife got him a road trip to Memphis to visit the home of one of his idols, Elvis Presley.

Journalist and Editor Anne Harris joins Des on the island and describes how she helped form the Markievicz Society when she was studying at UCC, how feature writers need to let the stones tell the story, and how standing her ground as the editor of the Sunday Independent was her proudest achievement in journalism.

Cork actor and comedian Frank Twomey joins Des on the Island talking through his confusing audition for Bosco, his younger years in Bristol and getting to tell Joan O’Hara to ‘F- off’ while working with Liam Neeson.

Des Cahill's guest today is Irish clinical psychologist writer and columnist Maureen Gaffney.

Award-winning journalist and RTE's European Correspondent for twenty years is today's guest on Des's Island Disc's.

Des Cahill's guest today is cook and teacher songwriter and musician Mike Hanrahan.

On Des's Island Disc's today is a multi-talented sportsman who has played International Rugby and Soccer, Tony Ward

Des Cahill's guest today is Tony award winning director and co founder of the Druid Theatre Garry Hynes

Des Cahill's guest today is Passionist Priest, Journalist Author and Broadcaster Fr. Brian Darcy

Des's guest today is Pat Cox - Irish Politician, Former President of the European Parliament, and former television current affairs reporter.

Des Cahill speaks to Irish Columnist, Broadcaster and Playwright Fiona Looney.

Des Cahill speaks to Paddy Mulligan ex-Ireland, Shamrock Rovers, Chelsea and West Brom full-back on his beginnings and wonderful playing career.

Des's guest is motor racing legend Rosemary Smith whose career spanned more than fifty years.

Des's guest is a person that is synonymous with Irish menswear - Louis Copeland.

Des Cahill's guest today is former Irish political correspondent with RTÉ David Davin Power.