WORLD CAFE'S "Sense of Place" Series to Explore Dublin's Music Scene

Public radio's music program WORLD CAFE will begin the latest installment in its 'Sense of Place' series on Monday, August 24, with ten episodes exploring Dublin, Ireland. Through Friday, September 4, the nationally-syndicated program will feature exclusive interviews and performances from THE CHIEFTAINS, CMAT, Dermot Kennedy, FLORENCE ROAD, Hozier, KHAKIKID, Loah, Madra Salach, PILLOW QUEENS, Sinead O'Connor, SPRINTS, and U2. The series also speaks with Riverdance principal dancer Jason O'Neill and The Ruby Sessions co-founder and booker Conor Donovan.

About the upcoming series, WORLD CAFE host Raina Douris says, 'You don't need me to tell you that Dublin has a long, rich history of great storytellers and songwriters. But what moved me most when we recorded these sessions is just how much history is still alive in the newer generation of artists coming up in the city. From indie rock to hip hop to punk-influenced to traditional — each artist in this series draws inspiration from Dublin's past while telling vibrant stories of Ireland's present, and future.'

WORLD CAFE 'Sense of Place: Dublin' arrives as the program looks towards its 35th anniversary that will be celebrated on air this coming fall. Earlier this year, WORLD CAFE earned a New York Festivals 2026 Radio Award for 'There's a Missing Piece to Montreal's Jazz History,' a feature that aired as part of its Sense of Place: Montreal series, marking the program's third consecutive year of recognition from the organization.

WORLD CAFE senior producer Kimberly Junod adds, 'The year World Cafe turned 20, we launched our 'Sense of Place' series with a trip to Ireland. Now, 15 years later, as we head into our 35th anniversary, we are so excited to return to a music scene that continues to be a global highlight. It was hard to narrow down who we would hear from for this series, but I am so proud of the diverse set of performances and conversations that we managed to capture: from the first US session with up-and-coming trad punk Madra Salach, to a special acoustic set with SPRINTS, to unique moments from our archives—like a conversation earlier this year with CMAT and a 2014 session with Hozier from before he released his first album. It's a 'Sense of Place' that really shines.'

Past installments in the WORLD CAFE Sense of Place series have most recently profiled the program's home city of Philadelphia as well as Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Fort Collins, and Provo in the US, and Rome, Montreal, and Tokyo internationally.

World Cafe 'Sense of Place: Dublin' schedule

Monday, August 24 – Encore: U2 + Sinead O'Connor: Kick off the Sense of Place: Dublin series with two archival conversations. The Edge of U2 discusses their 2023 album Songs of Surrender, while Sinead O'Connor reflects on her music and 2000 album Faith and Courage.

Tuesday, August 25 – SPRINTS: When SPRINTS were recording their latest album All That Is Over, they almost set the studio ablaze. Hear the band talk about making the new album, finding success while the world feels like it's on fire, and perform a stripped-back set recorded live at Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Dublin.

Wednesday, August 26 – Encore: Hozier + Loah: Before his debut album was released, Hozier came by World Cafe in 2014 to perform 'From Eden' and 'Take Me to Church' and reflect on his rapid rise. Plus, Loah, who co-wrote 'Someone New,' talks about growing up between Ireland, Ghana and Sierra Leone and leaving her career as a pharmacist to become a musician.

Thursday, August 27 – Encore: CMAT: Irish artist CMAT talks about discovering country music as a child growing up just outside Dublin and embracing her Irish identity on her latest album Euro Country. Plus, she performs live.

Friday, August 28 – Madra Salach: Madra Salach sold out three shows at Dublin's The Workman's Club while World Cafe was in town. Hear the band's first interview and performance in the United States and discover the traditional Irish folk influences and raw energy behind their debut EP It's a Hell of an Age.

Monday, August 31 – Encore: The Chieftains + Riverdance: Revisit a jaw-dropping, foot-stomping performance from The Chieftains, recorded in Dublin in 2019, two years before Paddy Moloney's passing. Plus, Riverdance principal dancer Jason O'Neill discusses what it takes to become part of the revered Irish dance phenomenon 30 years after its US debut.

Tuesday, September 1 – The Ruby Sessions: For 27 years, the artists booked to play The Ruby Sessions in Dublin have been a weekly secret, with past performers ranging from unknown artists to stars like Ed SHeeran and Hozier. Go right to the front of the line for a special Ruby Sessions performance recorded live for World Cafe and an interview with co-founder Conor Donovan.

Wednesday, September 2 – KhakiKid: KhakiKid went viral in 2025 with his song 'Date Nite,' which he performed on Ireland's The Late Late Show. Hear that song and new tracks from his latest EP Girl Bites Dog in some of their first performances with a full band, alongside a charming and funny interview with KhakiKid.

Thursday, September 3 – Florence Road Mini Concert + Encore: Pillow Queens: The four-piece Irish rock band Florence Road makes their World Cafe debut with a mini concert featuring songs from their new EP Spring Forward. Plus, revisit Pillow Queens in a 2019 session and hear the band talk about embracing their Irish accents when singing.

Friday, September 4 – Dermot Kennedy: To close out World Cafe's Sense of Place: Dublin series, Dermot Kennedy shares a special stripped-down performance from his latest album The Weight of the Woods. He also looks back on his early days making music, including what he learned busking on the streets of Dublin.

About World Cafe

Launched in 1991, World Cafe is produced by WXPN/Philadelphia and distributed by NPR to more than 300 public radio stations nationwide. Heard by close to 600,000 listeners each week, it's widely recognized as an influential source for music discovery and award-winning storytelling, including multiple honors from the New York Festivals Radio Awards. Hosted by Raina Douris with contributing host Stephen Kallao, the daily two-hour program features artist interviews and in-studio performances spanning indie rock, Americana, soul, world music, and more. Both the daily World Cafe and weekly Conversations from the World Cafe spotlight emerging and established artists from around the globe.

About WXPN

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported, public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe, public radio's leading music program featuring interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists and distributed by NPR to more than 300 stations across the U.S. WXPN also produces XPoNential Radio on XPN2 in HD and online. www.xpn.org

Photo Credit: Paige Walter

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