Friday, July 8, 2016

The Musicians and the Music

                                           We are the music-makers,
                                           And we are the dreamers of dreams,
                                           Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
                                           And sitting by desolate streams;
                                           World-losers and world-forsakers,
                                           On whom the pale moon gleams:
                                           Yet we are the movers and shakers
                                           Of the world for ever, it seems,

                                           ~Arthur O'Shaughnessy, from Ode


The trip was called a "music tour"* and so, while we visited scenic spots, archaeological sites, and historic locations during the day, we experienced Irish traditional (and folk) music in its many forms in the evenings. Sometimes the musicians came to us. Sometimes we went to the pub to listen.

And often the musicians among us joined in or performed on their own. Including our host, Ronnie Cox, ** and our guide, Hugh Carthy, we had a number of folks who brought instruments along. Usually we had to wheedle and cajole Ronnie into performing a few numbers. His music generally tells a story - often funny, but sometimes tragic. His song, Sean McCarthy, is haunting. It is about the great hunger and Skibbereen.

DH and I are not singers, though we love to sing.  So, when invited (and especially when we knew the words) we sang along.

 We experienced amazing moments with many of the best of Irish music.

We also seemed to find music wherever we went. In some towns there is always music leaking out of the cracks in pub walls. Musicians performed in farmers markets and near tourist venues.

This is a summary of the trip, but by no means captures how immersed we were in music.*** There is no way to fully capture the tapping feet, clapping hands, or nodding heads or the fingers flying across an instrument - or the trance-like state some achieve.

Skibbereen:

The first artist to come our way was John Spillane. He is a genius. A singer/songwriter, John has done a great deal of commercial work for TV and the tourist board. Since we returned home we have been introduced to more of his music (thank heavens for eBay as much of John's music is difficult to find). He wrote a series of songs for a television show, Spillane an Fanaí (Life in an Irish Town), where he would work in a pub in a rural village. He wrote a song for each village. We were in a couple of these towns (more later). His lyrics were perfect, and fun, and the performance was, well, genius!

Here John graciously included Harpin' Hank Hogan, one of the travelers on the tour, to join him.
A little better photo of John. Woohoo!
Later, we were in Birr, County Offaly and looked up to see John gazing out a window at us. This is a poster for a CD that DH managed to order while we traveled. We have been enjoying John's music and you should check the links below.

On our second evening, Bacon and Cabbage, came to perform and teach us to dance. They were delightful and fun. We all made good faith attempts to dance - following Michael's directions - and heard a great many traditional songs. Most, if not all,  of what they sang for us is on their CD.

I love to watch the hands and feet. Feet tap away.

Richard Lucey (accordion) and Michael Cantillon-Murphy (guitar/vocals)  - Bacon and Cabbage. And they taught us the Irish man's best complement, "Fine girl you are!"
Richard Lucey looks on as Ronnie Cox performs, "I'm My Own Grandpa."

Ballydehob:

On our third evening we headed to Levis' pub in the village of Ballydehob. We filled the pub which once also served as a grocery store run by two sisters. The store goods still line the shelves behind a lace curtain.

So the band was Mooncoin, with Liam Keneally, fiddle; Fiona Ashley, flute; Bob Allen, fiddle; Dave Evans, guitar; Dawn Evans, whistle. They played jigs and slides and we had a rollicking good time. DH and I sat right next to Fiona and we talked a bit during the breaks. I'll be posting some music on their Facebook page (make sure you get the Irish Mooncoin and not the one from New Zealand).

"Here's a trio of jigs for ye with a side slide," cried Liam at one point.

All feet were tapping and hands clapping on this merry evening.

Now, that's a pub sign!


I wish you could see the fingers fly and hear the tune. You would be dancing a jig in no time.
The undressed guy in the painting is the Ballydehob hero, Danno O'Mahony, world champion wrestler.****
"Ken, Can we get three Guinness, please. And a Corona."

Some of the old items from when Levis' was a pub/general store.
We could see the tinned groceries behind the lace.
Have some oatmeal!
DF from our group joined in the music.
A different view of DF.
Our intrepid guide, Hugh Carthy, also performed a song.
Dingle:

Dingle Town is full of music. We had many choices for concerts and pubs after the music arranged for us. Evenings often found us at The Courthouse Pub owned by Tommy O'Sullivan and his wife, Saundra. We found a ready welcome there.

