Boyle Traditional Singers Circle. Amhránaíocht traid. i Mainistir na Búille. (Castle, Lough Key)

2011-12-22T02:32:00.001-08:00

The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) has many sound recordings available online. A Christmas Collection, compiled as an Advent Calendar is online there at the moment.

Irish Traditional Music Archive: online Advent Calendar

Nollaig Shona díobh go léir ón gCiorcal Amhránaíochta i Mainistir na Búille.

November 2011

2011-12-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

Grand session took place in November. Grander one due December. Get down your Santy hats, put tinsel on your tonsils and come along and SING - December 17th, Saturday, Dodds.

Extra session: Friday October 25th 2011

2011-11-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

The Boyle Singers' group held an extra singing session on Friday of the October Bank Holiday as part of the general celebrations of an open Boyle weekend. There was a good crowd, with some new faces from over south Sligo direction.

Some of the regulars were missing, due to the fact that the South Roscommon Singers Circle has its annual gathering the same weekend in Knockcroghery. The theme for the Friday night Knockcroghery crowd was Heroes and Patriots.

The South Roscommon Singers Circle meet on the first Saturday of every month, from September to June in Murray's. So you can have a pre-run to Boyle Singers' 3rd Saturday every 1st Saturday.

October 2011

2011-10-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Eugene, MC for the night, started in great style with

‘Oh it was one pleasant evening, all in the month of May

Down by a shady arbour as I carelessly did stray...’

About false young Johnny, cruising the main ocean for honour and for gain, and then wreaked off the coast of Spain or was he? Nah, he wasn’t: ‘Betsy I’m your man’, and they met up on the “Banks of Claudy” again.

Tony followed with “The lambs on the green hills”, with less luck,’ I would be your man, although you are wed to another’. Joe, visiting from Scotland, gave us another unlucky love story, ‘Our young lady a hunting’s gane' ... 'so’s she’s rowled him in her apron’.

Joe’s family passed the parcel (or bundle) on to George, who gave us a great version of “Dear Old Skibbereen”,

‘How well I do remember that bleak December day,

When the landlord and the sheriff came to drive us all away;

They set the roof on fire with their yellow demon spleen,

And when it fell, the crash was heard all over Skibbereen.’

There were songs from Helen (‘Along the wild plains of Mayo’), Paddy (rousing version of ‘Keep your hands off Red Haired Mary’), Frank (“Deartháirín Óg mo chroí”: ‘Now I’m alone like the desolate bird of the night), John (“Nancy Spain”), Frances (“A maiden who is forty”), Breege (“Annan Waters”), John (“The road and the miles to Dundee”), Clíona (“Reynardine”), Noreen (“Heave away”).

Clare by special request sang Liam Weldon’s “My love is a well” beautifully.

‘My love is a well, a deep-seated well,

As deep as the bottomless sea

Immersed am I in the well of my love,

Immersed in ecstasy.’

Murt Collins had

‘A young mother stood on Queenstown Dock

With a handkerchief up to her eye’.

And ‘no one to welcome you home’.

Eugene’s guager out of Dublin was looking for a private still (‘Here’s fifty pounds if you can show me where there’s a private still’):

‘We’re coming near to it now, says I, at a barracks close at hand’...

‘Says I, me brother Bill,

They wouldn’t make him a corporal, so he’s a ... Private, still!’

started off the second part of the evening. Tony followed up with another Liam Weldon song, “Blue tar road”, ‘I am a true born Irishman, a traveller am I’.

Joe (“Anne McPherson”, sailing out from Scotland bound for Montreal), Mary said the “Fiddler of Dooney”, Murt (“My dear old home in the Kerry hills” and his native Brosna town), George (‘Some folks say I’m a dreamer’ from the Isle of Inisfree).

Helen (On Easter Day, you passed my way), Paddy (Willie MacBride), Frank (‘A man in the fields with his horses and plough’). After a couple more recitations from Sean and Frances, Breege sang “The home I left behind”).

When it came around to John again, he sang of ”Beautiful Meath”, Clíona (Tráthnóinín aoibhinn), Noreen (Mountains of Mourne) and Clare, at her turn, sang of Wicklow and Dunlavin Green (‘In the year 1798...’).

The free-for-all go another song from most people before we headed for home, including the Twangman from Eugene, and Frank’s “Happy are we, all together”, "When I first said I loved only you Nora" (Clare).

Thanks to all who came and sang and listened. Hope to see you all at another singing session soon.

September 2011

2011-10-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

This session spy was away scouting for singing sessions in Europe so the Boyle singers' session details went unrecorded, though we're told, we missed the BEST session yet... as you do.

August 2011 ... Harvest time

2011-09-01T05:49:00.001-07:00

Tony made his debut as MC for the night and some of the new faces met at the Arts Festival session in July were welcomed back again.

Gearing up for the winter and don't forget the Sligo Traditional singers weekend at the beginning of October.

July 28th, 2011: I wanna sing... Boyle Singers host Phil Callery

2011-08-03T04:33:00.000-07:00

As part of the Boyle Arts Festival, the Boyle Singers' Session hosted Phil Callery of the Voice Squad on July 28th, 2011.

The evening kicked off with a short, too short, workshop with Phil organising amazing on-the-spot harmonies from the gang who arrived. And what a gang. About 15 were present for the start, then someone turned on a tap somewhere and buckets-full of singers poured through the door! "I wanna sing" .

Names were collected as people arrived, and the list used to organise the solo singing spots in the session which followed. Eugene did a masterful MC job of getting around to every one who wanted to sing. The spotlight was back on Phil a couple of times during the night and he definitely didn't disappoint! On top of that, we all heard over 40 singers sing a huge variety of songs, local, national, international (thanks Katya and the Italian classical musicians over in the corner), old and new. The storytellers didn't stint either and the contributions were lively. There was was a good turn out from our neighbouring singing circles in South Roscommon (... below in Knockcroghery... with Declan Coyne, Paddy Logan and others) and the Sligo Traditional Singers Circle (Joe, Breeda, Michael, Assumpta, Deirdre). Both those groups have singing weekends coming up in October, so keep an eye out for them. There were visitors, frequent to Boyle, but the first time at the Singers Session, from singing clubs as far away as Bray and ... Drumkieran.

The highlights of the night (and early morning) were a couple of new songs, both composed in the neighbourhood, or near neighbourhood: Killykelly (the one with the jacuzzi in it) sung by Joe Corscadden and MacCostello's Una by Helen Grehan. Jackie Boyce sang a song he learned from Phil's singing, years ago. Hughie, Donna, Breege, Mairéad, Frank, George, Clare, Eugene, Gerry, Jimmy, Barry, Derval, Martin, Declan, Seán, and ... many more.

We'd love to see you all back again, whenever you can make it. Or we'll catch you in Knockcroghery, Sligo, Dublin.

July 16th 2011

2011-08-03T04:31:00.000-07:00

A grand night in the middle of the Festival season. Willie Clancy and Tubbercurry just over, the Joe Mooney in Drumshanbo about to begin.

Gearing up for the session with Phil Callery on the 28th July.

June 18th 2011

2011-07-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Frank Brennan elected unanimously, despite his protestations, as MC. First definite decision he made, i.e. that he was too busy to sing himself, was ruled out of order by the masses. Elphin was well represented, some irregular regulars welcomed back and songs were plentiful.

Looking forward to the Boyle Arts Festival Special Session, Thursday 28th July, with Phil Callery. Singing workshop 8.30-10pm, in Dodd's Crescent Bar, with Phil Callery. Singers' session, 10 ish, onwards, with songs from the floor and from the guest. Be there early to get your name on the list if you want to sing. Be there early anyway. Free in.

21 May 2011

2011-05-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

The Queen had been and gone and Barack Obama was coming that Monday and Garret Fitzgerald was laid to rest in between.

Jim Bainbridge kicked off Saturday's night singing singing session with Keep that wheel a turning... there was mention of William Brown. Eugene followed with In Bodenstown Churchyard, then Sean with Spancil Hill.
Paddy sang of the Dunraven oak and Clare of the sea-apprentice boy:
“When first I went to sea apprentice bound,
I sailed the salt seas round and round,
I scarce had made a voyage but one
when I fell in love with my charming Anne”.

Then on to Frank with The Lowlands of Holland and Frances who gave us a recitation about Mary Ann and her gloves. Tony: “Come all you loyal heroes and listen on to me...” - the Rocks of Bawn. Eddie "Shall I never see thee more gentle Mother", followed by his brother George who sang of Michael Dwyer. Then Breege who sang of Eastersnowe.

Padraic McGinn (recitation) was "looking for a woman...” he won 3rd in the Bard of Armagh competition with it some years back. Led to Helen singing of Himself who’d get "hot air for breakfast, cold shoulder for dinner and surely hot tongue for his tae!

