In The Ring With Dan Donnelly, Donal Fallon and Dublin's Boxing Legends with special guest Damien Dempsey (SPECIAL OFFER 30% off)

Dan Donnelly was more than a prizefighter. In the years following the Irish Rebellion of 1798, his victories over English opponents came to symbolise something larger, expressions of resilience, pride and defiance. His bouts drew vast crowds, ballads were composed in his honour, and his reputation spread far beyond the ring.

After his fighting career, Donnelly became proprietor of Fallon’s pub, embedding himself in the social fabric of Dublin life. He is buried in Bully’s Acre, among figures who continue to shape the city’s historical imagination.

Even in death, his story endured. The strange and enduring tale of “Donnelly’s Arm”, preserved and exhibited for decades, became a symbol of the mythology that grew around him, blurring the line between man and legend.

Donnelly’s journey, from celebrated fighter to publican to folklore figure, reflects how stories take hold and evolve, becoming part of the living memory of a place.

Donal Fallon is a Dublin historian who specialises in the city's social history. Founder of the Come Here To Me! blog and presenter of the popular Three Castles Burning podcast.

He is a regular contributor to Irish media in print, tv and radio, on Dublin’s history, society and popular culture and previously served as a Historian-in-Residence for Dublin City Council.

He is the author of several books including 14 Henrietta Street: From Tenement to Suburbia (2021), Three Castles Burning: A History of Dublin in Twelve Streets (2022), The Lamplighters of the Phoenix Park: A unique history of one of Ireland’s most famous places (2023) and most recently The Dublin Pub: A Social and Cultural History (2025).

Damien Dempsey released new double album ‘Hold Your Joy’ in October 2024 after a seven year wait. Honest, vulnerable, poignant and essential, the album has 16 intricate and beautifully crafted tracks. Produced by long-time collaborator John Reynolds, Hold Your Joy is undoubtedly the most complete body of work Dempsey has committed to tape in his entire career. The album follows the release of his documentary ‘Love Yourself Today’ in 2021.

“This is an artist at the top of his game. Hold Your Joy is a mighty record” Hot Press 9/10 [2024]

Damien Dempsey writes songs about social issues with a remarkable passion and openness, enabling his live audiences and fans to let go. His importance as a singer and songwriter of great passion, conviction and beauty has never been more prominent. He is that rare gem of an artist, an ex boxer – with the soul of a poet, whose heroes and influences are as diverse as Christy Moore, Shane McGowan, Luke Kelly and Bob Marley.

With themes of addiction, loss but also hope and positivity, Dempsey’s music often reflects his fans’ pain, alleviates their anguish and ultimately provides peace as they ‘sing all their cares away’. Damien Dempsey’s debut album in 2000, They Don’t Teach This Shit in School, set him apart as a unique and important voice. The follow-up, Seize the Day, marked the beginning of his relationship with producer John Reynolds, producing many more albums, picking up awards and leading to extensive international tours. Over the course of his remarkable career, Damien has established himself as one of Ireland’s most beloved artists.

Brian Kerr is one of Ireland’s most respected football figures, with a career spanning management, coaching and broadcasting. A Dubliner through and through, he is best known for his time as manager of the Republic of Ireland national team, as well as his hugely successful tenure leading Ireland’s underage sides, guiding them to UEFA European Championship victories at U16 and U18 level.

Kerr began his career in grassroots football in Dublin before going on to manage at club level with St Patrick’s Athletic, where he achieved league and cup success. His deep knowledge of the game, combined with his passion for player development, has made him an influential figure in Irish football for decades.

Beyond management, Kerr is a familiar voice to audiences as a football pundit and commentator, known for his insight, honesty and enduring love of the sport. He also has a personal connection to boxing through his father, Frankie Kerr, a respected figure in the Irish boxing community, reflecting a lifelong link to Dublin’s rich sporting culture.

Terry is an actor and comedian from Dublin. He first studied at Bull Alley theatre training company before graduating from Bow Streets full time screen acting program.

Terry recently played the role of Cornwal in the Gate theatres production of King Lear opposite Conleth Hill, directed by Roxana Silbert.

Other theatre work includes Romeo and Juliet (Dir Wayne Jordan) A View from the Bridge (Dir Joe Dowling) and Juno and the Paycock (Dir Mark O' Rowe) all at the Gate theatre. Last orders at the Dockside (Dir Graham McClaren) at the Abbey theatre. Brendan Behan's Borstal Boy (Dir Conal Morrison) at the Gaiety theatre, Alien Documentary (Dir Una McKevitt) Harmonie theatre, Netherlands, Waiting for the Offo (|Dir Conan McIvor) the New Theatre and one-man show- Grace by James Joyce (Dir Michael James Ford) for runs at Bewleys cafe theatre and the Black Box, Belfast, Market place theatre Armagh, and the New theatre.

Terry's self-written comedy solo show ROPE-A-DOPE has previously enjoyed sold out runs and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Civic theatre, Bewleys theatre, with more to follow in 2026.

Upcoming screen work includes Jamie O' Rourkes film The Afters, and the role of James Connolly in Alans Gilsenans upcoming film We Only Want The Earth, both to be released this year. As well as Thom Pitts' Steve's Job. Other TV and film titles include Love/ Hate (Dir David Caffery), Rebellion (Dir Aku Louhimies, Striking Out (Dir Lia James Larsson), The Meeting (Dir Alan Gilsenan), Michael Inside (Dir Frank Berry), Dublin Oldschool (Dir Dave Tynan), Dawn (Dir Robert Strongberg), One More Round (Dir Barry O' Connor), Red Lake (Dir Shaun Dunne), The Colour Between (Dir Dave Tynan), Safe as Houses (Dir Mia Mullarkey), The Invisible Boy (Dir James Fitzgerald), Double Yellow (Dir Ruairi Heading), The Letter (Dir Kevin O' Farrel).

