Emerald Guitars, UK Festivals, and more....

Ambassador Emerald Guitars 

“Absolutely delighted to receive this stunning X20 Artisan from Sean Feeny, PR for Emerald Guitars in Donegal.
I will be honoured to play this unique and amazing carbon fibre instrument.
A great start to my birthday weekend.
Thanks Sean and Alan!”

 

Official photos of Darren with his new Emerald Guitar

Emerald Guitars: "We are so honoured to have such a talented performer as Darren as one of our ambassadors!"

Photos copyright emeraldguitars.com

 

 

"Proud and honoured to see the brand new official video of my becoming an ambassador for Emerald Guitars.
Huge thanks to Alastair, Sean and Alan from Emerald for reaching out to me to make this happen."

  

RSVP Magazine

"Piece from the July edtion of RSVP Magazine."

 

WLR FM Interview

Listen to Darren chatting to Geoff Harris on WLR FM.

CLICK HERE

From The Archives

Darren's tribute to Diana Princess of Wales.
She would have been celebrating her 55th Birthday on the 1st July.
(this is YouTube version of video also on Darren's Facebook)

 

“So, this video just picked up 23,000 views, and was shared more than 500 times in just the last 4 days, since being re-posted. Big thanks!

 

Isle of Wight Festival

"Looking forward to folking up the 'Big Top' on Saturday and 'The Main Stage" at The Isle of Wight Festival this Sunday.

Should be an amazing weekend!”
‪#‎thewho ‪#‎queen ‪#‎stereophonics

Update from HKHQ – “Our home for the weekend at Isle of Wight Festival 2016!” #theboysarebackintown #IOW2016

Photo copyright thehighkings.com

 

 

Update from HKHQ – “Posing! Onstage at 745pm!" ‪#‎HardRockStage ‪#‎IOW2016

Photo copyright thehighkings.co

Hard Rock Stage

 

Big Top Stage 

Main Stage

“Can honestly say that today will be one off the bucket list when we will play this monster behind me, currently inhabited by Queen's roadcrew."

  

"Wrapping up an amazing weekend at The Isle of Wight Festival. Incredible memories. One of the gigs to remember today. Brilliant crowd.
Thanks to John Giddings for inviting us again.”

 

Update from HK HQ: “Thank you ‪#‎IOW2016, we had an absolute blast! We have so many people to thank for such an amazing experience, the Festival Production Team and the Artist Liaison Team were, as always, outstanding. Special thanks to those of you who came to listen to us for the very first time and decided to stick around and dance a little! Steve Matthews Travel LTD you rock!"

Photo copyright thehighkings.com

 

Photos from the High Kings performances on the Hard Rock, Big Top, and Main stages at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Photos copyright of Mary E Young

Glastonbury

“The joys of it! Glastonbury, complete with up to your neck muck fest. Great buzz here. Trying to find a screen. Now to watch the game. COYBIG!”

 

“Glastonbury. Unreal. Amazing experience.
Thanks to the BBC for sharing this performance of our brand new single
'Hand me down my Bible'.”

[Sorry we have removed the video as BBC have now set it to private]

“Makes it all worthwhile when you get a message from Phil Coulter, thanking me and the lads for keeping his song alive. He reckons Luke Kelly would've approved too!
That's good enough for me.”

 

Watch the High Kings performing on the Acoustic stage at Glastonbury

 

Listen to the High Kings chatting and performing Hand Me Down My Bible and Red Is The Rose with Cerys Matthews on BBC 6 Music, live from Glastonbury.

CLICK HERE


Irish Shows

“Donegal kicked the weekend off in style last night. Loud as Folk!
Tonight it's an open air concert in New Ross.
Paddy Casey will have you warmed up and raring to go before we take to the stage at 9pm.
Bring it on!”

“New Ross, huge crowd, under a beautiful July sky last night was a memorable show. Thanks to everyone for coming out making it a great night.”

US Festivals

Colorado

Watch a little of the High Kings performing at the Colorado Irish Festival.

Update from HKHQ: "Thank You Colorado Irish Festival! What an amazing audience!"
‪#‎theboysarebackintown ‪#‎graceandglorytour

Photo copyright thehighkings.com

Chicago

A little video promo for the show at the IAHC in Chicago.

