By Marco den Ouden
Although this topic proved a bit of a challenge for many, you all came through with flying colours. Out of 110 songs nominated, an astounding 94 made my shortlist. With such a surfeit of music to choose from, I opted for a 20-song A-List – 15 Irish Gaelic songs, a transitional piece, and four from other Celtic tongues to finish off the list. It’s an eclectic mix to be sure.
The topic was chosen because Sunday17th March was St. Patrick’s Day, so we start with a song about that popular holiday. The Irish were notable emigrants and settled around the world. In America in particular, there are large Irish communities, especially on the eastern seaboard. Our family was in New York City six months after 9/11 just in time to join the celebrations. The St. Patrick’s Day parade, honouring the police and fire fighting heroes of that tragedy, went on for hours. Marching band after marching band from communities around North America and the world were there to honor these heroes. And New Yorkers were there in droves sporting their green. St. Patrick’s Day by Damien Dempsey starts our list.
Irish music has a special feel to it, not the least because traditional instruments are used as well as certain rhythms and styles. One of those instruments is a gentler version of the bagpipes, the Uilleann Pipes. More mellow and plaintive than their Scottish cousin. Táimse im' Chodladh showcases the instrument as played by Catherine Ashcroft accompanied by Maurice Dickson. Note how she pumps air into the pipes with a squeezebox under her arm, rather than by mouth as with the bagpipes.
One of the things I noticed in doing this topic was how certain artists crop up again and again. The most notable of these are The Chieftains here performing Mo Ghile Mear. Irish music takes two different turns: the rhythmic upbeat style this song exemplifies. The other is a much more mellow style of The Corrs with Brid Og Ni Mhaille. This style often starts with a singer with no accompaniment with the instruments joining in a bit later. It has a bit of a dreamy quality to it.
Next up The Rankin Family, provide the vocal harmonies with The Chieftains providing the musical accompaniment to Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór. It is sort of a blend of both styles. The Rankins here sing in Irish Gaelic, whereas the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia group usually sings in Scottish Gaelic.
Fontaines D.C. are off on a different tangent. The lyrics to In ár gCroíthe go deo are in English with only the title repeated throughout as background. The song is more a rocker than traditional Irish. Meanwhile, Sinead O’Connor sings a mellow and melancholy song with The Funeral. While the title is in English, the song is sung in Gaelic. A powerful Irish voice, O’Connor turned up partnered with other artists in a number of songs.
Lisa Hannigan sings another mellow number with Amhrán Na Farraige. I was surprised to find how many singers I knew about, like Hannigan, were, in fact, Irish. We’ll meet more as we go along.
Two versions of Tá Mo Chleamhnas Déanta were suggested. One featured The Chieftains with Van Morrison. I opted for the fine duo of Róisín White & Julie Fowlis. I particularly liked the harp accompaniment but also liked the way the two singers play off each other with White singing the Irish lyrics and Fowlis repeating them in English. Both combining in Irish towards the end.
Aoife Ní Fhearraigh is the singer in Gabhaim Molta Bríghde. The song is a tribute to Saint Brigid of Kildare, one of the three patron saints of Ireland. Another mellow piece with traditional instruments.
Clannad is another Irish group that came up several times. The group started out as a family affair with three siblings and two uncles joining their voices to celebrate Irish music. Buachaill Ón Éirne is an excellent example. They were joined from 1982-984 by their much more famous younger sister who we’ll meet a little later.
One of the things that surprised me was to see how popular Irish music is outside the Irish community. Our next two numbers take us far afield from as unlikely sources of songs sung in Irish as you can imagine. The first is Siúil a Rúin by Japanese singer KOKIA. The other is from a group called the Afro Celt Sound System performing Release. Sung in Irish and English, the song features guest artist Sinead O’Connor singing the English parts. The song has a good solid beat. Who would have guessed that Irish Gaelic has aficionados in Japan and Africa!
