OUR old friend and Wexford native Pierce Turner, who divides his time between New York and the auld sod these days, will return to Joe's Pub this December.

The singer songwriter has had his songs covered by greats like Christy Moore, and he has had some of his tunes grace the soundtrack to the ultra hip HBO show The Wire, which used a huge chunk of his killer cover version of "Dirty Old Town".

Oscar nominated director and screenwriter Jim Sheridan went so far as to say seeing Turner live gave him the strength and inspiration to make the Oscar winning My Left Foot.

But it is in live performance that people who know Turner love him the most. Programmed percussion, dancing atop the bar, rambling yarns, acoustic ballads, blaring brass, string quartets, hymns dredged up from childhood and surprising cover versions, are just some of the things you can expect from the man who has tons of tricks up his sleeve.

He'll grace the stages of Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette Street in New York, on Sunday December 2 and 9. Tickets available in person at the Public Theater Box Office. Also call 212-539-8778 for reservations.