Kilcummin musician Junior Brother is set to play Mike the Pies for the first time when he takes to the stage at the popular Listowel venue on May 21.

The local artist has built a strong reputation on the Irish folk and alternative scene and released his third album, The End, last September. The record followed a steady rise in profile since the release of his debut album Pull The Right Rope, which was nominated for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year.
Junior Brother also picked up two nominations at the 2019 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, where he was shortlisted for Best Folk Album and Best Emerging Folk Act. His distinctive songwriting and live performances have since seen him share stages with a range of well-known acts, including The Proclaimers and Glen Hansard.
Hansard later invited the Kilcummin man to join him on a tour of the east coast of the United States.
Tickets for the show are priced at €20 and are available through the Mike the Pies website.

A Christmas gathering in memory of Mike Gaine brought friends and rally competitors together at Kenmare Golf Club on January 3, where the first winners of the Carrig Cup were also recognised.

The new trophy was claimed by driver Tommy Randles and co-driver Darragh Lynch, making them the opening names on the cup.

The award will be competed for every six months on both the Killarney Historic Rally and the Rally of the Lakes.

Randles thanked the Gaine family for presenting the trophy and the club members who supported the night.

He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people and KDMC club members that came to the Kenmare Golf club last night to the Christmas gathering of friends in memory of Mike Gaine and in recognition of the Carrig cup and myself and Darragh Lynch as the first winners it was a great night with rally stories of the past been told until early in the morning I would like to thank Mike Casey and his team of Kenmare golf course for the bar service and food on the night which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and I would like to wish you all a very happy new year and hope 2026 will be a great year for everyone.”

Co-driver Lynch added:
“The fact that the cup will be won every six months for both the Historic Rally and the Rally of the Lakes means it will have an amazing history to it in a few short years so for myself and Tommy to be the first names on it is special. I’d like to thank the Gaine family for putting forward the cup and the rally community of Kenmare for supporting it so strongly. The cup will keep Mike’s memory safe and strong forever more now and it was great to see such a crowd on the night.”