“CHICAGO.....That was off the scale! Hands down the loudest audience this summer so far. Loved being back with you all and grateful that like I said...You guys always show up and bring the party.
'Til the next time...”

Irish Music Magazine

“Irish Music Magazine review of Grace & Glory.”

Other Updates from Darren

“Ireland Funds Literary Awards. Mansion House.” ‪#‎highkings

“Grace & Glory is spending yet another week in the national Top 20.
Holding strong at number 12.
Massive thanks to the HK army and our friends at radio all over Ireland for the continued support! On a weekend that we play the main stage at the Isle of Wight festival....this is huge news!”

“The gifted Henry Mcullough passed away today. One of the many songs he graced with his genius was 'My Love' by Wings. A fantastic song became even more sublime by his achingly beautiful guitar solo.
When Paul Mcartney dedicated it to him at his Dublin show in 2010, it was quite a thrill to be sitting 3 seats away from Henry.
RIP.”

That's the round-up of all the news for now. The High Kings will soon be heading off to the US for an extended tour of festivals and shows during the rest of the summer. We'll be back in a few weeks with a round up from the US tour and all other news.



Thanks for your continued support.

Darren & The DH Team

Grace & Glory Album Special and More.....

Hey folks,

Well after what has been by far the biggest and busiest promotional campaign we have ever mounted for a High Kings album, we are floored by the universally positive reaction to what we feel us out best studio work to date.
We released and launched the album on the Late Late Show on Friday 13th May and I was honoured to have one of my lead vocal songs as the chosen single by our label.
'Schooldays Over' has been ressurected and given a new lease of life. How it's captured the attention of the fans and media is very gratifying.
Recorded after my buddy's constant coaxing of me to do something with it, it's been a fantastic launch pad for a great record.
So here we are one week in with a number 1 debut. Our highest ever album chart position and Schooldays picking up AirPlay across Europe and the US.
Thank you to you all! Sincerely.
It's a great feeling.

Take it easy.

Grace & Glory Album

Buy the Album

The album is now available direct from the High Kings website, on global iTunes stores, Amazon, Spotify, and all good record shops in Ireland.

Buy the CD from www.thehighkings.com

Download from iTunes


Radio Promo

“Grace & Glory promo week kicks of this morning for HK with a live in studio chat and song with my old friend Geoff Harris on WLR FM after noon.
Tune in for a bit of fun.”

Watch them live in the studio at WLRM.

“Today's radio promo.
Spirit Radio with Wendy Grace. 11am
East Coast Radio with Declan Meehan. 11.30am
Then home to KCLR FM to my old buddy John Keane at 2pm.” 

 Watch them perform at KCLR.

"On route to Tippfm where we will chat and sing a few songs with our buddy Fran Curry after 11am this morning.
Then it's back up to KFM Radio and and a chat with my old friend Paul Power after 2pm.” 

Listen to both interviews. The first in the morning with Fran Curry at Tipp FM 

CLICK HERE

Then later in the afternoon with Ciara Plunkett at KFM in Kildare. 

CLICK HERE 

“Live on air at 11.30am this morning with Alan Corcoran on South East Radio.” 

Listen to the High Kings chatting with Alan Corcoran in the studio at South East Radio in Wexford. 

CLICK HERE

 “On route to C103FM Radio in Mallow where we will be live in studio at 11.30am.
This evening we are doing an in store performance at Golden Discs, Patrick St, Cork city at 5pm.” 

The High Kings with Colum McGrath at C103. 

Listen to them chatting in the studio with Patricia Messenger and performing Hand Me Down My Bible. 

CLICK HERE

They were also at Shannonside FM in the morning, listen here!

CLICK HERE

 Watch the High Kings perform Hand Me Down My Bible on Galway Bay FM 

The Late Late Show

The High Kings launched their brand new eagerly awaited studio album Grace & Glory on the Late Late Show. 

 Watch them perform Schooldays Over from the album.

 

A few video stills from the High Kings performance of Schooldays Over.

 

Store Signings 

The High Kings did live performance signings in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.

"Folksters be chillin' in Cork."

 

The High Kings were playing 'Live on Facebook' from Golden Discs in Cork. Watch it back on the High Kings Facebook Page! 

The High Kings have really spoilt everyone with their second Facebook Live broadcast of the day, this time outside OMG @ Zhivago in Galway.

