Cór Chúil Aodh

[johncorrigan]

The Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, came to Iona on the middle Saturday of our stay this year. He disembarked from one of the Staffa ferries to be met by dignatories, politicians and the rest of us hoi polloi and we all had a parade up the Island street, past the Spar to the village hall. He was here as part of the 1450th anniversary of the arrival of Columcille on Iona from Ireland in 563 and also to celebrate the migrations that have gone between Ireland and Scotland from the days when the Sea was a highway rather than a barrier up to the present day.
On that glorious afternoon there were some ceremonial offerings and then into the Abbey where we were treated to some poetry from the Irish and Hebridean Gaelic and some fine singing from both traditions - ancient Sean Nos resounding round those ancient stones were particularly wonderful. Then the Service of Thanksgiving began with folk from a variety of disciplines within the Churches. There was no programme, so I had not a clue about a lot of it.
Then from the altar area a choir of men started up and I immediately recalled an old tape 'Bringing it all back home'; a BBC programme about the history of Irish Music and here was a song I used to play all the time. Spine-tingling I suppose but the whole of Saturday was worth it to hear Cór Chúil Aodh perform three songs in that great building - they're apparently in their 50th year and I'd love to hear them again - mind you the Lewis Psalm Singers were also pretty stunning to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFv3o9x_-3g

[Oilrig]

Lucky to have been there, John! CCA are one of the seminal sounds of the Irish traditional music renaissance.

[johncorrigan]

Lucky to have been there, John! CCA are one of the seminal sounds of the Irish traditional music renaissance.

Yes indeed Oilrig. Have they ever been to Celtic Connections, do you know? That would be something great to hear.
That track, 'Im Long Me Measaim' on 'Bringing it all back home', is just glorious.

[johncorrigan]

My thanks to Globaltruth for finding a record of Cór Chúil Aodh with Peadar O'Riadha on Spotify and placing it gently in my inbox.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5HQEFaY6CcCEMbquTQTIMM

[Padraig]

I came across this thread, John, just as I was looking for an appropriate spot to place my latest enthusiasm. I have so much to learn about Irish music, and about where I stand within its scope. Here is the song about The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Bean an Fhir Rua - whose melody has been running unnoticed in my head for years in various forms, and here is a singer I like a lot -Stephanie Makem - to sing a version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZiOjX8T6q4

(Just the first 3 minutes)

However, I think you can find it on spotify - I can't - on Seán Ó Riada, Port na bPúcaí. It's track 12. That's the CD where I first found it. There's another site with Joe Heaney singing, telling the story and translating the song into English but I can't find it again

[Globaltruth]

I came across this thread, John, just as I was looking for an appropriate spot to place my latest enthusiasm. I have so much to learn about Irish music, and about where I stand within its scope. Here is the song about The Wife of the Red Haired Man - Bean an Fhir Rua - whose melody has been running unnoticed in my head for years in various forms, and here is a singer I like a lot -Stephanie Makem - to sing a version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZiOjX8T6q4

(Just the first 3 minutes)

However, I think you can find it on spotify - I can't - on Seán Ó Riada, Port na bPúcaí. It's track 12. That's the CD where I first found it. There's another site with Joe Heaney singing, telling the story and translating the song into English but I can't find it again

There are about a dozen versions on Spotify. Here's an unhurried and relaxed version by by Josie Sheáin Jeaic

https://open.spotify.com/track/6fSvmrYztv6YJuWtMJXUGw

and another by Bob Brozman which I felt should be included as he left the planet this year

https://open.spotify.com/track/2Sgd9TpsRka17AUwBbRg8M

then, in case you are not wed to the wonders of Spotify, a Youtube of Josie Sheáin Jeaic

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

As ever, I'd like to know more about what he's singing.

I guessed there was some relation between Stephanie and Tommy Makem - she is his grand niece. I had a friend, Paddy Rhys, half-Welsh, half-Irish, who used to bombard me with the music of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem - that would be nearly 50 years ago, I must admit I've not revisited them often since then, a little too much of the stereotype for my liking. Maybe instead I'll start with more by Stephanie, who has a fine gentle voice. She also has one album on Spotify, from 2008

https://open.spotify.com/album/61TXGMVfoUeXX03AWYAya3

[johncorrigan]

There are about a dozen versions on Spotify. Here's an unhurried and relaxed version by by Josie Sheáin Jeaic

Thanks to Padraig for resurrecting memories of that great day on Iona...Josie was there singing that day too, Global...sounded wonderful and ancient in that great place.

[Padraig]

Thanks Global, and John.

I remember those Clancy Brothers years too, Global; I always thought Tommy Makem had the edge for authenticity way back then, as he was a Northerner! Stephanie has some of the same timbre and articulation I think and it is more familiar to my ear. To be fair I heard Liam Clancy say recently that at least he helped awaken interest in the old songs even if to do so he hammed them up in the pubs and clubs. Sean Nós became a 'fashionable' term for a while back then before it was revealed by Ó Riada and friends for what it was. I'm a Johnny-come-lately, but better late...

[Padraig]

It's me again.

Sean nos thread? Folk connections thread? Or Poetry thread?

I was reading some poetry and stumbled on this poem - Anonymous, Eighteenth Century, translated by Frank O'Connor.

On further exploration I discovered that the poem is also a song and there are versions in Irish and English. The late Diarmaid O SuilleabhaInn from Cuil Aodha had a sean nos version of 'Ta me Sinte ar do Thuama' Hence my decision to grace this thread.
On the 'Show More' part of the link there is the Irish text (incomplete)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBzMFUo8JU0

... while on the poetry thread there is the translation by Frank O'Connor 'I am Stretched on your Grave'. (You probably know some of FO'C's short stories.)

[Globaltruth]

Padraig - always stimulating when you do grace us with a post wherever you choose to put it - I'm in a bit of a rush at the moment to take the grand daughter off to the evening rise (the North wind has given us an excuse if we come back empty handed), but will be researching this tomorrow that's for sure.

[johncorrigan]

Beautifully sad song, Padraig, and the translation of the poem which you posted on the poetry string heart breaking. Thanks.

[Globaltruth]

Beautifully sad song, Padraig, and the translation of the poem which you posted on the poetry string heart breaking. Thanks.

It is indeed.

Here's a respectful version by Kate Rusby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95I7t1znYFk

then an interpretation by Sinead O'Connor

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

I think this is my favourite version in English though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcPQBGm-KTk

but then their version of The Parting Glass is in my all time Top 10...

Apparently the song has recently been featured on the BBC TV series Peaky Blinders...

Thanks again Padraig.