Irish Fridays

[johncorrigan]

I was catching up on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show from last week. The mighty Altan were live guests in the studio with Mark Radcliffe and wonderful they were. I believe they are celebrating 40 years on the go. One song they did was 'Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa' and how beautiful it is.

https://youtu.be/lrQ92p5JOmM?si=qATx9pysIuyDFhDT

Here's the link to the programme. Some great tunes in there, but Altan were the stars.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027c5y?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Happy Irish Friday.

[Globaltruth]

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v47/n03/colm-toibin/seagulls-as-playmates

This article is a review of Remembering Peasants: A Personal History of a Vanished World
by Patrick Joyce, also mentions Patrick Joyce's other book about his family who are from Mayo; the review is by Colm Tóibín.

I have recently read Remembering Peasants so obviously found the review a must-read.
Tóibín's review has an section relevant to this forum on peasants singing - indeed on the connotations of the word 'peasant', still used in a derogatory way on occasion by some and described by Tóibín as a 'tricky' word - and mention of Joe Heaney, subject of many previous posts. I was astonished to read that he had worked with John Cage...

Rather than just quote the section on music as you can see, I have included a link to the complete article - if only for the photograph from Croagh Patrick at the head. The significance of which will be appreciated if you read the article.

[Padraig]

This article is a review of Remembering Peasants: A Personal History of a Vanished World . . the review is by Colm Tóibín.

Most interesting review,Global. I still have to finish reading it. I stopped when I got to the Joe Heaney and his father part to have a think. Earlier I had come across a new word and had to look it up, and even that took some puzzling out. The word is 'chthonic' and it was Joe Heaney who helped me understand - something to do with delving into the past in search of lost songs, some of which will never be recovered in this world. So, in a way, we could be in touch with an other world.

That mysterious thought seems to fit with John's Altan post. I have included a translation of their song Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa which echoes the kind of journey taken by Joe Heaney in his native Connemara.

A fascinating couple of posts. Did you two collaborate?

Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa/Niwii-aabiziwinge – Poetry Daily

[johncorrigan]

Most interesting review,Global. I still have to finish reading it. I stopped when I got to the Joe Heaney and his father part to have a think. Earlier I had come across a new word and had to look it up, and even that took some puzzling out. The word is 'chthonic' and it was Joe Heaney who helped me understand - something to do with delving into the past in search of lost songs, some of which will never be recovered in this world. So, in a way, we could be in touch with an other world.

That mysterious thought seems to fit with John's Altan post. I have included a translation of their song Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa which echoes the kind of journey taken by Joe Heaney in his native Connemara.

A fascinating couple of posts. Did you two collaborate?

Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa/Niwii-aabiziwinge – Poetry Daily

#
Thanks for that, Padraig...I think GT and I have been here so long we've started finishing each other's sentences. I was also stopped in my tracks by chthonic - my brain was trying to work out how to pronounce it.
'Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa' was also echoing some of the late Michael Longley's poems from Carrigskeewaun in Co Mayo that seem to have been inhabiting me this last week. Somehow a place that keeps taking you somewhere new no matter how often you go.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0020px5?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

[Globaltruth]

Well we didn't consciously; your post wonderfully conflates those posts for us.


Thank you.

[Globaltruth]

Cúirt Bhaile Nua - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ultan O'Brien

strong sean-nós roots, from their album The Light Of the Day

This was recorded at a certain Watercolour Studio 4 years ago - thanks to MAK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY3Lp9fkR6E

a classic song of love and heartbreak from Mayo from the singing of Treasa Ní Mhiolláin. The track is accompanied by a night-time video, filmed outside at Watercolour Music’s studios, which is situated on the shores of Loch Linnhe within sight of Ben Nevis.

[Jazzrook]

On BBC4 tonight(21/2/25):

10.30pm - Folk Hibernia at the BBC

11.30pm - Sounds of the Sixties: the Folk Revival

12 midnight - John Martyn in Concert - The OGWT Special from 1978

JR

[johncorrigan]

There's a major road closure around here and it being a beautiful day yesterday, and rather than follow the diversions, I decided to take the scenic route home, all spring sunshine and new lambs. I had an old Topic collection on the CD player and 'Kevin Barrie' by Paul Robeson came on - it was ages since I remembered hearing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSjO9rIwn5M

Happy Irish Friday.

[johncorrigan]

On BBC4 tonight(21/2/25):


11.30pm - Sounds of the Sixties: the Folk Revival


JR

Worth watching and not only for Cliff Michelmore's rather disparaging introduction of Dylan...in the aftermath of 'A Complete Unknown' great footage of Seeger and Baez. And great watching a very youthful Danny Thompson playing with Tim Buckley. Very enjoyable half-hour, JR. Thanks. Now watching Folk Hibernia. Very entertaining.

[johncorrigan]

Donegal's Muireann Bradley performs the classic American song 'Delia' live on the 'Late Late Show'. Nearly as good as Bob's version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5mi8KPdI4M

Happy Irish Friday.