Second round of songs Jim gave gave us an Eric Bogle song:
“Can you sing some Bob Dylan....
NO, NO, a 1,000 times NO!

Eugene sang of "A jolly young ploughman" and then Sean was Back home in Derry followed by Paddy with "Grace", Clare sang of the Blantyre explosion and so was by Clyde’s bonnie banks. Frank a Deartháirín óg mo chroí... “In Dublin’s fair city my brother he was sent away". Frances recitation, The old violin. Then Tony and the Bank of Red Roses, Eddie sang of the Harp and Shamrock, green, white and gold,George of “A virgin who was 19 yrs old”.

Breege Sang a song for Ireland, Padraic gave us another recitation, “Did I tell you about my operation...” Helen followed with a song Grumpy old cider.

Round three! Back to Jim again with Ann Boleyn with her head tucked under her arm! Eugene a Bob Davenport song Police Patrol; then Sean and Black is the colour; Paddy and the Wild Rover; Clare and Sean O’Casey’s “When I first said I loved only you Nora”. Frank,.. "Come back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff"; Tony and "The Lambs on the green hills”; Eddie and a rousing "This is my homeland...”; brother George and "O to be in Dun na Ríthe; Breege and "It’s nearly over now and now I'm easy and Helen finished up the night with one of her own "He still loves her".

Thanks to Clare for the notes.

April 16th 2011 Frank Finn

2011-04-18T10:20:00.001-07:00

We were halfway through our session on Saturday night when we got the very sad news that Frank Finn, chairman of the Sligo Traditional Singing Circle had collapsed and died during that day. We have met Frank often, both at the Boyle and Ballinacarrow sessions. We've attended the Sligo Trad Singing circles annual festival, and been made very welcome by Frank. Tony and Cliona last had the pleasure of his company up in InishOwen in March. Those who knew Frank each sang a song for him on Saturday. Our thoughts are with his family and all his friends. He'll be very much missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

March 2011

2011-04-13T08:22:00.001-07:00

Due to conflicting singing sessions, this writer wasn't present. Made it to the Inishowen singers' festival weekend up in Clonmany / Ballyliffin instead.

Sean-Nós Cois Life 2011: 31 MÁRTA - 3 AIBREÁN 2011

2011-04-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Féile Shean-Nós Cois Life: 31 MÁRTA - 3 AIBREÁN 2011. Seisiúin amhánaíochta, cheoil agus dhamhsa. Ceardlanna - deis cúpla amhrán nó damhsa a fhoghlaim. Bí ann - fáilte roimh chách! Sean-Nós Cois Life will take place in Dublin city from Thursday 31st March – Sunday 3rd April 2011. Tuilleadh eolais: http://www.seannos.ie/

February 2011 session

2011-03-17T07:15:00.001-07:00

Our February session came before our recent General Election. Eugene
kicked off the night with "The politican's song" by Micky McConnell
... "for twenty fruitless years...". Then the same man gave us "The
star of the bar" by Davie Robertson. Next up was George singing about
Eileen McMahon, followed by his brother James who was "Among the
Wicklow Hills"... As I gaze across the mountains I relive a moment's
joy … the same old Wicklow mountains I rambled as a boy. Breege gave
us, "Go and leave me I won't mind" and Helen," I must away now, I can
no longer tarry" followed by Paddy with Willie McBride.

Next up Frank Brennan and "Horses and plough"… "Sweet is the music the song thrushes sing". Then Michael and "Fields of Athenry", followed
by Frances who did a recitation about the old violin.

Clare gave us Ewan McColl's "Come my little son". Sean at the bar
"Wish I was back home in Derry". Next there was Donie singing about
Annie.
Back to Euge and "The Gauger's Song" which he heard Robin Morton of
Boys of the Lough singing. Back to George and "I am my own Grandpa!",
James who sang of Noreen Bawn, Breege and "An Seanduine dóite".

Helen "On Easterday you passed my way". Paddy with "Grace", Michael
and "Forty Shades of Green". Frank Brennan and "Island of Australia.
"…no good fortune have I known, in this my own dear nation", Donie:
"When I was a young apprentice". Frances - another recitation about the
weather. Back to Euge again "Do me justice treat me fair .... Mr.
Punch with his literature depicts us rather badly". Then George who
sang "Peter Crowley" and joined his brother James for "The valley of
Knockanure": "You may sing, you may speak, about Easter Week". Then
we had "She moved through the fair" by Padraic Colum from Noeleen. "A
song for Ireland" from Breege. Helen sang her own composition: "I'm
going home, soon as I can, to buy a farm in Ireland... Boyle town is
down in a valley". Paddy "Shaney boy" written by Australian song
writer Kevin Johnson.

"Chapel gate at Cooraclare" from Frank. "Blackwaterside from Clare-and
"Lakes of Coolfin". "Maid of Cabra West" from Donie. Lastly Helen
finished up the night with her song about the foot and mouth disease
in the Cumbrian hills.

With thanks to Clare for the report.

18 January 2011

2011-02-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

Oh, where to start with the January collection of songs?

Eugene was MC and moved the session along in jig time so we heard loads of lovely songs. There were some composed by their singers: Bríd, George, Cyril and Doney; some fresh ones, new to the session, from Tony, George, Frank, Paddy, Brian, Eileen, Tommy and more favourites from everybody. There was even a story from Eugene. Silence from Clíona (still no voice), Helen and Clare (as those two couldn’t make it that night).

Boneparte got a look-in and was done with (by Brian): We paid in hell since Moscow burned ...

Save my soul from evil, lord and heal this soldier's heart
I'll trust in thee to keep me, lord, I'm done with Bonaparte

And later Frank added the Plains of Waterloo:
When Boney's star was in the sky, my love he marched away,
He told me that he loved me true; would marry me some day,
He said that he'd return to me, whatever would ensue,
But now he lies with sightless eyes on the plains of Waterloo.

Cyril and Tony both sang of geese. Cyril’s story was about Jim Reilly going to Boyle and Tony sang the shanty:
Have you seen a wild goose sail across the ocean; Ranzo me boys, Ranzo hey
They’re just like the pretty girls when they gets the notion; Ranzo me boys, Ranzo hey

Doney sang sadly of how Manhood is no more –
All the trad boys look forlorn, ‘cos definitely, no flutes
But Cyril came back with: Oh, you lovers of mirth, I pray, pay attention
It's that damnable rogue of a Daniel O'Connell-
He's now making children in Dublin by steam.

Tony was concerned with the seasons, and began with January Man (by Dave Goulder):
Oh the January man he walks abroad in woollen coat and boots of leather
The February man still wipes the snow from off his hair and blows his hand
The man of March he sees the Spring and wonders what the year will bring
And hopes for better weather

And on through the year until:
And the January man comes round again in woollen coat and boots of leather
To take another turn and walk along the icy road he knows so well
The January man is here for starting each and every year
Along the way for ever.

And later he moved on into Robbie Burn’s Summer:
The winter it is past, and the summer comes at last,
And the small birds sing on ev'ry tree

Doney stayed in Scotland for
Up the Noran Water, roon by Ingle's Maddie,
Annie's got a bairnie that hasna got a daddie.
Who the bairnie's father is the lassie winna say,
An nobody expected it with Annie's quiet ways.

George sang of courting:
Johnny get up from the fire, get up and give the man a seat
Can't you see it's Mr. Maguire and he's courtin' your sister Kate
Ah, you know very well he owns a farm a wee bit out of the town
Arragh get up out of that, you impudent brat, and let Mr Maguire sit down.

But the temperature changed for Mr Maguire:
Ah I don't know what gets into him, for he's always on the tare
Arragh just sit where you are and never you dare to give ould Maguire the chair

There was a congenial atmosphere and Frank sang Happy Are We All Together
'Twas friendship brought us here tonight
Which brought on a Ben Sands song from Cyril
We all need a hug...
Majella took down the words of that one.

Eugene told a story about the Owl who was God (by James Thurber) and the gist was:

“... there was an owl who sat on the branch of an oak tree...”
Some moles told the other creatures that the owl was the wisest of all animals because he could see in the dark and answer any question.

A secretary bird went to see the owl: "How many claws am I holding up?" said the secretary bird. "Two," said the owl, and that was right. "Can you give me another expression for ‘that is to say’ or ‘namely’?" asked the secretary bird. "To wit," said the owl. "Why does the lover call on his love?" "To woo," said the owl.

The other animals heard of this exchange and declared "He’s God!" So they followed him wherever he went and when he bumped into things they began to bump into things, too.

The animals followed him, even up a motorway and they were still crying "He’s God" when a truck ran them down. Most of the animals, including the owl, were killed.

