A good many loyal followers/listeners passed away during the pandemic, go ndeana Dia trócaire orthu. I wrote this tune to remember them and in gratitude for their support. I choose a barndance as it’s a common type of tune in the Donegal music repertoire and are predominantly happy, upbeat tunes.
A reel written during the summer while I was on a break away from everything and everyone! I was in Gleann Cholm Cille in SW Donegal and spent an evening down by the Murlin river listening to the water, birdsong and the breeze. This is the story the river told on that particular day bringing “Faoiseamh”.
A recent innovation of the annual Frankie Kennedy Winter School/ Scoil Gheimhridh in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal, has been the introduction of a daily ‘Music Archive/ Taisce Cheoil’ event in which the performance of music or song is combined with informal conversation about the life and times of the artist in the spotlight.
Selections from three of the ‘Music Archive’ events at the Scoil Gheimhridh/ Winter School Frankie Kennedy 2012–2013 are presented below, courtesy of the School and of the artists featured who were filmed by staff of the Irish Traditional Music Archive.
On 29 December 2012 Bríd Harper played solo fiddle and spoke about how she learned her music, and was joined by Maurice Lennon on fiddle to finish. On 30 December Iarla Ó Lionáird sang solo in Irish, and spoke about his musical and cultural background, and about his vocal technique and personal philosophy of music. On 31 December Andy Irvine, singing in English with bouzouki acompaniment, reminisced about his early life in London, and his membership of the seminal groups Sweeney’s Men and Planxty.
With thanks to Bríd Harper, Iarla Ó Lionáird and Andy Irvine, to Conor Byrne, to Silvia Vitali, & to Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy. Photograph of Andy Irvine courtesy & © Silvia Vitali / Six Photography.
Nicholas Carolan & Danny Diamond, 1 February 2013
