Brendan Hickey

Brendan Hickey is a man who is likely to be known as the driving force behind “On The Verge”, which, since 1995, has promoted original music through the “On The Verge Live” radio show (Dublin South FM), a popular website www.ontheverge.ie and showcase gigs. Brendan is the guy who came across the raw talents of artists like Paddy Casey, Mundy, Damien Dempsey, Gemma Hayes and Declan O’Rourke (to name but a few) and was the first to put them on air. The radio show still continues to give musicians with original material the chance to have their work broadcast, and to perform live at Dublin South FM. Nowadays the acts are not just local, however, but international as well.
What may not be so well known is that Brendan is also a performance poet who has been writing since the late sixties and who has been giving performances of his own work for over thirty years. Music has always been important to him and late night sessions with Phil Lynott and later Shane McGowan gave him the encouragement to put his work into print. Two self-published books “Beside Myself” and “On The Verge” both sold out through sales at gigs and the welcome distribution by Easons. While sifting through his writings with the intention of putting out a new collection, Brendan was urged by Karl Odlum, an old friend and collaborator, to work on a cd. Karl produced Brendan’s limited edition EP “Autumn Blues”, which sold out after performances at The High Teas café in the Electric Picnic ’08. This not only helped finance the latter stages of his first album“Vergions” but also convinced Brendan that there was an audience for his work.
Since receiving local and national airplay for tracks from “Vergions” Brendan and his Launch Crew have played The Lower Deck, Portobello Harbour, The D.C.C, Camden Row and The Ruby Sessions at Doyle’s, College St, JJ Smyth's Aungier St and Electric Picnic 2010 and 2011. He has also been a special guest at The Glor sessions, and for three different acts at Whelan’s, Wexford St.