The moral went something like this:
You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.

Then Brian:
As I was going along the road and feeling fine and larky O,
A recruiting sergeant trim and neat said you’d look fine in khaki O.

There was loads more, and towards the end, Eileen sang:
The fire is out, the moon is down
The parting glass is dry and done
And I must go and leave this town
Before the rising of the sun.

And so we did.

Next up is the February session.

Jim Bainbridge guests at the Góilín singing club

2011-01-05T06:35:00.001-08:00

Jim Bainbridge, who has been frequenting the Boyle Singers session in the past year is to be an invited guest at Dublin's Góilín singing club on Friday, January 28th, 2011.

18 December 2010

2010-12-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

We've had to cancel December's session due to the snow that's been falling since Friday morning all over Leitrim and Roscommon ... and the North West in general. Nollaig shona agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise.

November 2010

2010-11-26T04:06:00.000-08:00

A select group tried out some new songs and recitations around the fire in Dodds. Very enjoyable. More anon, when this writer gets the time!

Now...
Tony sang (not all at the same time) the Greenmore Hare, the King’s Shilling, The Bantry Girl’s lament and:
The cocks are crowing, daylight is appearing
It's drawing nigh to the break of day
Arise my darling, out of your slumbers
Arise my darling, and come away.

And he included the verse which has caused much discussion on the Mudcat Café:

If the Killy Boyne, it were mine in the chorus
And the green fields, they were mine, and wide
If my pen were made of the temper-ed steel, sure
My true love's praises I could never write.

Mudcat: What's a killy boyne? You’ll have to check out Mudcat Café yourself to find out what the theories and opinions were.

Frank had The Lowlands of Holland, a song from the 1770s. Again, from Mudcat: “... in some versions Holland may have been New Holland, the former name for Australia, which has perhaps been confused with the Dutch East Indies. This may explain the strange description of Holland in the third verse or the "sugar cane" mentioned in other versions.”
Frank also sang a local song composed 60 years ago, telling about a dispute between two neighbours over a goat. James Dillon was minister at the time; Clement Attlee was Prime Minister in England. Jim Dillon, you did it, you scoundrel... You won’t find that one on Mudcat.

Breege started off with Once I had a fair young sweetheart ... “Go and leave me, I don't mind.”
She also sang her own song about the emigration of her uncle who had no future labouring for McDermottroe in Roscommon at the time. She made a great job of Banks of the Lee and Staunton’s Brae too.

George’s new song: I dropped in to the barbers shop, badly needing a shave... and had him swapping hats with a “toff”, then drinks and finally wives – Exchange is no robbery, so I don’t care.

Recitations on the night included Yeats’ Wild Swans at Coole from Martin and Frances’s Nancy Lee and the flea. Martin: Some are fast, more are slow: his own poem, inspired by Céilithe and the set dance gang.
Frances was “battered and scarred” and George was too, according to The sick note, written by Pat Cooksey in 1969. Its original title was Paddy and the Barrel, which he tells us (on Mudcat, of course) was based on Gerard Hoffnung's address to the Oxford Union, and this in turn had its origin in a more simple story dating back to the English music halls in the 1920s.
Here Paddy is, halfway through his sorry tale:

Now when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more,
I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground
And I landed on those building bricks that were scattered all around.

Safe home now. See you for the Christmas session.

16 October 2010 - Sing early, sing often!

2010-10-18T04:55:00.001-07:00

Sing early, sing often!

Autumn resolution for the Boyle Singers - we'll be starting at the earlier time of 9.00 (no, really we will), with a view to kicking off the singing at 9.30pm, from next month onwards.

This week we had a visit from a Japanese girl from Tokyo, Sayaka, who's doing a thesis on sean nós singing and seems to be visiting all the singing circles and festivals in Ireland, (it's a hard oul' station), gathering information and talking to people. She's a lovely singer herself, too.

Jim Bainbridge, Brian and Eileen were welcomed back and were in good voice, as was Eugene – doing a mighty job in his debut as Fear a' Tí. We’re making a small change to our usual format, and the convention is now, a round or two of songs, the sambos and then a free-for-all, or as they say in polite circles: “open to the floor”.

Frank and Frances Brennan were noted by their absence – but you can catch Frank at the singing festival in Knockcroghery next weekend, where he’s to appear as a special guest.

An aside here: Cnoc an Chrocaire / Knockcroghery was originally called An Creagán (Creggan, stony hill). There was a gallows erected on the hill to hang the Ó Ceallaighs, defeated by Sir Charles Coote in the 17th century. They had resisted Coote’s siege of their stronghold, Galey or Gayley Castle, on the shores of Lough Ree. They were hanged on the hill at Creggan and the deed was remember in the change of name, Cnoc an Chrocaire or hangman’s hill, anglicized to Knockcroghery.

No direct link, but one popular theme for the evening was soldiering and enlisting – or rather, against soldiering and enlisting. Tony for one gave us the King’s shilling (also sung by the Battlefield Band, Karan Casey, Jean Redpath, and others):

Oh my love has left me wi' bairnies twa
And that's the last o' him I ever saw
He's joined the army and he marched awa'
He took the shillin'
He took the shillin' and he marched awa'
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar Tak' the King's shilling an' we're off tae war

Nora had No traitors came from Boyle and Eileen had Siúl a Rúin.

And the other main theme, wives and their mistreatment (Jim Bainbridge, let him be named!) was answered by Helen’s Himself, but he persisted with Three wives in The Fountain – the Fountain being a pub in England. No lyrics recorded for that but elicited this response from Clíona:
My parents they abandoned me and on them I do frown
For they wed me to an auld grey man for the sake of his money and ground

Francie did give Jim a lift home anyway.

Eugene threw in a few unsuitable songs from his repertoire (which is large) and also gave another tale of the marital state with the Brown and the Yellow Ale:
He asked me if the woman by my side was my daughter
Oh, the brown and the yellow ale
And when I said she's my wife his manner didn't alter
Oh, love of my heart.

Breege sang of Josie McDermott and of Staunton’s Brae and Brian sang Zozimus’s Finding of Moses.
On Egypt's banks, contagious to the Nile
The auld Pharaoh's daughter, she went to bathe in style
She took her dip and she came unto the land
And to dry her royal pelt she ran along the strand

[... Moses found, brought home to the Da, who wants to know who’s responsible]:

Ah then," says the Pharaoh, "I'll search every nook
From the Phoenix Park down to Donnybrook
And when I catch a hoult of the b**st*rds father
I’ll kick him from the Nile down to the Dodder."

And we had Bogies bonnie belle, Isle of Malachy and I wish my love was red red rose from the girl with the new glasses.

Discover Boyle day, Sunday 3rd October 2010

2010-10-18T02:17:00.000-07:00

As part of the Discover Boyle day on Sunday 3rd October, the Boyle singers ran an extra singing session, which took place on Sunday afternoon, 4-6pm, in Dodd's Crescent bar.

There was an excellent turn-out of the regulars and some new faces too. Several people dropped in, on their way home from the Sligo traditional singers' weekend in Rosses Point, to add their songs to the afternoon. We hope we'll get to see (and hear) them again at our regular sessions, on the 3rd Saturday of the month, every month.

18 September 2010.

2010-09-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Late night, many songs.

Unexpected and unusual soft spot for a banker - in Eugene's song:

...It pierced her through the very heart,

To think that young banker and her should part...

Young banker he had such a handsome face,
And all around his hat he wore a band of lace,
Beside such an handsome head of hair,
For my young banker I will go there.

From the singing of the Wilsons

21 August 2010

2010-08-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Some notes from the evening, more to follow:

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was taking place in Cavan town this weekend and this meant one of our number arrived a little late and another left a little early as various members of the singers' group travelled over to take part. Hughie was prompted to sing about the famous Cavan GAA footballer, John Joe O'Reilly (1919 – 1952) from Killeshandra.

Others sang about Cuckoos, Johnny Morrissey and more.

Helen sang about a soldier returning from World War I, damaged and not able to cope with the memory of the horrors witnessed.

Brian made a grand job of I met Frank Halpin's gander couring Nancy Hogan's goose.

17 July 2010 : Who are you, my pretty fair maid

2010-07-20T04:08:00.000-07:00

39 songs by my reckoning. Back later with a little more info.
________________

Back again - but isn't the summer flying in!

Well, Cyril McDermott from Ballyroddy, Elphin was back for a visit, and sang the Bantry Girl's Lament and Frankie Simon's song about the Windmill in Elphin. Cyril was one of those who worked towards restoring the windmill there. A regular visitor from Elphin, Paddy gave us Red-Haired Mary and the Rose of Allendale. George was accused of being a crazy-mixed up kid when he sang "I am my own Grand Pa".