Terry is also a busy comedian on the Irish circuit playing at the laughter lounge, the international, the craic den and Empire comedy club Belfast among others. He is a veteran of several festivals including 3 runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, Paddy Power and Dalkey comedy festivals. He is also the showrunner at his own weekly comedy club Sunday Heroes comedy at Bruxelles.

Niamh Ní Charra hails from Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland and was inspired and strongly influenced by a wealth of local Sliabh Luachra musicians. A multi award-winner on both fiddle and concertina, she toured from 1998 to 2006 as a soloist with Riverdance, before returning to Ireland where she is now based. Her recently released 5th album “Donnelly’s Arm” received much critical and public acclaim and was crowned Number 1 Trad Album of 2021 by Alex Monaghan, reviewer for several publications including Irish Music Magazine, Living Tradition and FolkWorld.

She is the recipient of several other awards including “Instrumental Album of the Year” in 2014 in the Chicago Irish American News’ TIR awards for her previous album “Cuz”, "Female Musician of the Year" in 2012 and 2014, in the Live Ireland Music Awards, "Best Trad Music Act 2008" from UK publication The Irish World, and "Best Fiddle/Violin 2008" from the American based Irish Music Association. Her music featured on the programme “Ireland in Song” which aired on Aer Lingus transatlantic flights, and on America’s PBS and a selection of her compositions were showcased in the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)’s Saothar series in July 2022.

Along with touring extensively as a solo artist and with her own band, Niamh has also performed and recorded with The Chieftains, with Galician piper and Sony artist Carlos Núñez, with Basque musician Ibon Koteron as co-collaborator and with his countryman Xabi Aburruzaga as guest musician. She regularly gives workshops and masterclasses, has performed for several presidents and members of royalty and has coordinated concerts hosted by Irish embassies abroad, on behalf of the Irish government.

Niamh is also a professional archivist and is currently project manager and project archivist for the Conradh na Gaeilge and Mary Robinson collections at the University of Galway. She is Chair of the Archives and Records Association, Ireland, co-host of the podcast series Archive Nation, and regularly gives presentations on her work in this field. She is a founding member of and archivist for the volunteer campaign group FairPlé established in 2018, which aims to achieve gender balance in production, performance, promotion and development of Irish traditional and folk music. Her work in both the music and archive professions was recognized when she was elected to ITMA’s board in 2022, where she is currently serving a second term.

Emmet O'Brien is not your generic poet. Bursting into the scene in March 2017, Emmet has done more than your average 26-year-old.

Within the first six months of his career, O’Brien released a book, entitled "A Perspective From The Corrupt Mind Of The Youth", a novel regarding substance abuse within working class areas of Dublin. He was the first poet to be published in "District" magazines newsletter, as well as various videos reaching tens of thousands of views. O'Brien, best known for his videos "The North Side" and “Dirty Dublin” is also an event organiser, starting his poetry and music event "Vybrations" in June 2017. it saw incredible success, with amazing artists such as Colm Keegan and Hazel Hogan prefoming at it.The poet extraordinaire then moved on to run a second regular night, called "Phat Cones" which showcased Ireland's best poets and rappers while educating people on the benefits and positives of medicinal cannabis. These events lead the young poet to workshop with FAST, producing workshops around aiding young men and women with substance abuse issues in expressing their journeys through poetry while also reducing the pressures of stigma around same.

In 2018, he opened up for Shane Koyczan to a sold out crowd in Pepper Cannister Church. The wordsmith released his second book, entitled "Yup Ouveh" in May 2018, where copies were sold in both Ireland and the UK, and a large sum of copies being sold in Nigeria. O'Briens third book, entitled "The Illusion of Perception " released in March 2019. A play adaptation of the book was launched in March 19 in Poetry Ireland, and the event sold out in less than 12 hours. Following that he also had a sold out showing of the play in Royal Theatre Waterford. O'Brien then went on to play 2 sold out shows in the Gate Theatre, supporting BAC's beat boxing adaptation of Frankenstein in 2021.

The poet has had many festival shows, playing Electric Picinc, Knockanstockan, Body & Soul, and All Together Now. In 2022, O'Brien had his poem "Story bud?", a poem surrounding male mental health, and the encouragement for young men to voice their mental health struggles to one another, in aid of suicide prevention, muralised onto the walls of Temple Bar in Dublin city centre, and, since then has had two more “Story” projects in “Storytime”, which occurred in Mountjoy Prison, and saw a mural of the inmates poetry hung onto the wall of Mountjoy Prison, and “Scéal” which was in conjunction with South Dublin County Council, and Cóláiste De Híde in Tallaght, teaching mental health based poetry workshops to all students.

In December 2022, he returned from his first European tour, visiting Germany, England, and Paris. In March 2024, O’Brien ventured on his second European Tour, reaching the Netherlands, UK, Paris, Germany.

Most recently, O'Brien has been the youngest poet to be inducted into the Writers in Prison list by The Arts Council, and continues to provide workshops in both Mountjoy and Cloverhill prison, with a focus on mental health aid, as well as opening conversations surrounding drug issues and rehabilitation of same through art

Emmet has performed alongside such acts as Lisa hannigan, Imelda May, Villagers, Jim Sheridan, Kellie Harrington, and Ye Vagabonds

Patrick Myler is a boxing writer and ring historian. He has written five books on the sport, including a biography of Dan Donnelly (first published in 1976 and with a revised edition in 2010).

Born in The Liberties are of Dublin, he worked as a journalist in England until returning home to serve as chief sub-editor and assistant editor of the Evening Herald, spending 30 years with the newspaper.

He is a member of the International Boxing Research Organisation and an elector for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.