Our Story

1994 was the big year for our family.

That was the year Hilary and I and our seven children, Robin, Laurie, Ben , Luke, Joel , Joshua and Abigail moved from our home in Belfast, Northern Ireland to live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (America that is !)

Nowadays most people we meet would like to "riverdance" in the opposite direction, so why did we move at all ? As the song says,

Well it wasn't for the weather (60 degrees below in winter, 100% humidity in summer - the Scandinavians can have it !) and it wasn't to be with family (They're all still back in Ireland !), and it wasn't to a job (I'm still struggling for a way to understand and describe what I do !). I suppose it was a matter of obedience - Dad asked us to ! ( The story of the whole pilgrimage we've undertaken is featured in our current recordings - The Bright Hostage trilogy along with Gilbert's Journals. )

Back in Ireland in 1979 I had just qualified as a medical doctor, and was rolling up my sleeves to head into a specialty field, when the Lord got my attention and redirected me to opt out of medicine for 6 months, then a year, then 2 years, then 20 years, then....?

Instead, We were to care for and teach a wonderful group of young people He was drawing together and setting on fire with a love for Him. This became known as the Community of the King, which grew up into a mature fellowship of people of all ages and (significantly in Northern Ireland,) both "persuasions" - Catholic and Protestant. We discovered that the "troubles" in the country were indeed over the sovereignty issue - and that only as each person encountered Jesus - the true High King of Ireland could true peace be found. It was a grass roots unity God was creating, founded on a personal faith that was outworked in our lives and relationships.

Part of the fruit of this experience were our first three albums, Come Lord Jesus, Good Mornin' Dad, and O Ireland. People from both sides of Ireland's divided community worked together composing, performing and recording three albums of songs expressing their faith and their hope for a real and lasting peace in Ireland. Since moving to the US. we've recorded four new albums - The Voyage of the Bright Hostage, The Trek of the Bright Hostage, The Ascent of the Bright Hostage as well as the Flame Song.

For five years after arriving in the USA we hosted St. Brendan's L(a)unch (experiencing the Celtic spirit in today's adventure). This was a get together in a Downtown Minneapolis Irish pub, every Sunday at lunchtime. Here we included many people in on the 'family' sharing our lives and faith through the medium of music, dance, drama and storytelling. St. Brendan's gave birth to our home based Coming King community where we continue to welcome many friends - old and new!

We travel extensively in North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe. The "we" is usually family, and often friends who through music and song, dance and drama, teaching and storytelling, and most of all - our lives, seek to continue to bring Sounds of Hope to individuals, families and communities.