We welcomed Jim Bainbridge and his wife, Francie, to the club. He kicked off with a 1920s song which goes: "It’s really high time that something was done to alter the way that the country is run...". (Well, we all second that.) Actually, it's a song about the duty on whisky, which was increased in England, on 19 April, 1920, so the price went up from ten and a tanner to 12 and a tanner a bottle.

Eugene traced our own country's woes back further - still linked to politics tho':
You brave young sons of Erin's Isle, I hope you will attend awhile
'Tis the wrongs of dear old Ireland I am going to relate
'Twas black and cursed was the day
When our parliament was taken away
And all of our griefs and sufferings commences from that day...

Breege's song about the drowning on Lough Arrow in 1874 held our attention and Helen's own love song, beside Lough Key (scraps of the verse: "we loved the first with such a thirst" ..."beside Lough Cé" ... "on Easter Day she passed my way".

A taster of more of the songs:
Raglan Road ,
Hot Asphalt,

Bold Grenadier:
As I was a walking one morning in May,
I spied a young couple, so fond they did stray,
One was a young maid so sweet and so fair,
And the other was a soldier and a bold Grenadier...

And then the surprise ending:
They kissed so sweet and comforting – last line... and she pushed him in.
Ahah! - never heard that bit before.
More maidens' revenge followed with Martinmas Time.

Moving along: My love came to Dublin; To plough and sow, reap and mow; Johnny Morissey and the Russian Sailor; Ceaití and the Sean duine dóite (not in the same song); 'Twas duly that it came to pass, I met ma bonnie fisher lass; Green grow the rushes, Oh; Annie; The Summer time is blooming; Who are you my pretty fair maid?

If you think you have a song or recitation to contribute to our store, or you'd just like to come and listen - see you next session - August (canyoubelieveit) 21, 2010 in Dodd's.

19th June 2010 ...one sang high and the other sang low...

2010-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Some great songs and rhymes at the Boyle Singers' Circle on June 19th, 2010.

There was a smell of sulphur in the air for Frances’ rendition of Peg Kelly's black cat and Martin (from Mayo) brought back holy memories with a recitation about Knock aiport (... money’s expensive shtuff, and we don’t have enuff, to sink in a bog in Mayo...).

Before all that, Gerry O’Beirne’s Isle of Malachi was done justice by Clare (to the tune of Seán Ó Duibhir a’ Ghleanna):
Search where no ships are sailing
No sound of hearts breaking
Or down in deepest Africa
No one will find him there

But down the sands of evening
In days of my love leaving
You will hear the dance rise all around
The Isle of Malachy

Derval sang The Raggle Taggle Gypsy ...one sang high and the other sang low... and that was Seosamh maybe, with a wonderful, gentle version of Raglan Road.

Disasters of the Great War and other effin wars too, were in both Robert’s and Eugene’s songs. Robert sang a song which came to him from America about the firemen in the Twin Towers and another song about Francis Ledwidge, the Blackbird of Slane. Ledwidge, a soldier with the Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers, wrote Lament for Thomas MacDonagh (He shall not hear the bittern cry ...) and was himself killed in July 1917, near Ypres in Belgium, in a shell explosion.

Eugene gave us The Old Man's Tale (Ian Campbell, trad. tune, 'Nicky Tams')
At the turning of the century I was a boy of five
Me father went to fight the Boers and never came back alive.
Me mother was left to bring us up, no charity she'd seek,
So she washed and scrubbed and scrapped along on seven and six a week.

Do liostáil Clíona le sáirsint, ag nascadh téamaí , cogadh agus Co. Mhaigh Eo, in ómós do mhuintir Mhaigh Eo a bhí i láthair.

Staying with Francis Ledwidge’s generation, and in recognition of Bloomsday during the week, Tony’s song had Joycean connections. Love’s old sweet song is not only the song Molly and Blazes Boylan were to be rehearsing together, on that famous Dublin day in June, but it was also one of the songs James Joyce sang at the Feis Ceoil in 1904, when he won the bronze medal and John McCormack the gold. Clare followed with Yeats’ Stolen Child.

There was nifty guitar playing from several of those present, Helen, Willie and a visitor who dropped in after the Tommy Tiernan gig next door. Another of the visitors from the TT show, Michael, delivered the Apprentice song (When I was a young apprentice and less than compos mentis...), a great one that Eugene has also been known to sing, and Lost Little Children which he heard on Tim O’Brien’s The Crossing.

As usual, there were lots more, (Frank’s Plains of Waterloo, Breege’s You learned men, who take the pen and her lovely harmonies, Helen’s On Easter Day you passed my way and her great guitar work, to name but a few) too numerous etc., etc.

Derval sang Hush, hush. We didn’t get her on film, but here’s a taste of the Corries performing that same song:

And after that, they sang on into the night ... once more ...

15 May 2010 ... a slate off that Willie Yeats, sez she

2010-06-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

I wish my love was a red red rose set the night off to a great start.

Jerry continued it with,
First I was a waiting man that lived at home at ease,
And now I am a mariner that ploughs the angry seas.
Seamus Ennis collected On board the Kangaroo from Elizabeth Cronin in Macroom and it's been popular with singers since.

The "young maid about 17, I listed in the Navy, all for to serve the King" was inspired by the Kangaroo ship. And maybe also, Waltzing Matilda, sung later on?

The Rocks of Bawn, the Boston Burglar, Old Man River, the Bantry Girl's Lament (with lovely harmonies from Breege) and Eastersnow (lovely melody from B.) all got an airing. Noreen accompanied herself on guitar and sang Ian Tyson's Four strong winds, (Neil Young was known to sing that one) and Helen sang John O'Dreams.

Eugene had royalty on his mind, and gave a rousing rendition of Sez She (by Mr. P. French) - "Me loyal subjects" sez she
Here's my best respect, sez she
And I'm proud this day, sez she
Of the elegant way, sez she
That you gave me the hand, sez she
When I come to the land, sez she
[...]

Frances said: Of course you’ve heard of the Nancy Lee and Frank went to the Chapel Gate in Cooraclare.

Kilkelly Ireland 2001, composed by Pat Johnson, I believe, and updated to include the sorrowful line: Th’oul volcano’s erupting and I’m in total despair - with feeling, from Joe.

Then on to places you don't need to fly to, Raglan Road (Nora), Coolmore (or at least its Maid, by Clare), Carrickfergus (J/G), Shores of Lough Bran (Breege), An Charraig Bhán (nó a bhruach, C).

I'm missing more songs and a few more recimitations - for lack of time not lack of quality - ah go on then, John Williams on the Titanic, Kissing in the morning early, An poc ar buile, Gardens in Eden, Bobby McGee, McAlpine's Fusiliers, Johnny Morissey, Dirt (recitation), Getting Dressed (recitation) and Willie McBride.

And they didn't stop there, but this writer ran out of beermats for the note-taking.

Go dtí go gcastar ar a chéile arís sinn - beirigí bua.

May 15, 2010

2010-05-17T03:10:00.000-07:00

Loadsa notes taken - and sung. Get back to you when I find them. Suffice to say, for the moment, that The Men From Keash were back at the bar.

By the way, the Boyle Singers' Circle moved into Dodds Pub in May 2008, so there's an anniversary to celebrate.

April 17, 2010

2010-04-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Good turn out – plenty of songs.

Richard Thompson wrote two songs for the other night's entertainment (well, maybe not just for the other night): Beeswing sung by Frank Brennan and Farewell, farewell sung by Clare McGuirk. The Boatman of Lough Key, Jim Flynn was remembered in song by Breege and his brother Tom's composition, My native town of Boyle was sung by Nora. Eileen was in great voice on all her songs, particularly The water is wide.

The Raggle-taggle gypsies were done justice by the visitors from Keash at the bar. Breege gave us another of her own compositions, an emigrant song about her uncle. Marion made a great job of Eastersnow [Diseart Nuadhain = Estersnow, Roscommon] and another about a greyhound. Tony went to the Lowlands of Holland, Bantry girl’s lament and more...

Now what did Eugene sing? Answers on a postcard please.

Sean nós cois Life: Weekend of sean nós singing in Dublin

2010-03-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

The annual weekend of sean nós singing and dancing workshops, concerts and pub sessions is coming up in Dublin:
Sean-Nós Cois Life : 16-18 Aibreán 2010.

