The Point of Everything

TPOE 366: Junior Brother

The Point of Everything

Show Notes

Ronan Kealy aka Junior Brother, returns to The Point of Everything to talk about his extraordinary third album The End, released September 5 on Pete Doherty’s Strap Originals label.

The album was recorded almost entirely solo, with only a guest appearance from Lankum’s Ian Lynch on Uilleann pipes, but its sound is expansive and band-like, rooted in Irish tradition while reaching into something stranger and more contemporary.

In this conversation, Junior Brother reflects on his time in Dublin’s music scene, how folklore and storytelling seep into his songwriting, and the role of collaboration in shaping his work. He also touches on themes of love and life, the visual worlds of his music videos, and the childhood stories that continue to fire his imagination. The result is an album that connects the past and present, the personal and the mythical, into something both timeless and unsettlingly current.

The End is available now at juniorbrother.com

Junior Brother tour dates: Friday, September 12 – The Pav, Cork (Sounds from a Safe Harbour, Album Launch) Saturday, September 13 – The Grand Social, Dublin (Album Launch) Sunday, September 14 – The Grand Social, Dublin (Album Launch) Saturday, September 21 – Vantastival Festival, Drogheda Friday, October 10 – LASTA Festival, Síamsa Tíre, Tralee Sunday, November 9 – DeBarras Samhain Festival, Clonakilty Thursday, November 14 – Róisín Dubh, Galway Friday, November 15 – Upstairs at Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick Friday, November 21 – Sandinos, Derry Saturday, November 22 – Open House Festival, Bangor Sunday, November 23 – Spirit Store, Dundalk

More from The Point of Everything

Oct 16, 2026

Belfast-based Morgana released her debut solo album The Whole Thing Was Very, Very Emotional on October 9. One half of Saint Sister, she talks about highlights for 2026 so far, from supporting Snow Patrol in stadiums to playing gigs in the Amazon in Brazil. We explore her creative process, CMAT and other influences, and the evolution of her music and stage persona.

Oct 8, 2026

Limerick/Dublin band girlfriend. released their second album Carousel on September 4. Hana Lamari talks about the journey to making it, recording with producer Chris Quigley, the realities of being a small independent band - work, tour life or lack there of, breaks, mental health and more.

Sep 30, 2026

Dublin-born, London-based artist Lucy Rice aka Last Apollo released her debut album I'll Walk Towards You on September 4. A collage of grief and care and honesty, it's an artefact of love that took Rice on a journey. We talk about the road to get there, influences, playing with the Glasshouse ensemble and other acts, and lots more.

Sep 23, 2026

Dublin-born, Brighton-based Sarah Crean released her second album Heirloom on September 18. It's a concept album based on the myth of Calypso, using her story as a lens for Sarah to explore loss, escape, and reclaiming her own voice. It's also entirely made by women, which was a very deliberate move. We talk about Sarah's journey, the viral success of the 2022 single 2am which led to her getting signed, moving to London, later getting dropped, depressed, and finding her way out of that hole. Along the way we also discuss Electric Picnic, Olivia Rodrigo, and writing killer choruses.

Sep 7, 2026

Loah released her debut album Materia Medica on June 5. She says: "The ambition was to create a hypermodern body of work that sonically exemplifies the changing definition of what Irishness is, what femininity is and indeed what musical ‘genre’ is and its flexibility in the modern context. We have many excellent producers and musicians on this album - it is a collage of sound!"

See all episodes →