Hang Me Out To Dry

Close your eyes and you find yourself wandering into an Irish Pub off the beaten path. A band is playing and the sounds are familiar; the well seasoned voice, tin whistle, accordion and fiddlebut the songs... have you heard them before? They carry the rocking authenticity of the Pogues and the poetry of the old Irish ballads. It's as though Roddy Doyle is the barkeep for these tunes, spiked with ironic humor that ebbs and flows just as strong porter follows whisky. A laugh and atear; both valid. You wake to find you have just listened to the latest collection of songs by TripMcCool, "Hang Me Out To Dry". Trip McCool is the Irish alter-ego of Dennis Dougherty. "I put on the guitar and sing as if my ancestors were listening; and I truly believe they are so I better not disappoint them. Trip is thepart of my soul that never forgot the sacrifices they made. My people rose up from the Irish mud to make a better life for me. I write songs for them, for my people, the immigrants, the poor,the salt of the earth. It's all true, even the lies. "1. We Fish for Dreams2. Hang Me Out to Dry3. Evermore4. The Selkie Girl5. John Barleycorn Must Die6. St. James Gate7. Gravy in the Grave8. The Urge to Roam9. Cabbage and Spuds10. My Hands11. Pips and Squeaks12. The First Robin of Spring