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.
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.
In this Tír Enda “About the Song” video, I take a closer look at an Irish song I first learned in school — one of those songs that’s often treated as a children’s song, even though it carries a surprisingly tragic ending.
The real hero of the song is Feilim’s little boat: a brave wee vessel that has battled the oceans, brought in the catch, and done its work faithfully — only to meet a sad fate in the end.
It’s also trickier to sing than it might first appear, which is often the way with these old school songs. They stay with you for years, and then one day you realise there’s far more going on in them than you understood as a child.
Here I’m trying it out with the bodhrán which seems to be working nicely.
Thanks, as always, for being part of Tír Enda and for giving these songs a warm place to land. there's an mp3 for those who might like to add it to their USB stick.
There's a song only version of it too that you might see on Youtube.
Translation of Báidín Fheilimí
Feilimí's little boat went to Gola, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it, Feilimí's little boat went to Gola, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.
Chorus
A tiny little boat, a lively little boat, A buoyant little boat, Feilimí's little boat, A straight little boat, a willing little boat, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.
Feilimí's little boat went to Tory, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it, Feilimí's little boat went to Tory, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.
Chorus
Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it, Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory, Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.
Chorus
Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory, Fish on board and Feilimí in it, Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory, Fish on board and Feilimí in it.
I've been working on this song a long time and I think it's nearly there. Here's an explanation of what it's about and a first listen for you. The lyrics and a few pictures of the island are below to give you a feel for it. Thanks for listening and let me know your thoughts! Have you got a special place you think of in the hustle and bustle of modern life?
Lyrics
The 12 Bens Of Galway
I dreamt in the night I went to Inishbofin.
Took a plane, then a bus, then a boat to the island.
Through Connemara, Clifden and Cleggan.
Over rough seas to a piece of heaven.
To a bay with a beach like the Mediterranean,
And the Stags at the cliffs with dark waves thundering,
Two Island swans in a lake in the middle
And a white cow standing proud on a hill.
Past the hay-fields to the seaweed shore,
spend the day fishin’, reelin’ wrasse galore,
Out to Cromwell's fort by the boats in the bay.
Then back for a session with the lads at the Days,
Thanks again for joining me on the Easter Rising live Stream. On youtube you can navigate easily back to a particular song with or without my introduction by either clicking the timestamps below or in the description or on the video itself. Kinda handy! i've made a separate video of Óró Sé Do bheatha Bhaile but all other songs can be seen again below! bye for now!
00:00 Introduction 05:19 Mise Eire Intro 07:15Mise Eire Song 10:00 More about Mise Eire 16:50 The Foggy Dew Intro 17:14 The Foggy Dew Song 22:16 More Context about The Foggy Dew 23:40 Blood On the Rose and Francis Ledwidge 26:24 Lament For Tomas McDonagh 37:14 Who Fears to speak of a Nation Once Again? 42:00 Here Comes the Sun 46:58 The Rose Tree - WB Yeats Intro 47:47 The Rose Tree - WB Yeats 43:35 The Watchword of Labour by James Connolly intro 51:00 The Watchword of Labour by James Connolly 57:53 About The Bodhran 1:00:25 Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile Sean Nos Looping 1:05:36 Connolly Quote via Tim 1:08:35 Grace 1:27:22 Easter 1916 - WB Yeats (Exerpt) 1:23:30 A Sign Of Rain (by request)
Many of you have probably seen it by now but here's march's Live Stream.
There were a good few in there that i've been trying out. Do let me know your favourites!
Here's the songs I did in march! lots of new performances here. Let me know your favourites and if you like the Lower sound of the classical guitar or not!
On the youtube page you should be able to go direct to a song to hear it again. (Skip the waffles Feature!)
00:00 - Introduction 5:38 My Lagan Love 11:21 Siúl a Rún / Johnny's Gone for a Soldier 19:14 La belle Dame sans Merci 29:30 Ualach Ó mo Chroí 35:20 Pócaí Stróice - Torn Pockets 41:00 The Curragh of Kildare 47:49 The Blarney Roses
A Sign of Rain (mp3 available for download below!)
A song inspired by Irish weather lore recorded in 1935 in the National Folklore Archive at UCD. These are the signs people once watched for—the small details in nature that told them rain was on the way. And if you ever go to Ireland you'll know what to look out for!
Filmed live at The New School Church in Mill Race Village, Northville, which is a cool little park by the river with old buildings that have been kept looking new. real fun place.