Our next song is from the younger sibling of the three siblings in Clannad. Enya, whose Irish birth name is Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin, sings The Longships, a hauntingly beautiful number sung in Gaelic. Enya was still finding her way during the two years she joined her siblings, but went on to launch a spectacular solo career. She is the best-selling solo Irish singer with an estimated 80 million records sold. But she knows her Irish roots!
The Cranberries are another popular Irish group, known mostly for their songs in English. But in Íosa they go back to their roots and sing in Gaelic. But they still sound like The Cranberries we know and love with Dolores O'Riordan’s distinctive lead vocals.
We next sail a little north of Ireland to the Isle of Skye and band called Runrig. They offer us two songs for the price of one, a short medley, with the first song, Cnoc Na Feille, sung in Irish Gaelic and the second, Siol Ghoraidh, sung in Scottish Gaelic. So this is our transition to other Celtic language songs. This medley rocks. And the singers give us short introductions to the songs explaining what they’re about.
First up is another Scottish Gaelic song I found enchanting, a version of the Beatles’ Blackbird (Lon-dubh) by Julie Fowlis who we met earlier. (It’s hard to avoid using some artists more than once as native Irish singers like to join forces.)
There were three Welsh songs nominated. I opted for Bryn Terfel’s Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn, an almost operatic number in its power. Terfel has an amazing voice.
Cornwall is a spit of land just west of Plymouth, but it is home to the Cornish language. Four songs were suggested. I particularly liked Eus Keus? by Gwenno. It was a toss up between this song and another also by Gwenno. This one was a bit more upbeat.
And our closer is the sole nomination of a Breton language song. Breton is one Celtic language that is not in the British Isles but in the Brittany region of France. Alan Stivell is renowned as a master of the Celtic Harp and as a promoter of the Breton language. Bagpipes and harp provide the accompaniment to Stivell’s singing of Kimiad.
And with that, Tá súil agam go raibh Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona agaibh! Agus féach ar ár leiprechauns! Pop suas siad sna háiteanna is mó gan choinne!
Amhrán A-List Playlist:
1. St. Patrick’s Day - Damien Dempsey (TatankaYotanka)
2. Táimse im' Chodladh/King of the Pipers - Catherine Ashcroft & Maurice Dickson (Suzi)
3. Mo Ghile Mear ("Our Hero") - The Chieftains ft. Sting (BanazirGalbasi)
4. Brid Og Ni Mhaille - The Corrs (Loud Atlas)
5. Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór - The Chieftains & The Rankin Family (severin)
6. In ár gCroíthe go deo - Fontaines D.C. (ParaMhor)
7. The Funeral - Sinead O’Connor (Maki)
8. Amhrán Na Farraige - Lisa Hannigan (Loud Atlas)
9. Tá Mo Chleamhnas Déanta - Róisín White & Julie Fowlis (ParaMhor)
10. Gabhaim Molta Bríghde - Aoife Ní Fhearraigh (Suzi)
11. Buachaill Ón Éirne - Clannad (Maki)
12. Siúil a Rúin - KOKIA (ajostu)
13. Release - Afro Celt Sound System ft. Sinead O’Connor (Nicko)
14. The Longships - Enya (AltraEgo)
15. Íosa - The Cranberries (AltraEgo)
16. Cnoc Na Feille / Siol Ghoraidh - Runrig (happyclapper)
17. Blackbird (Lon-dubh) - Julie Fowlis (barbryn)
18. Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn - Bryn Terfel (Suzi)
19. Eus Keus? - Gwenno (Loud Atlas)
20. Kimiad - Alan Stivell (pejepeine)
Bodhrán B-List Playlist:
In this list I tried to avoid using the same song or the same artist twice but that was not always possible. The first 18 songs are Irish. The next two are Cornish. The two after that are Welsh. These are followed by seven in Scottish Gaelic and back to Irish Gaelic for a 16-minute closing song.
