Ben Mac Caoilte & Mike Hanrahan (Stocktons Wing)

We are incredibly honoured and excited to announce that award winning poet Ben Mac Caoilte will be joining the legendary Mike Hanrahan of Stockton’s Wing to bring us a very unique evening of poetry and song to remember.

Ben Mac Caoilte

Ben is a bilingual poet who writes and performs in both Irish and English. His work explores the power of memory, our connection to place, and the stories that thrive within them.

Over the last year he has been touring with his poetry performance show, Lifting the Gate, which to date has travelled to venues across Ireland, the UK and Europe, including Smock Alley Scene and Heard, Cork World Book Fest, Ó Bhéal, Power of Words Festival, Ekphrasis Project in conjunction with Waterford Gallery of Art, Dr. Martin Shaw’s Medicine House Tour, Stephen James Smith So Say So Sessions with Basciville, The Bath Festival UK, The International Literary Festival Dublin and the Culturel Centre Irlandais in Paris to name a few.

Ben had the pleasure of supporting Declan O Rourke on his Irish Tour 2023 and has shared the stage with Liam O Maonlaí and Emma Langford. His work has been published in a variety of journals and publications including The Waxed Lemon and Much More Than Words.

Mike Hanrahan

Mike should need no introduction but in case you need a reminder or are curious…

Mike was born in Ennis, Co. Clare and began performing professionally with Maura O’Connell in 1977 in a duo called ‘Tumbleweed’ before joining Stockton’s Wing in 1980. He toured extensively throughout Europe and the U.S. with the band whose second album was named for Mike’s composition, ‘Take A Chance’.

Mike subsequently penned all the original songs on Stockton’s Wing’s ground-breaking and critically acclaimed 1982 album ‘Light in the Western Sky’, which included hit singles Beautiful Affair and Walk Away. He featured prominently in the great success story that was Stockton’s Wing at home and abroad, as guitarist, singer and songwriter.

1994 marked the beginning of Mike’s solo career when he embarked on a UK tour with another legend, Finbar Furey. His first solo album, ‘Someone Like You’ was released in Germany, Switzerland and Holland in 1995 and in 1996 in Ireland to critical acclaim.

Mike went on to work with Ronnie Drew in his theatre show ‘Ronnie, I Hardly Knew Ya’ in Dublin, which went on to a successful off-Broadway run in New York. He produced four albums with Ronnie and Eleanor Shanley along with collaborating with many of the legends of Irish folk music up to 2006.

Mike’s career as a musician and songwriter has kept him very busy in the ensuing years. As producer, performer and arranger he has travelled extensively in Europe and America, returning for the occasional Stockton’s Wing reunion, culminating in the release of a back-catalogue collection by the band in 2020 called ‘Stockton’s Wing.

Tickets €22 (inclusive of booking fee) — Doors open 7pm — Gig starts 8pm