As usual, Patrick grabs the pints, while Paul hits record. We're back at the Auld Shebeen in Fairfax to kick-off the New Year. We cover a lot of ground, from modern Irish memes to long-standing Celtic traditions. We cover some of Ireland's greatest exports from Hosier to Christy Moore, Sinead O'Connor to Dolores O'Riordan, Blindboy to Tommy Tiernan, and of course U2, perhaps the most successful and divisive in Irish circles. And then there's a dive into history books, historical sites and much, much more. It's some craic alright. Highlights: - The secret to a quintessential Irish pub - geometry and democracy. - Scaring aul biddies with hard rock on afternoon radio. - Our 15 minutes of fame, both sides of the pond. - The Cherry Tomato Shrine, and how Irish madness cannot be explained. - The "sure why not" mentality of the Irish. - The genius of Blindboy (https://shows.acast.com/blindboy). - The legend of Brigid and the cross weaving traditions. - Ireland's most influential musicians, singers, and comics. - Without fail, the 'stretch in the evenings' comment. - Forget Star Wars. Sceilg Mhichíl was important long before. - Shift.irish - the ultimate guide to St Patrick's Day - launching in February. If you’re Irish abroad, head on over to “thecraic.us” (yes, that’s the site!) or search Google for “Subscribe to the Craic”. Then sign-up to receive the weekly email that keeps you up to date on all the craic from home. If you’d like us to visit your local pub to record a future episode, let us know. And, of course, stay tuned to the Craic, and you’ll be first to know about the new app arriving in 2025. Go, move, shift!