Tá an clár (programme and registration) ar fáil anseo: http://www.seannos.ie/

Workshops in singing and dancing:
Ceardlanna amhránaíochta:
Séamus Ó Coirbín (Conamara)
Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríghde (Tír Chonaill)

Ceardlann damhsa ar an sean-nós:
Eibhlín Sonaí Choilm Learaí Ní Chonghaile (Conamara)

Aíonna speisialta na féile (Special guests)
Eibhlín Sonaí Choilm Learaí Ní Chonghaile (Conamara)
P. J. Sonaí Choilm Learaí Ó Conghaile (Conamara)
Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich (Corca Dhuibhne)
Maidhc Dainín Ó Sé (Corca Dhuibhne)
Briocán Bairéad (Conamara)
Séamus Ó Coirbín (Conamara)
Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríghde (Tír Chonaill)
Yvonne Ní Loideáin (Conamara)
Muireann Ní Cheannabháin (BÁC)
agus daoine eile nach iad.

20 March 2010 Boyle singers

2010-03-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

The spring is definitely here and although the daffodils are a little slow to bloom, St. Patrick's Day was balmy - can you believe that! What happened to the tradition of 'it always rains on (our) parade'?

The singers were in fine fettle after the festivities of the week and kept the songs going well on into the night.

Some of the gang had headed north to the Inish Owen singing weekend and reports came back that they were having a ball. We hope they have some new songs for us from the gathering and that they'll be word and note-perfect by April.

Agus amhráin Chásca:

20th Feb 2010 in Boyle

2010-03-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

Some regulars missing in action in February but more visitors arrived to make up the numbers for a very enjoyable night in Dodd's.

We're getting into the Spring season in style now - come along with old songs and new on March 20th, the 3rd Saturday of the month.

Our New Year's resolution is to start at the earlier time of 9.30 - so that we can get all the songs in before the end of the night.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and see you right after that in Dodd's Crescent Bar.

19 Jan 2010 - You brave young sons of Erin's isle ...

2010-01-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

You brave young sons of Erin's isle, I hope you will attend a while...

Take a song, any song, the one in the title of this post or any of the other forty five that were heard the other night and get the story. Here's just one about Tipperary (with helpful information from Tim Dennehy's website , a site about the Carden name and most of all Eccentric lives, peculiar notions / by John Michell):

Carden's Wild Domain

Of all the places in this world no matter where I roam,
I love you dear old Erin's Isle my own ancestral home.
Where'er I stray by night or day fond memory draws my brain
To the happy pleasant days I spent around Carden's Wild Domain.

[...]

So rise you men of Bearnán and get ready for the fray
And join the noble General McSweeney from Killea.
Led on by those great mountaineers those lands we'll soon regain
And we'll plant our homesteads once again around Carden's Wild Domain.

The story of John Rutter Carden (born 1811) of Barnane Castle, Tipperary, is briefly this:

Carden inherited Barnane Castle which had been neglected. The tenants had ceased paying rent and didn't want to start again. As Carden insisted on collecting rents, tenants tried repeatedly to kill him. Carden became known as "Woodcock" Carden, as he dipped and dived like that bird. Once, he overpowered two would-be assassins, marched them to jail and had them hanged. The castle was remodelled to withstand assaults. Carden had a swivel-mounted cannon among his attack-resisting weapons.

Then, in his forties, "Woodcock" Carden fell in love with a young girl, Eleanor Arbuthnot, 18 years old at the time and an heiress. He believed that she loved him and that only for her family holding her prisoner, would have declared her love. He pursued her to Scotland, abducted her and was tried and convicted of kidnapping. Many songs were composed about him and the song, "Carden's Wild Domain," was very popular in Ireland.

Carden died in 1866.

Eleanor Arbuthnot apparently never married.

Barnane Castle is now in ruins.

Read more about the 'dreadfully persistent lover', John Rutter Carden in Eccentric lives, peculiar notions / by John Michell

Kate McGarrigle RIP

2010-01-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

Sad to report that that great singer, Kate McGarrigle, passed away on Monday, 18th January 2010, aged 63.

Here's an article about her from the Canadian Globe and Mail newspaper.

And a video clip:

Singing events in 2010

2010-01-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

It's time to start planning out trips to the best Singing events coming up in 2010. The first one that comes to mind is the Inishowen Traditional Singers' Circle weekend in March.

Here's an outline of the details:

“For 21 years is a mighty long time”
Celebrating 21 years of the Inishowen Folk Song and Ballad Seminar
Dates: 19 – 22 March 2010
Clonmany / Ballyliffin, Inishowen, Co. Donegal
Featuring: Jim McFarland, Len Graham, Micil Quinn, Colm O’Donnell, Peta Webb, Máire Ní Chéilleachair and Derek Williamson

The Inishowen Traditional Singers also hold a monthly session, usually the second Friday of the month.

19 December 2009

2010-01-06T05:48:00.000-08:00

Last month, wind and rain, this month, sleet and snow. Roll on 2010 and the Boyle singing circle. Happy New Year to you all. Come along and sing a song for us in 2010.

Don oíche úd i mBeithil

2009-12-11T04:31:00.000-08:00

Getting into the seasonal swing, ready for Dec. 19th in Dodd's.

Maighreád Ní Mhaonaigh agus a grúpa, Altan, ag am Nollaig anuraidh, 2008

21st November- Oh the wind and the rain

2009-11-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Undaunted by the floods, the brave men and women of the Boyle singers' circle turned out in force last Saturday night.

Clare started with the anti-war "Bramblethorn" by Sarah Daniels, later on, she sang Sandy Denny's "Who knows where the time goes", Across the evening sky all the birds are leaving and still later, an R. Burns song, "Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon".

Two women composers, and that's before taking Helen's and Breege's respective compositions; Helen: "I'm going home, soon as I can, to buy a farm, somewhere around the Plains of Boyle" and Breege: "In Culmeen, near Ballyfarnon", a song about Josie McDermott. Theresa read a poem from her own pen about her father.

Joe from the Sligo singers gave a great rendition of an updated version of Kilkelly Ireland. Where normally you'd be expecting:
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John
[...]
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England, The house is so empty and sad
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected, A third to a half of them bad.
From Joe we got the email version, Kilkelly Ireland, 2001:
We have a jacuzzi inside in the bathroom
and
[We have] holiday homes in Carrick on Shannon,
Tis marshy, but sure it will do.

So - we finally got to the watery theme. However, Eugene's Dark-Eyed Sailor ended with the encouraging line: A stormy morning brings on a sunny day.

Eugene also delivered up Delaney's chicken - but not quite plucked, boiled or skewered:
So this bird must have been crowing since they built the Tower of Abel (Babel)
He was fed by Cain and Abel and he lived in Noah's Stable,
All the shots and shells was fired in the field of Waterloo,
Could not penetrate or dislocate the tilugated, armour-plated, double-breasted, iron-chested cock-a-doodle-doo.

Delaney might have had need of Eileen's "Brisk young butcher" - Says he "A frolic I will have, my fortune for to try, I will go into Leicestershire some cattle for to buy". She also sang You are the call, I am the answer, and "Willie Taylor".

Brian went from
It's in the evening after dark,
When the blackleg miner creeps to work,
With his moleskin pants and dirty shirt,
There goes the blackleg miner!
to the "Finding of Moses" on Egypt's banks, contagious to the Nile and finished later with Sergeant William Bailey.

George gave us Shanagolden, Lough Arrow's Side and I will an' I must get married, for the humour is on me now. Frank had the Chapel gate in Cooraclare, and Oh don't you know the reason. Tony sang, Oh the prickel-eye bush, The cocks are crowing and My love he left me, ...joined the army and marched away. Clíona, "The next market day", "Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneala" and the "Hare's lament": On the first of November on a bright autumn's day...

Frances and Joe recited pieces, Tommy sang Percy French, and a duet with Paddy on "Hear the wind blow", Breege gave us "Matt Hyland" and Helen a ghost song, for the season that's in it.

Time now to prepare for the next season - polish up your Carols for December.

Oct. 17th 2009 in Dodds

2009-10-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

Late night - loads of songs - watch this space!

19 September 2009

2009-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Visitors from the Sligo Traditional Singing Circle visited the club on the 19th September as they often do. They're holding their annual singers' weekend on the weekend, 2-4 October 2009, in Sligo Town. There'll be representatives of the Boyle Singers there, along with many more. It was a great weekend last year and we expect that it'll be as good if not better this year. For more details, see the Sligo Traditional Singing Circle website.

15 August 2009 at the BSC

2009-08-19T08:17:00.001-07:00

A very full night of songs at the Boylers last Saturday. The night had a beginning, middle and end and then an extended encore! There were men singing women’s songs and women saying men’s rhymes and some singing songs to tunes of other songs. (Make that into a song and we’ll give you an extra singing slot!)

Declan Coyne told us, “For I was nothing to him, Though he was the world to me”, an old song, sometimes called The Sad Song (as if there were no other) and sometimes, The Palace Grand.

