I'm back in Michigan after a while and I'm Catching up with myself. Some of you probably saw on social media some of the events I was involved in. One of those was as a guest at Aoife Scott's concert at the Fleadh. I had a great evening listening to a number of songs i wrote with Aoife including, We know where we Stand and Woman Warrior. I joined Aoife for a duet of Do Mhuirnín Ó a song Aisling Kavanagh and I wrote and which you may have heard on my new Songs In irish album. I also sang All Along the Wild Atlantic way with her at the end of the show. It was great fun. Here's Do Mhuirnín Ó from that show.
I also had a few wonderful shows in the Reading Room at the National Library of Ireland which was an honor as their are very few performances there. The last one was actually by the late Glen Hansard RIP during the COVID lockdown.
I also had many other sessions in Mayo, Dublin and Belfast and catch-ups with friends and family.
Oh and here's a bonus video of me rehearsing in a lovely sounding room in Belfast.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Tir Enda member Kevin Green recently for his podcast The Tides that Tie, regarding my upcoming shows at the Irish Feile on Beaver Island. You can listen to my chat with him over at their website, which also has interviews with many other acts coming to this years festival. https://www.biihg.com/podcast-the-tides-that-tie/
We had a great time at Motor City Irish Fest! I played a number of sets including 2 talks about Irish songs and songwriting. I also bought a wonderful electric guitar from CBD guitars, one of the vendors. So I felt it would be great to play the guitar at the festival. Here's A Wounded Bird from the Dunleavy Tent and a few snaps I took.
Here's a lovely gig I got to play in beaver island at the Emerald Isle Irish Féile. Let me know if you can download it or listen and how this format is because I could share more full shows. This one is unedited, but I could do some editing if it makes listening better. thanks! Enda
It was a pretty epic finish to Milwaukee irish Fest this year and an honour to be asked to sing a few songs with Rory Makem, Emma Langford, Cherish the Ladies, Bog Bodies and so many of the other musicians from the festival. Thanks to Tír-Folk member Sandy for elbowing her way to getting a great shot of Óró Sé do bheatha bhaile!
This Saturday I'll be performing at the Pittsburgh Irish Fest on the Celtic Spirit stage at 12pm doing my show singing traditional and original Irish folk songs with guitar, bodhrán and live-looping. I'd love to see you at the show!
I'm also debuting a talk I've been working on, looking at Ireland's Geological Heritage which draws on my BSc. degree in Geology from University College Dublin a long time ago. Really enjoying the process. We'll be looking at the main types of rock that exist (I might have a song about that!) and look at a few examples of those from Ireland.
We'll explore how the north of the island and the south of the island were separated by an ocean at one point, how the rocks show us connections between North America and Europe and we'll discuss the Burren and the Giants Causeway. The photo is of me on Croagh Patrick and we'll be chatting about the extraordinary rock that can be found right on the pilgrim trail.
Rocky Road to Dublin – A journey through the Emerald Isle’s geologic past with Enda Reilly. Enda shares insights and unravels the mysteries of Ireland’s Rocks – Enda Reilly - Cultural Hedge School Stage at 3pm
I had two interviews last Friday before and during the Milwaukee Irish Fest, one with the Irishstar.com (which is partnered with Dublinlive.ie) and one with Ward Irish Music Archives both of which I enjoyed, but found challenging too, delving into the why's and what's of the past.
Two photos arose, one brand new and one from my busking days in 2006 which are fun to look at. That photo by Daragh Owens is in front of HMV on Grafton street which was always a favoured spot for The Mongrels, Peter, Griffo and myself. On one occasion Glen Hansard asked us would we mind stopping busking for an hour so they could film a scene from a movie they were making. Little did we know that was the Once movie he was making! The second photo is from the The Milwaukee Festival by Kenzie Trezise. It was amazing as usual and I enjoyed playing to a wonderful crowd from the Celtic Roots Stage and having the craic as gaeilge with Karen, Ray and an lucht oireachtais in the Ghaeltacht tent with two performances there.
It been a fun and challenging adventure which continues! Read the full interview with Fionnuala Boyle here
Enda Reilly Sings The Sullivans We Stick Together at Buffalo Naval ParkI came full circle with The Sullivans (We Stick Together) song on Monday, when I returned to sing on the deck of the 80 year old USS The Sullivans, alongside the Shamrock and the names of the five brothers who died in WW2.
Major repairs are still needed on the ship so if anyone would like to donate to that visit www.savethesullivans.org
The lyrics of the song tell the story
The Sullivans (We Stick Together)
by Enda Reilly 2022
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
At Pearl Harbour
We lost a friend
‘twas only right
We must avenge
As Brothers 5
We did unite
The Japanese
We had to fight
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
We enlisted in the Navy
Five proud Irish brothers
The rules were to split us up
But we said
We stick together
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
We sailed aboard
the Juneau
At Guadalcanal
took a torpedo
With a Broken Keel
But we fixed her neat
Stayed afloat
Forced to retreat
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
To the New Hebrides
We made our way
But the Japanese
Were waiting
The I-26
Sunk us quick
at Torpedo
Junction
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Now we are gone
But remembered
By our dear father and mother
And the crew of
DD 537
USS The Sullivans!
We Stick Together boys
The Sullivans
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Red, Frank, Albert, George and Madison
The Sullivans
We Stick Together boys
Brothers til the end
Thanks to all at Buffalo Naval Park for facilitating this video.
Michigan Irish Music Festival is a wonderful Irish Festival on Lake Michigan. Really looking forward to it again this year. Hopefully see you there. Enda
I'll be playing at 1.45pm on Saturday in the Dunleavy Tent and again at 1pm on Sunday. I'll be doing a wee set for wee ones in the Wee Folks Tent on Saturday at 4.30pm and on Sunday at 3pm.
Looking forward to a great Festival. See you there maybe!
I'm getting exited bout performing at the 21st Annual Penn-Mar Irish Festival in Pennsylvania, along with some great performers, Eileen Ivers, Screaming Orphans Steel City Rovers, Arise & Go and Cas Ceol ! Nice to get a mention for it in the Irish Music Magazine official along with The picture is me in the hidden gem of Glenasmole valley, Tallaght, Dublin.
You can also keep up to date via their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PennMarIrish
