Irish Achievement of 2008

This is primerily a repost from Mixtape4melfi. Winning the Oscar this year is in my eyes the greatest thing for Irish Artists since The Cranberries exploded on the college radio scene in the 90's. Add to this the fact that they appeared in The Simpsons! How mad is that?

Glen Hansard and the Frames have been around the Irish Music scene for two decades now. Glen played Outspan in the 1990 Movie The Commitments. He formed the band the Frames and to date he has released five studio albums, one live album, a b-sides album and formed a side project called The Swell Season with his oscar winning girlfriend Marketa. Glen loved playing live and busked for years around Dublin's main shopping streets such as Grafton Street, College green and St. Stephens green. He was at the centre of a young musical network of mates in the late 80s and early 90s. His mates included Paddy Casey, Mark Dignam (who incidentally grew up across the road from me), Terry Sutton and the late great Mic Christopher. I bet money on the fact that Glen would have had a pint to Mics memory this week.

The Commitments - Dark end of the street.