Frank was in reminiscent mood:
My youthful days are past and it makes my heart feel weary,
As I sit in the cart in the wilds of the prairie.
Hunting the deer that skip around the beaver,
While my thoughts fondly stray to the Bogs of Shanaheever .

Nora, Mary and Marion were thinking of exiles as well: “Dear exiles all who hail from Boyle”, “The crowded streets of Brooklyn” and “I am a lonely exile” (Cill na Martra).

Eugene was more in party-mode with the Irish Jubilee, and he remembered every last one of the 30 or more verses on the menu. Here’s a taster:
We ate oatmeal till we could hardly stirabout, Ketch-up and hurry-up, sweet-kraut and sauer-kraut;
Dressed beef and naked beef and beef with all its trousers on, Soda crackers, fire crackers, Cheshire cheese with breeches on;
Beefsteaks and mistakes were down upon the bill of fare, Roast ribs and spare ribs and ribs that we couldn't spare;
Reindeer, snowdeer and dear me and antelope, The women ate so much melon, the men said they cantaloupe;
Red herrings, smoked herrings, herrings from old Erin's Isle, Bangor loaf and fruit cake and sausages a half a mile;
Hot corn, cold corn, and corn cake and honey-comb, Red birds and red books, sea bass and sea foam;
Fried liver, baked liver, Carter's little liver pills, And everyone was wondering who was going to pay the bill.

Marion told of a famous greyhound, Mary of a “young cowboy”. George was Down by Lough Arrow’s side. A second from Mary : the Water is Wide and Clare was By Clyde’s bonnie banks, (Blantyre explosion). Breege sang about Willie the ploughboy, Paddy from Elphin sang about The Shady boy, Tony was weeping at 19, Clíona sang Two sisters for Clare and Mary and the Charlady’s Ball to keep with the theme of the Irish Jubilee and the Races at Killadoon (I can’t forget all the thrills I met...). Ronnie Drew’s anniversary was remembered in a rendering of Monto from a visitor to Boyle who saw our advertisement in the window of Dodd’s and dropped in.
I’ve missed a few, I know, and can only mention in passing the matchmaking story, the food story, the driving lesson tale, Percy French, My name is Delaney, a name that won't shame me and a Song for Ireland.

This writer had to leave before the encore, so I can’t say with certainty what happened next. Who could?

Be there next month for the beginning of our FOURTH year. Ó neart go neart.

Music and song in Strokestown House

2009-08-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

The next "Reel thing" concert takes place in Strokestown House,Co.Roscommon.
Thursday 13th August
8pm sharp.

It features the husband and wife team of Martin Quinn(accordion/fiddle) and Angelina Carberry(banjo). Their guests on the night are Patsy Hanly(flute) and Pauline Hanly(singer).

Contact 0906625824 for information/bookings.

July 18th 2009

2009-07-27T17:22:00.001-07:00

Cyril McDermott, who has recently launched a CD of songs telling the tale of his local area, around Elphin, Co. Roscommon, was a welcome guest at the Singers' night. There was a good crowd, with people on their way back from the South Sligo Summer School at Tubbercurry and on their way to the Joe Mooney in Drumshanbo. More came hotfoot from the Glens Centre in Manorhamilton and there was a number of visitors who promised to sing, but hoofed it, under cover of the break and the handing around of the sambos, leaving us in suspense until the next time!

20th June 2009

2009-06-24T05:15:00.000-07:00

Oíche dhátheangach at the Boyle Singers on Saturday night, with several singers ag rá amhráin as Gaeilge: Eileanór a rún, Liostáil mé le Sáirsint, Óró mo churachín agus an Seanduine dóite. So much so, that a storyteller was moved to recite a macaronic recitation!

Dár ndóigh, bhí neart béarla ann freisin, with Helen and Breege kicking off the night in great style, both singing their own compositions - and a third singer, with an unplanned display of creativity, sang a unique version of the Newry Highwayman, as the actual lyrics evaded her on the night. SHE shall go unnamed. A wide selection of songs and singers including Tony, Clare, Eugene, Noreen, Frank, Marian, Clíona. Paul made his debut by joining in with gusto on that old favourite, Happy Birthday! Pádraig, Frances and Teresa recited and told stories.

And the songs? Banks of the Bann, Jimmy Murphy, Rosie Stewart's Jug of Punch, Luke Manner, Liverpool lullaby, Mrs McGrath, Maid of Magherally, Maggie, Westlin' Winds, In Bodenstown Churchyard, the Chapel gates at Cooraclare and several more.

The Shannonside Northern Sound Supporting the Arts award was on display on the night.

Go dtí an t-am céanna an mhí seo chugainn, beirigí bua agus bainigí taitneamh as an tSamhraidh - because, for the record - the weather is GORGEOUS at the moment.

SESSION COMING UP - Saturday, 20th June

2009-06-15T06:18:00.001-07:00

Polish up your vocal chords... Singers' session, this Saturday, 20th June.

16th May 2009

2009-05-18T03:06:00.000-07:00

There was a large group present in Dodds on the 16th of May, despite the absence of some regulars, who headed off to the 30th anniversary of the Góilín Club in Dublin.

More than 15 singers sang a couple of songs each and there was an appreciative audience. We've completed a full year in Dodd's now - we moved to Dodd's in May of last year - where has the time... etc.

Breege announced that Shannonside Radio judged the Singers' Circle worthy of an entertainment award in April and she and Helen will be travelling to Roscommon town to receive it during this week.

15 May 2009 - An Góilín Singers Club - Dublin - 30th anniversary

2009-05-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Dublin singers' club, An Góilin is to celebrate its 30th Anniversary on the weekend of May 15th with Friday night and Saturday sessions in the Teachers' Club, Parnell Square, Dublin.

18 April 2009 in Boyle

2009-04-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

More than 20 singers, more than 40 songs! Percy French, The Maid of Knockcrogher, Úna Bhán, Dunnes Storey beats them all; guitars, mouth organ and recitations. An unspoken preference on the night for Roscommon and Sligo songs. See you in May.

Sean-Nós Cois Life 2009 ( 2-5 Aibreán)

2009-04-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

Tuilleadh eolais / More information on the Sean Nós Cois Life weekend in Dublin:
Sean-Nós Cois Life

If you're in Dublin this weekend, there will be loads of singing and music at the Sean-Nós Cois Life annual weekend.

Ceardlanna Amhránaíochta - singing workshop
Ceardlann damhsa ar an sean-nós - solo (sean nós) dancing workshop
Ceardlann fhidléireachta - fiddle workshhop

Aíonna speisialta (Special guests) eile don deireadh seachtaine:
Eoin Warner (Beanntraí) ; Ray Mac Mánais (Béal Feirste) ; Nollaig Ní Laoire (An Mhí) ; Úna de Paor (An Seanphobal, Co. Phort Láirge) ; Neil Ní Chróinín (Múscraí) ; Saileog Ní Cheannabháin (Baile Átha Cliath) ; Liam Ó Dubhgáin (Oileán Thoraí) ; Colm Mac Ruairí (Oileán Thoraí)

Filíocht & Agallaimh Bheirte: Joe Steve & Máirín Ó Neachtain (Conamara)

Aoí-cheoltóirí: Aodán Ó Domhnaill (Dún Cionnaola) (Fidléir) ; Rónán Ó Gealbháin (Baile Átha Cliath) (Fidléir) agus go leor eile!

Tuilleadh eolais:
Deirdre Nic Éanruig - 087 262 1537
Antaine Ó Faracháin - (01) 453 8192
Máire Ní Chróinín - (086) 294 0652

The Frost is all over: Drumshanbo: 6/3/09. UPDATE

2009-03-18T13:24:00.001-07:00

The Frost is all over
Concert of Traditional Music.
Drumshanbo: Friday, 6th March 2009

Post-concert UPDATE: The concert raised 2000Euro plus.
Thanks to everyone who contributed talent and money.

March 20 - 23, 2009: Míle MURDER!

2009-03-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

'Murder They Wrote’ – Songs of Murder in the Tradition.

The 20th Inishowen International Folk Song and Ballad Seminar will be held March 20 - 23, 2009.

Full programme of sessions, talks and venues here.

When it's not a free-for-all, the 2009 INVITED GUESTS are:
NICHOLAS CAROLAN
DAVE HOY
MAUREEN JELKS
DONAL MAGUIRE
DAN MILNER
JOE MULHERON
EAMONN O DONNCHADHA
MICK QUINN

Unfortunately, due to a family bereavement, PETA WEBB will not be able to attend.

Boyle singers on Shannonside

2009-03-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

A group of stalwarts from the singers' circle were down in Longford on March 13th, 2009, recording a few songs for the arts programme, The Arts Hour, presented by Roisin Cooper, Saturdays, between 5 and 6pm on Shannonside. The songs will be popping up over the run of the programme, so listen out!