A little bit more about the venue other than it being very reverby! Built in 1845 by a splinter group of the Presbyterian Church of Northville, the building served as a church for just four years before taking on many lives—as a school, township hall, Salvation Army barracks, and Northville’s library for over 70 years. Saved from demolition in 1964 and moved to Mill Race Village in 1972, it remains a beautiful space for gatherings and music.
Many thanks to Samantha and the Friends of the Northville District Library, Wendy at Mill Race Village, and Mayor Brian Turnbull for their support.
Thanks also to my Tir Enda patrons and to all who came out to support the show. See you there next year for my WB Yeats program!
On Raglan Road on an autumn day I met her first and knew That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue; I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way, And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.
On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge Of the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion's pledge, The Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hay - O I loved too much and by such and such is happiness thrown away.
I gave her gifts of the mind I gave her the secret sign that's known To the artists who have known the true gods of sound and stone And word and tint. I did not stint for I gave her poems to say. With her own name there and her own dark hair like clouds over fields of May
On a quiet street where old ghosts meet I see her walking now Away from me so hurriedly my reason must allow That I had wooed not as I should a creature made of clay - When the angel woos the clay he'd lose his wings at the dawn of day.
Last year I got to sing this one at Raglan Road on out Tour to Ireland which was special!
I hope you enjoyed the Christmas live Stream the other day! Here's something that i've been working on that wasn't appropriate for that, but I want to get it to you nonetheless. This year we got to go to Clonmacnoise in Ireland with the tour group and It was fascinating. It's an ancient monastic city on the river Shannon in the middle of ireland.
I found this poem recently which I felt was in need of a melody and so here it is for now. See below for some video and phots of Clonmacnoise itself which i took earlier this year.
Here's the poem
The Dead at Clonmacnois
In a quiet water’d land, a land of roses, Stands Saint Kieran’s city fair; And the warriors of Erin in their famous generations Slumber there.
There beneath the dewy hillside sleep the noblest 5 Of the clan of Conn, Each below his stone with name in branching Ogham And the sacred knot thereon.
There they laid to rest the seven Kings of Tara, There the sons of Cairbrè sleep— 10 Battle-banners of the Gael that in Kieran’s plain of crosses Now their final hosting keep.
And in Clonmacnois they laid the men of Teffia, And right many a lord of Breagh; Deep the sod above Clan Creidè and Clan Conaill, 15 Kind in hall and fierce in fray.
Many and many a son of Conn the Hundred-Fighter In the red earth lies at rest; Many a blue eye of Clan Colman the turf covers, Many a swan-white breast.
And below is some behind the scenes footage! We had great craic on the boat. I was busy singing and drinking so i got no footage of the singsong, but suffice it to say we had fun!
I’ve put together a new video performance of Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil from my album Christmas Is With Us, and I’m glad to share it with you here. The poem goes back to the early 1600s and Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil.
This version comes from my album Christmas Is With Us, and I hope this brings a moment of peace to your day Thanks, as always, for being part of Tír Enda.
I'm working on a new program for libraries called Songs And Stories of The Wild Atlantic Way and was looking for a WB Yeats poem with a reference to the sea. So I spotted this and thought it looked fun. Enjoy!
The Fiddler of Dooney
WHEN I play on my fiddle in Dooney, Folk dance like a wave of the sea; My cousin is priest in Kilvarnet, My brother in Moharabuiee.
I passed my brother and cousin: They read in their books of prayer; I read in my book of songs I bought at the Sligo fair.
When we come at the end of time, To Peter sitting in state, He will smile on the three old spirits, But call me first through the gate;
For the good are always the merry, Save by an evil chance, And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance:
And when the folk there spy me, They will all come up to me, With ‘Here is the fiddler of Dooney!’ And dance like a wave of the sea.
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!
Here's a version of an Irish song I've been working on. It's from Co. Kerry and mentions Dingle (Daingean Uí Chúis) but it's about a goat who goes on a rampage and our hero the singer of the song decides to jump on him for the ride.
Living now in the USA, far from Europe and the war in Ukraine I haven't been keeping up with the horrors of the War. I'm almost numb to it at this stage. So when Gabriel Rosenstock sent me this lyric in Irish recently I kinda shied away from it. But as so often happens I then found myself guitar in hand mulling over the words to see what chords and melody would come and the music and demo and then video all happened rather fast in the end. The translation to English is also by Gabriel to give you a flavour of the feeling of the Irish lyrics if you don't speak Irish.
With our history and as technically a neutral country it's only right that Ireland continues to call for peace. Thanks for watching.
Go raibh maith agat le iris Nós as ucht an scéala a chuir san Iris