But I am jumping ahead. On our first evening in Dingle Pauline Scanlon sang accompanied by Donogh Hennessey. Pauline has one of those clear pure voices. She touches your heart. She is also part of a duo called, Lumiere, with Eilis Kennedy. Donogh is an extraordinary musician. We were so fortunate to have what was really a private concert.

The performers sat before us with Dingle Harbor bright blue behind them. It was beautiful to watch and listen (but impossible to photograph).

Pauline and Donogh
Pauline sings and breaks our hearts. We followed them along to a gig they had later that evening.

We then heard Tommy O'Sullivan (guitar/vocals) with David Healy (accordion) and Saundra O'Sullivan (vocals) at The Courthouse. Tommy has an amazing voice and is beautifully accompanied by his wife, Saundra. And David Healy! Oh my word! He is a young, incredibly talented accordion player. As he has no recorded music (yet) we took a quick video. [Yes, I knew him when...]

Ronnie taking a turn at the microphone.
David and his instrument. At times he closed his eyes and we thought his fingers would fly off as the tune went fast and faster.
David and Tommy perform, but I took the photo to catch the fellow outside looking in and listening to the music!

Doolin: 

 Doolin is known as a center for traditional music. Music is in the air! Tunes lilt out of each pubs most of the day and night. It is hard to pass a pub without being drawn in by the music.

During our stay in Doolin we formally heard Luka Bloom (guitar and vocals)  - heartfelt music!**** one night. Then we heard Blackie O'Connell (uileann pipes - genius!), Cyril O'Donoghue (bouzouki/vocals), Geraldine McGowan (bodhran/vocals). And on our final night Sharon Howley performed on the fiddle and her father taught us about "lilting."*****

Geraldine McGowan, Cyril O'Donoghue, and Blackie O'Connell
Hugh introduces Sharon Howley and dad.
Da had everyone up and dancing (OK, not me. I was way back in the corner and was documenting!).

And more or Moher: 

At the Cliffs of Moher I met cousins Daniel and Darragh who busked the day we were there.

The boys seemed a little shy as they played...
but they talked with me during a break and allowed me to film a short performance.

 Cashel:

This red-haired beauty played the fiddle near the walk up to the Rock of Cashel. She never stopped, toes tapping and hair flying in the breeze.

It's not such a good photo, but I had to take it from the video. Both feet were tapping as she played.
  
Mitchelstown Cave:

Before leaving home we made arrangements to see Ye Vagabonds as part of the Clonmel Junction Festival. Ye Vagabonds are Diarmuid and Brían MacGloinn, brothers and extraordinary musicians. The cave was fun as well, more a unique experience rather than having any special acoustics as far as I could tell.

We had to work for this concert - 88 steps down (dodging low ceilings and cautious over wet cave floors) and a half mile walk.
Yeah, that's them. Beautiful cave formations around, but poor lighting for a concert.
It was a lovely cave.
They managed to get 100 people down and seated in a very orderly fashion. The crowd seemed happy with the music.

Cahir farmers market: Men's shade group started with "Jug of Punch" and then went to "Have You Ever Been Lonely." We sang along to "Take Me Home Country Roads" as DH and I walked away along the river.

I am going to pretend this was them singing "Jug of Punch" (yeah, I sang along - to all their songs).


NOTES:

*http://www.johnsmithmusic.com/ireland/
**Yes, THAT Ronnie Cox. You might not have known he is a folk musician - and a good one.
*** http://www.historyireland.com/20th-century-contemporary-history/danno-omahony-ballydehobs-world-champion-wrestler/
**** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luka_Bloom
*****Irish lilting and sean-nós (old style) singing stems from a time when the British banned the Irish from playing Celtic folk music or partaking in any cultural activities that weren't British. In the 1650s, British hero Oliver Cromwell ordered all Celtic harps and organs throughout Ireland to be destroyed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_Laws_(Ireland)
The Irish had no choice but to gather in secret, and with the lack of instruments, would sing sean-nós or lilt like these guys. As the Irish language was also banned, the Irish would teach the language and Irish culture in illegal hedge schools. from post by asurethatsgrand on Reddit board

Conversation opened. 3 messages. All messages read.

Samples of the work:

John Spillane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNFXwmW9b8Y and 


Displaying Bla*http://www.johnsmithmusic.com/ireland/**We listened to music in the bus most of the time too.***Sorry that there is often wind obscuring some of the music. Ireland is a windy place.
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