Folk Roots Radio Episode 501: feat. Doug McArthur In Conversation – The Horses Of The Sea

Mar 26 2020

Quebec based singer-songwriter Doug McArthur joins us on Episode 501 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about his latest project “The Horses of the Sea”, a beautiful collection of songs and stories about Ireland. It’s a wonderful album, and one that has become a fast favourite on this radio show. This is another of our in-depth conversations recorded during the coronavirus Covid-19 emergency. Stay safe and healthy everyone – we’ll get through this together! Check out the full playlist below.

Interview

Doug McArthur has been actively involved in the music business since the early 70s, releasing his first original songs in 1974. Over the years his songs have been recorded by Randy Bachman and Valdy. Doug toured in the Maritimes and New England with Stan Rogers in the early days and continued across the country with Garnet Rogers after Stan’s passing.

Doug McArthur first visited Ireland five summers ago and it has now become his yearly vacation.

I usually take a bicycle tour along the West Coast of Clare, Galway City and Connemara mixed in with hikes and visits to Mayo, Dublin, Wicklow, Aran Islands and the Dingle Peninsula. It is my nature to absorb the history of places I visit and it is also my nature to translate that found fabric into songs and poetry.

The “The Horses of the Sea” is my ode to the Emerald Isle – mystery tales of the Tain Bo Coulange – Cú Chulainn, Maud Gonne, revolution and revelation – a personal exploration of that friendly emerald mountain eternally awash in the northern ocean.

The Horses of the Sea is pretty much a solo project except for Tom Leighton (Whistle, Accordion), Jeffra (piano on “Letter to Marie”) and Pat Maher (“The Morning I Left Galway”).

Since moving to Wakefield QC in 2004, Doug has been involved in video and audio recording at Wakefield Sound & Light. Doug is also the producer of Stonehands, a video series on the rebuilding of the Canadian Parliament buildings.

For more information about the music of Doug McArthur – and definitely check out his great pictures of Ireland, visit dougimac.com.

Listen

You can listen to this episode again on Soundcloud by following the link below. You can also listen to episodes of Folk Roots Radio, on demand, via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)