 

Grace & Glory Official Launch

The High Kings at the launch.

If you missed it, they were broadcasting on Facebook Live, live from the venue.

Catch it on the High Kings Facebook Page.

A couple of official photos from the launch.

 The High Kings with Finbar Furey

The Irish Album Debut Chart 

“Holy Folk 'n' Roll!!

The High Kings new album 'Grace & Glory' debuted today in the IRMA Irish Top 40 Charts.
- #1 in the independent album charts
- #3 in the National album charts
- highest new entry in the album charts
- highest Irish artist in the album charts

 Incredible. Thanks so much to our loyal fans around the world who bought this album. You've given it the royal seal of approval with style.
To our management and PR team Paddy, Kathryn, Dave, Janine, Shane,Chris, Graham all at Celtic Collections.....you guys are the best. We did it boys!
This feels great.”

Stop Press! 

 

Read a review from the US Irish Echo

CLICK HERE 

 

Irish Tour Round Up

"Thanks to a great sold out audience in Arklow last night. What a party!”

“Athy. Mayhem. Amazing night. Great audience.”

“Bundoran last night was by far the loudest, wildest biggest crowd in months. Massive thanks to all of you who came along and made such a big sound. Crazy times.

Always nice to see my bro, the great Mickey Joe Harte afterwards.”

“HK fans and friends in Co Cork, I will be chatting to Sean Donnellan at 7.40pm tonight on C103FM.”

Listen to Darren chatting to Sean Donnellan on C103FM earlier this evening.

CLICK HERE

 “Mitchelstown last night was wild. Beyond wild in fact. Crazy in the best possible tense. Thank so much to a memorable audience for making that noise for us. One to remember.”

“Kilkenny....that was unreal!! To come home and play a sold out concert to one of the loudest and best audiences in a long time will never be taken for granted!
Fantastic atmosphere. Great to see such a big crowd from Mooncoin!
Nowhere like the auld stomping ground!”

“Super crowd last night at the Clonmel Park Hotel. Sold out and loud as folk!
The Holden and Clancy families joined the throng and every song was sung with more volume than the previous one.
Thanks for indulging my inpromptu version of 'Purple Rain' and for raising the roof at the chorus. A special moment.” ‪#‎prince

“Thanks Mullingar. Crazy. I'm now deaf.
Brilliant fun”

“Loughrea was wild as folk last night! Seriously, that was as loud as it gets in the west. Thanks to a massive and hugely enjoyable audience for making it such a great night.”

Photos copyright Carol Billett

 

“Absolutely fantastic second last show of the "Four Friends Live" tour tonight in Maynooth. Sold out and rockin'. Crazy energy in the room. Thanks to another great audience!”

Now that the Grace & Glory album has been released, we can finally bring you a live video of Hand Me Down My Bible, with it's brand new 3rd verse written especially for them by Phil Coulter! Enjoy!

Photos copyright Carol Billett

Tipp FM's 25th Birthday Concert

“Few pics from last nights Tippfm 25th Birthday award show at the Dome, Semple Stadium in Thurles.
The High Kings were very grateful to be recognised with awards for our contribution to the entertainment industry.
Great to see good friends Shay Searson and Marc Roberts.
Thanks to Trudi and Billy for extending the welcome to myself and the lads.”

 

"A couple more photos from Wednesday night's Tipp FM Birthday concert."

Louise Morrissey Show

“Brian and myself just finished recording an episode of The Louise Morrissey Show due to air on Sky Channel 389 next month.
Always great to catch up with this very talented lady.”

This show will be broadcast at 7pm Wednesday 1st June.

 US Tour Dates Announced

Update from HK HQ – “We are delighted to announce our biggest ever US Tour to date, there will be more additions, and ticket info is on the website. Please share with all your friends who are fans of great live music!" ‪#‎backintheusa ‪#‎graceandglory ‪#‎theboysarebackintown

Isle of Wight Festival

“Proud to be part of the historic 'Isle of Wight' festival again this summer.
What a line up!”

That's all for now folks! The High Kings are now have a couple of weeks off with their families. They will then be heading straight back on the road to the IOW Festival, a few summer dates in Ireland, Glastonbury, and an extensive tour of festivals and shows in America.

We will be back with another round up of news soon!

Thanks for your continued support.

Darren and the DH Team