1. The Foggy Dew - Sinead O’Connor & The Chieftains (bluepeter)
2. The Sick Bed of Chuchulain - The Pogues (happyclapper)
3. Clare Island - The Saw Doctors (Suzi)
4. The Best is Yet to Come - Aoife Ní Fhearraigh (happyclapper)
5. An Bhfuil Tu Sasta? - Paranoid Visions (Carpgate)
6. Dúlamán - Clannad (Loud Atlas)
7. A Little Voice in Space - Jackie Leven (TatankaYotanka)
8. Gaelic Ireland - Damien Dempsey (TatankaYotanka)
9. Ta Mo Chleamhnas Deanta - Van Morrison & The Chieftains (ParaMhor)
10. Mo Ghile Mear - Mary Black (severin)
11. Mná na hÉireann - Kate Bush (The Landlord)
12. Amach Anocht - Kneecap (Loud Atlas)
13. Is Trua Nach Bhƒuil Mé In Éirinn - The Bothy Band (magicman)
14. Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile - Sinead O’Connor (magicman)
15. Anáil na hOíche - Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (magicman)
16. Aisling Gheal - Iarla Ó Lionáird (magicman)
17. Siuil a Ruin - Connie Dover (Fred Erickson)
18. Déanta in Éireann - Lankum (magicman)
19. Tresor - Gwenno (happyclapper)
20. Delyo Syvy - Brenda Wootton & Robert Barton (Suzi)
21. Blerwytirhwng - Super Furry Animals (Uncleben)
22. Y Ddau Farch - Julie Murphy & Dylan Fowler (Suzi)
23. Fionnghuala - The Bothy Band (severin)
24. A' Bhirlinn Bharrach (Kishmul's Galley) - Sound of Mull (pejepeine)
25. Ni Na La - Solas (Loud Atlas)
26. Uisge Beatha - Roaring Jack (Nicko)
27. Hy-Brasil - Allison Russell (barbryn)
28. Mìle Marbhphaisg air a’ Ghaol - Mairi Morrison & Alasdair Roberts (TatankaYotanka)
29. Calum Sgaire - Christine Primrose (pejepeine)
30. Opening Set - The Gloaming (magicman)
Ceol C-List (Instrumental):
Our instrumental playlist has tunes listed in the order in which they were suggested. All are Irish except for Ys by Alan Stivell which is Breton and features Stivell playing harp. Please note Buddy Emmons’ Wild Mountain Thyme is an interesting version of a traditional Irish song on steel guitar. A very different take on Irish music.
1. Itzbynne Reel - Michael Brecker (BanazirGalbasi)
2. Sea Image - The Chieftains (BanazirGalbasii)
3. Stolen Purse - Lunasa (Suzi)
4. Nil Saoi Gan Locht - Emyryld Ryders (BanazirGalbasi)
5. Rusheen Bay - Sharon Shannon & Band (Suzi)
6. Ys - Alan Stivell (pejepeine)
7. Wild Mountain Thyme - Buddy Emmons (tincanman)
8. Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór - Planxty (Suzi)
9. Padraig’s - Flook (Loud Atlas)
10. Ríl Gan Ainm - Mary Bergin (magicman)
11. An Tonn Reatha - Seán Ó Riada, Seán Ó Se & Ceoltóirí Chualann (magicman)
12. Máirín De Barra - Vinnie Kilduff (magicman)
13. Sean O Duibhir a Ghleanna - Liam O’Flynn (magicman)
Guru’s Gaelic Wildcard Picks:
1. Gaelic Medley: Mo Shuil Ad'dheidh / Buain a' rainich / He Mo Leannan / Fail 'il O - The Rankin Family
2. Fiddle Medley: Lime Hill/Keep the Country Bonnie Lassie/Jack Daniel's Reel/Little Donald in the Pig Pen – The Rankin Family
3. Mae Hiraeth yn Fy Nghalon – Dafydd Iwan
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: St Patrick's Day special: So what's the craic? Gaelic-influenced songs. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: