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 hanging on the ruins of a home from the past.

It reminded me of Miranda, from the movie, Serenity. A planet left behind. A warning not given. A silence that cost too much. That building, that place… it feels like Miranda. Not because it's dead. But because someone left it—hoping it might save someone else.

In the first episode of Firefly, Malcolm Reynolds is fighting in Serenity Valley. A soldier standing next to him is terrified that they are gonna die. Mal tells him, “we’re too pretty to die.” He’s filled with so much hope. A moment later he watches in horror as his air support leaves. He watches his Angels fly away as the soldier next to him is shot down.

Two-thirds of the Independents died in the Battle of Serenity Valley. Two-thirds of Mal’s fellow soldiers did not make it home. And yet he lived. He was preserved.

MUCH LIKE THE SECRET WORD OF THE DAY. WHAT WAS PRESERVED?

Were you ever left behind? How did you move forward?

Music is my safe place. That’s one of the reasons I wrote “Serenity Valley Waltz”. I wanted a song for survivors. For those who were left behind. To not just face the future, but to also take care of the next generation.

This is why I spend so much time thinking about sustainability and my music career. Are we making a life preserver for the next generation? For my daughters?

I’ve been reading the book Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. He does an amazing job at illustrating the tipping point of climate change. When we HAVE to start doing something about it. The very first chapters of the book lay out a horror that brought tears to my eyes. Especially when I imagined what my children will most likely face at some point.

We can use that life preserver right now by changing how we do stuff right now. And perhaps music can be our guiding light.  Our healer. Our hope.

“Serenity Valley Waltz” is a song all about healing and hope. It’s about overcoming our nightmares and looking out across the ocean from the Isle of Man and seeing a better future for all of us.

This song is for the places that hold pain. But also for the objects that remind us to stay afloat. That round red and white ring… it didn’t save a life today. But it might tomorrow. This is Serenity Valley Waltz.”

16:19 - NEWS

• Marc Gunn “Serenity Valley Waltz” from Selcouth
• If you want to learn more about “Serenity Valley Waltz”, visit the shownotes. I did an episode where I shared the inspiration beyond the song.
• You can also find a link to the discussion that Mikey Mason and I had when we wrote the song as part of the In the ‘Verse podcast.
• Poll: What are your favorite songs on Selcouth?
• Merch: Buy Selcouth

Thank you for standing on the shore with me today. The Calf of Man may be forgotten, but its story, like yours, is worth remembering. Next week, we climb to Tintagel, the seat of Camelot, to raise a glass to myths and farewells. Until then… Leave something behind.  Not because you’re going… But because someone might come looking.

19:30 - CREDITS

Thanks for listening to Quest & Chorus. This episode was edited by Mitchell Petersen.

You can follow and listen to the show on my Patreon or wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to learn more about songs featured in this podcast and discover where I’m performing.

Remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

Join the Quest and Sing Along at www.pubsong.com!

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