If you're having a quiet one in front of the telly tonight, you could do a lot worse than tuning into BBC Four. As part of their Paddy's Day celebrations, they've devoted to schedule to Irish music.
The component parts are An Intimate Portrait Of Sir James Galway, which is narrated by Jeremy Irons and features contributions from Melvyn Bragg, Riverdance composer Bill Whelan and the conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin; The Making Of Irish Rock - A Tale Of Two Cities, a Belfast-Dublin round up of the island's 10 biggest-selling acts, which includes Van Morrison, The Chieftains, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, The Boomtown Rats, The Undertones, U2 and Sinéad O’Connor; a film about The Strypes who join the Sex Pistols, the Clash and Dr. Feelgood in being given the documentary treatment by Julien Temple, and Irish Rock At The BBC which starts with Thin Lizzy performing 'Whiskey In The Jar' in 1973 and doesn't let up until it gets to Mr. Hozier-Byrne.
It all kicks off at 8pm this evening.