Quest & Chorus #2: A Lonely Shore on the Calf of Man (special feature Folk Songs & Stories)

The Calf of Man, just off the southern tip of the Isle of Man. There’s a decayed building there. And on its wall hangs a strange thing. A life preserver—round, red and white, worn by time. It made me wonder: What do we leave behind to save the ones who come after us?”

This is Quest & Chorus #306

0:21 - We Banjo 3 "Alive With You" from Open The Road

3:14 - WELCOME TO QUEST & CHORUS

Where every place has a story, every story has a song, and every song is a step in the quest. I’m your bard, Marc Gunn, also host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, and typically host of this show as Folk Songs & Stories, but today, we call it Quest & Chorus.

Quest & Chorus is a 6-part podcast series. I fuse my love of music, science fiction and fantasy, and travel into a podcast with a quest. In each episode, you will get a clue to unlock a secret reward. And at the end of the season, you will combine all of those clues to unlock an even bigger amazing reward.

We’re sailing to the Isle of Man to talk about hope, abandonment, legacy, moving forward, and what comes next.

If you’re new to the show, please follow us. You can do that PubSong.com or Just send me an email to follow@celtfather.

UPCOMING SHOWS

• SEP 24-28: ALEP 6, Harrodsburg, KY
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4:55 - Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh "Cad É Sin Don Té Sin" from Neadú

8:23 - Bill Mullen “Irish Rover” from The Beginning

A big thanks to my…

11:06 - GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON

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TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO BY CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of people on a relaxing adventure to one of the Celtic nations. We don’t see everything. Instead we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join me with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts, blogs, videos, and photos.

In 2026, you can join me for a Celtic Invasion of Galicia in Spain. Sign to the Celtic Invasion Vacations mailing list at CelticInvasion.com.

Let’s begin the…

QUEST & CHORUS of CALF OF MAN

The Calf of Man is a small island located about a half mile off the southern tip of the Isle of Man. It is a protected national park that is part of the Manx National Heritage. It is home to large number of species of birds, including some colonies that migrate there. Around 33 species of seabirds breed on the islet annually, including  Manx Shearwater, Kittiwake, Razorbill and Shag.

Every year, I take a small group of people to explore our Celtic heritage. It’s called Celtic Invasion Vacations. Next year, we’re going to Galicia in Spain. That’s one of the most-obscure Celtic nations. But in the summer of 2024, we did a Celtic Invasion of the Isle of Man.

On the invasion, we took the Wild Life and Scenic Trip around Calf of Man with Shona Boat Trips. They are one of the small boat operators that give tours. Desi was our guide. He lived on the island for a year.

We didn’t get to explore much of the land. Because the Calf of Man is raw. The kind of place the sea keeps for itself. There was a building by the shore. We couldn’t inspect it during our fifteen minutes on the ground, but it looked like just the bones of a dwelling, stone clinging to stone. And from its wall, there was one oddity that stood out in the stark landscape. A life preserver.

That’s wild to think about. A life preserver is a tool meant to save someone in the future, and it was hang