February 21st 2009 - Drink it up! Men! It's long after 10.

2009-02-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Burns, Yeats, Kavanagh, Service - all out for an airing the other night at the Boyle singing session. Along with some other heroes: Reilly the fisherman, Alexander, Matt Hyland, Éamonn a' Chnoic, Fair Rosa, Frankie and Johnny. Eugene, Clare, Breege, Tony, Cliona, George, Frank, Francis, Noreen, Seosamh, Joe, and some more Kind friends and companions. The question is, who sang "When I was a young girl..." or even "When I was not but sweet sixteen"? And were they telling the truth?

'Til March then.

January 17th 2009 - Let the wind blow high

2009-01-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

... and it did on the first night of the 2009 Boyle singers' session. There was even a shower of snow during the evening, but the singers were cosy at the fireside while it did.

Some snatches of song heard:

Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low;
I’d feel no cold from the frost or snow
If I only had my Sally-O,
Where the wild birds sing on the mountain.

And the even more romantic:

When I was a young apprentice and less than compos mentis
I took leave of all my senses, with a maid I fell in love.
Her ringlets so entwined me, Aphrodite's smile did blind me
Cupid's arrow struck behind me, and her father owned a pub.

Tra-la ... terrible story of betrayal follows; marriage, to a scimitar wielding-Turk by her, sprints, to avoid being at the receiving end of same curly knife for him, and conclusion:

For there's many things worth trying for and occasionally worth lying for
But there's bugger-all worth dying for, so I'll stick to the single life.

Here's where Andy M. Stewart comes to the same conclusion for the same reason:

See you in February.

13 December 2008 - Xmas session

2008-12-16T02:21:00.000-08:00

The Boar's head, Down in yon forest, The holly and the ivy were joined by the Boatman of Lough Key, Robert Service, Mo dheartháirín óg mo chroí. Then Snows, Mary is not her real name, nor Jesus the name of her babe... Mo pháistín fionn,

True sons of Bacchus all took part: Eugene, Tony, Clare, Clíona, Frank, Frances, Angelo, Breege, Kathleen, George, Seosamh, Helen, Michael, Teresa ...

Crackers, holly, ivy, tinsel, buns, hot food from Dodds and a Singers' Session debut from Mrs. Dodd!

Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise.

See you all in January.

15 November 2008. Not so quiet night...

2008-12-01T04:36:00.000-08:00

A large crowd gathered in Dodd's for the Session. Heard it was one of the best yet - though this writer was unfortunately not there! Typical!

The Boyle singers' Christmas session has been moved forward a week and will now take place on Dec. 13th instead of Dec. 20th. That still gives enough time to dust off the Christmas carols and seasonal specials and give them an airing once more.

18 October 2008: A quiet night at the Boyle Singers

2008-10-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

Settling into the Autumn, with several singing festivals under our belts (Rosses Point and the Sligo Traditional Singers' Circle, Dublin and the Frank Harte Festival) and another one due next weekend down in Knockcroghery, it was time for a quiet evening by the fire in Dodds. There was plenty of chat about the Rosses Point weekend, enjoyed by all who attended.

Songs sung included, a Davey Hammond song, Fair Rosa; Van Diemans Land; The Brown and the Yellow Ale; and The Captains and the Kings (which Brendan Behan recorded on Irish Folksongs and Ballads and sung by the Dubliners too). Then Blackwaterside; Green grows the laurel; John o' Dreams and a song Helen Grehan wrote herself, "Annie". The Night Visiting song: "I must away now..." and You are my sunshine... Rounded off by the Banks of the Lee, and another beauty from Breege.

Dubliners and The captains and the kings:

Oct. 3-5: Sligo Traditional Singing Weekend, Rosses Point

2008-10-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend, October 3-5, will be a great one for singing, up in Rosses Point. The 2nd Annual Sligo Traditional Singing Weekend, organised by Sligo Traditional Singers Circle will take place there. Singing sessions, lectures, an island trip and the opportunity to hear local and visiting singers are all promised. Last year's festival was a huge success and this 2nd one is shaping up to be a worthy successor.

Sept. 26-28: Frank Harte Festival 2008, Dublin City

2008-09-24T14:46:00.001-07:00

A reminder that the Frank Harte Singing Festival is on in Dublin this weekend, Sept. 26-28.

20th September 2008: SECOND anniversary of the Boyle Singers' Session

2008-09-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ag dul ó neart go neart. We have reached the end of the second year of the Boyle Singers' Session and we're heading into the third with a session that is growing and growing, reaching epic proportions at times, maybe? Like Alexander?
When he had conquered the whole world, he sat down and wept full sore
Because there was but one world, and he could gain no more

Rambles galore the other night, some to the Shores of Amerikay; others, like the Poachers, to Van Dieman's land: Come all you gallant poachers who ramble by Lough Erne; and beyond, Far away from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle .

From the 600 yr old Child ballad, The Unquiet Grave, to a 70 yr old lyric, Joe Hill, along with Siúl a Rún, Robert Louis Stevenson, John Reilly's Captain, and The Shores of Lough Bran.

Davey Hammond, RIP, was remembered with Fair Rosa was a lovely child...

Davey Hammond on YouTube:

Next Boyle Singers' Session - 20th Sept. 2008

2008-09-17T01:26:00.001-07:00

That's it! It's official. Our long, not-so-hot Summer is over. Spirits undampened however, the Boyle Singers' session will continue with its usual high notes this Saturday coming.
See you all at Dodd's on the Crescent in Boyle. 10-ish...

August 16th, 2008 ... Streams of ... consciousness

2008-08-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Deep and secret glen in Aghadoe, I’m crazy for feeling so blue, Shall I ne’er see you more, Gentle mother, In the fields where the wild flowers grow, Donal Og, Molly Bawn, Wexford massacre, a Johnny McEvoy number... he was never there when needed, he’d just smile n say sorry, no need to worry gonna meet sum friends drink some beer 'n fight the war... Sorry the day I was married, (duet from a happily married couple),Red is the rose had everyone joining in. Recitation 'bout the weather -- very apt.

Sadly, tonight was also the night we heard that Ronnie Drew had passed away. May he rest in peace.

July 19th 2008: Singing sweetly and completely...

2008-07-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Singers' session continues to grow and grow. We had over 30 songs last Singers' night. Regulars and newcomers sang up and those who didn't, listened.

There was Me name is Dick Darby, I'm a cobbler ..., "Willie the Ploughboy" and "Blue tar road". Nanci Griffith's song "It's a hard life wherever you go" was given an excellent outing, as was Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927", Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline...

Anyone who made it to The Grehan Sisters' great gig on Saturday, 26th July, knows that Helen took to reciting Shakespeare at one point and she was warming up to it at the Singers' session when she sang Love's labour isn't lost, it only caught a frost...

Two songs on related themes were "Liostáil mé le sáirsint" and "Willie Taylor". We heard "The boatman of Lough Key", "William Hollander" and the "Rose of Tralee".

That's just a taster. Speaking of which, thanks to Breege and Helen for providing such consistently good sambos and cakes too!

A good luck wish to one of our singers, Eimear Browne who was not present at the July session, as she was preparing for her 250km row down the Shannon, starting at the Shannon Pot on 24th July and finishing in Limerick on August 4th. Eimear is rowing in aid of Helping Hands, Cambodia. She'll be playing her fiddle every night at stops along the route and she might be persuaded to sing [in] a bar or two as well.

Tuilleadh ceoil, tuilleadh amhránaíochta, bí agus dí an mhí seo chugainn. Bígí ann.

June 21st - Summer Solstice Session!

2008-06-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

A good crowd turned out for the Boyle Singers' Session in Dodd's on June 21st. Some were local and some travelled, from South Sligo and South Roscommon, and a from a good few places in between. There were well over 20 songs sung, several stories told and a couple of poems recited.

Mrs John Conroy was one of the humorous hits of the night. There were many choice lines in that song: I will, says she, transported be, for Mrs John Conroy… We could do with hearing it again to capture some more.

Úna Bhán Mac Dermott was the heroine of one song and a different Úna Bhán, Úna Bhán McDonnell was the heroine of a song by John Keegan Casey (the author of The Rising of the Moon).

Another local love song was Willie Reilly and his Coleen Bawn: O rise up, Willy Reilly and come along with me.... This early 19th century song has travelled all over the world. William Bulfin in his Rambles in Eirinn mentions the estate near Ballinafad where Squire Folliard and his daughter, the Coleen Bawn of the song, lived. That song involved the process of law as did the Land League incident in 1881 at Coolavin, Co. Sligo described in the newly composed song The Coolavin Lament, sung by its composer the other night.

