Just back from an incredible 36-hour whirlwind visit to Belfast to play as part of an International Brigade Commemoration Committee event marking 80 years since Jarama.

Cannot thank Lynda Walker enough for asking me over and for the hospitality, I was well and truly looked after by her and Ernest. Amazing people. Great to get a tour of the city mural-by-mural and a potted history of The Troubles street-by-street. Truly incredible place to spend some time.

Big thank you too to Dooley Harte for taking me to Belfast City Hall to view the Spanish Civil War window, a stained-glass artwork like nothing else in the world, and something you have to see to comprehend the beauty of as a mere photograph does it no justice.

We laid a wreath at the International Brigade Memorial and I sang ‘No Pasaran’ in Shankhill Road library as part of a lecture on political activism in the 1930’s. From there I had a night gig at the Sunflower Pub with terrific support from Eoghan O’Neill. Great spirit in the crowd, and a right racket was raised. There is talk of a trip to Dublin in 2018 so I’ll keep you posted there, and hopefully I can return to Belfast soon as I loved every second.