Every song can’t get a mention, unfortunately, but two personal favourites were:
A lady fair in a garden walking, When a well-dressed gentleman came riding by.
He stepped up to her for to view her, And said, 'Fair lady, would you fancy I?'
And
Edward on Lough Erne Shore
The Sun was setting behind the mountain, The dew was falling upon the leaves
And I was seated beside a fountain, And a feathered songster sang on a tree.

And last but not least - the Knockcroghery song.
Oíche mhaith.

Tribute to the Grehan Sisters

2008-05-19T04:19:00.001-07:00

A date for your diary:

One of our two (Breege and Helen) able founders and MCs of the Boyle Singers' Sessions, Helen Grehan, will join her sisters on Friday 25th July, at 10pm, to give a concert during the Boyle Arts Festival, billed A Tribute to the Grehan Sisters.

May 17th 2008 in Dodd's Crescent Bar

2008-05-19T03:51:00.001-07:00

The Boyle Singers' session moved to a new venue in Dodd's Crescent Bar this weekend.

The range of songs sung continues to expand: from Lord O'Bore and Mary Flynn, to Robbie Burns' Ae Fond Kiss, from Sigerson Clifford's Boys of Barr na Sráide about Cahirciveen, to a song bringing in all the beauty spots local to Boyle. There were a few tunes played too and some excellent guitar-work from Helen and Philip.

Next session: 3rd Saturday in June

Next singing session in Boyle - May 17th, 2008

2008-04-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

NOTE: CHANGE OF VENUE :
The Singers' Session will be held in the backroom of Dodd's Pub on the Crescent in Boyle from May 17th onwards. Look forward to seeing you there.

19th April in Wynne's

2008-04-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

It might have been called "A feast of forty songs" in Wynne's last Saturday night. If you like singing and talking about songs, that was the place to be.

The regular attendees kept up their usual high standards. Highlights included, Laurel Hill :
When war had oppressed every nation with horror
And Wellington ventured his life o'er the main
and Bogie's Bonnie Belle :
Now Bogie had a dochter, her name was Isabelle
She was the lily o' the valley an' the primrose o' the dell
Dick Gaughan is a singer who has recorded that last song, incidentally, and he's on tour in Ireland at the moment, with gigs in Monaghan on Thurs 24th April, Barrys in Grange on Friday 25th April and Matt Molloy's in Westport on Saturday the 26th.

Singing - 2nd May - Kiltyclogher, Co. Leitrim

2008-04-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Four Gaelic singers from the Outer Hebrides will be singing in Kiltyclogher on Friday, 2nd May. Julie Fowlis, Mairi Smith, Anna Murray, Meave Mackinnon.

Singing - Louisburgh, Co. Mayo - 2-5 May 2008

2008-04-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Beidh Féile Chois Cuain ar siúl i gCluain Chearbán, Co. Mhaigh Eo (Louisburgh, Co. Mayo) an deireadh seachtaine fada, Bealtaine, 2-5, 2008.

The singing part of the Féile Chois Cuain programme:

Saturday 3rd May / Dé Sathairn 3 Bealtaine:

10.30am - 4.00pm: Masterclasses - Máistir-ranganna
Ballads: Len Graham

Sean-nós: Máirtín Tom Sheáinín

Táille/Admission euro 10.00
Venue: Sancta Maria College

4.15pm - 6.00pm: Seisiún Amhránaíochta Sean-Nóis le scoth na n-amhránaithe ar an sean-nós.
Aíonna: Éamon Ó Bróithe, Áine Uí Cheallaigh, Meaití Jó Shéamuis Ó Fátharta, Johnny Mháirtín Learaí Mac Donnchadha, Sarah Grealish, Máirtín Chóil Neaine Pháidín Mac Donnchadha, Micheál Ó Confhaola, Áine Ní Dhroighneáin, Tomás Ó Máille, Gearóidín Breathnach & Nollaig NicAindriú. Fear a' Tí: Máirtín Tom Sheáinín
Adm euro 3.00.
Venue Old Convent, Westport Road.

Sean Nós Cois Life, Dublin, Thurs 17 - Sunday 20 April 2008

2008-04-02T13:20:00.001-07:00

If you're interested in Sean Nós, there's a four-day singing festival in Dublin coming up, 17th-20th April 2008. There are singing and dancing workshops, (Táille: €20/€10) and informal sessions of music, singing, dance and poetry. This small festival comes highly recommended. More information here or contact Antaine directly for workshop registration ('phone number below).

Déardaoin: 9.00pm : Seisiún, Club Chonradh na Gaeilge, 6 Sráid Fhearchair(Harcourt St.), BÁC 2

Dé hAoine: 9.00pm : Seisiún sa Ghóilín, Club na Múinteoirí, 36 Cearnóg Pharnell, BÁC1

Dé Sathairn: 10am-4.30pm : Ceardlanna amhránaíochta agus damhsa. Áras na bPíobairí Uilleann, 15 Sráid Henrietta, BÁC 1
Oíche mhór amhránaíochta, ceoil & damhsa : Club na Múinteoirí, 36 Cearnóg Pharnell, BÁC 1

Dé Domhnaigh : 2.30pm Seisiún amhránaíochta, ceoil & damhsa : Tigh Hughes, Sráid na Seansaireachta,(Chancery St.), BÁC 1

Ceardlanna amhránaíochta (Singing workshops - tutors):
Áine Meenaghan (Nean Chamuis, Conamara/Chicago); Donnie Murdo Mc Leod (Albain); Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaoich (Ciarraí)
Ceardlann damhsa ar an sean-nós (dancing workshop): Máire Áine Ní Iarnáin

Contact and/or register:
Antaine Ó Faracháin, 01 453 8192

Sligo Traditional Singers' Circle - October 2008 festival planned

2008-04-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Check under Festival on the Sligo Traditional Singers' new Website for details of the Sligo Traditional Singing Weekend, already well into the planning stage,to be held at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, on October 3-5th 2008.

Saturday, 15th March - The Brown and the Yellow Ale

2008-03-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Many a song sung, from Skibbereen to Bogie's Bonnie Belle by way of Aughoo and Ballisodare.

This one too, sung by another Dubliner ...

Saturday 16th Feb.: "Then he pulled out his pen knife, it was both long and sharp..."

2008-02-20T14:46:00.000-08:00

There was plenty of murder, manslaughter and mayhem, in a laid back kind of a way, at the Boyle Singers' Circle on Saturday 16th Feb. It started on the Banks of Red Roses, 'where Johnny all the day had been digging up a grave' (and sharpening his penknife seemingly), through 'Molly Bawn' who died, killed mistaken for a swan, past a few more to get to a grand rendition of Tim Lyons' “The grisly murder of John Frawley”. That corpse was added to the body count by a member of the Sligo contingent.

This song wasn't the only recently composed one of the night either, as two talented Boyle singers sang songs they wrote themselves. Strokestown, meanwhile, was well represented by the “young fellow who loved rural sport” (and singing) and recitations of Robert Service poems.

The Sligo Traditional Singers’ Circle added a few broken hearts to the mix, with an unusual version of How could I live at the top of the mountain and the sad tale of Molly Branigan’s rejected lover,

O, ma'm dear, did you ne'er hear of purty Molly Branigan,
In troth, ma'am, she's left me, and I'll never be a man again;
Not a spot on my hide shall another summer tan again,
Since Molly has left me all alone for to die.

Peggy Gordon and (When I first said I loved only you) Nora were there, along with Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneala, An Gandal agus amhráin eile as Gaeilge which named almost everyone and their townlands from down around Waterford direction.

There were many more, and to hear the like again… be at the Boyle Singers’ Circle next month, Saturday, 15th March

Boyle Singers' Circle - 19th Jan 2008

2008-01-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

Ken Ó Dúill and Susie Minto.

Photo taken just after midnight, Jan 1st, 2008.

The night of 19th January 2008 at the Boyle Singers' Circle was dedicated to the memory of Ken Ó Dúill, who passed away very unexpectedly on the 9th January, in Dublin. Ken was an enthusiastic and friendly presence at the Boyle (and South Sligo, and Mohill, and Góilín and many more) singers' session(s). Ken had many songs and we hadn't heard the half of them. He's sorely missed by all his friends.

Ken's partner, the story-teller Susie Minto, travelled over from Aughavas and took part in the evening with a story and a song of her own. Helen Grehan, Breege Duffy and other regulars all sang. There were welcome new faces and new voices present too. Ken would have enjoyed the night.

The next Singers' night will be on Sat.16th Feb., in the back room of Wynne's, 10 - ish. All singers and listeners welcome.

Ken Ó Dúill at the Góilín Club in Dublin