Sligo Traditional Singers' weekend in Rosses Point

A big thank you to the Sligo Traditional Singers Circle for organising the Frank Finn Traditional Singing Weekend, in the Yeats Country Hotel, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo last weekend, September 28-30.
 http://sligotradsingers.ie/events/weekend/

Long may the Frank Finn weekend continue.

Lovers and Friends


by Sean Mone



Battles and wars leave deep wounds and scars

And deep wounds are long in the mending,

While reflecting upon all that is gone

Life rushes on to its ending.

Though the joy and the pain in our memory remain,

And by memories lifetimes are measured,

Still the times that we spend among lovers and friends

Are times we remember with pleasure.



So fill up your glass that future and past,

In harmony be determined,

For there's more friendship poured out

In one bottle of stout

Than you'll find in statute or sermon.



I've heard all the old songs, all the rights and the wrongs,

Heard prophets of doom and destruction,

Street corner messiahs, moral pariahs

Dealers in Bribes and corruption.

From the holy and wise, denials and lies,

When innocent youth was forsaken,

Yes I've watched the night end

Among lovers and friends

And been sorry to see the dawn breaking.



So fill up your glass, that future and past

In harmony be determined,

For there's more friendship poured out

In one bottle of stout

Than you'll find in statute or sermon.



There are those who are certain that drinking and courting

Are the sure road to hell and damnation,

But if that is to be, it would seem unto me,

That their god has no sense of occasion.

For to help this great plan, both woman and man,

Bring forth each new generation,

And a wee drop of stout,

And the odd bit of a holt,

Can greatly assist procreation.



So fill up your glass, throw your arm round your lass,

In harmony be determined,

For there's more friendship poured out,

In one bottle of stout,

Than you'll find in statute or sermon.



To the brashest and proudest, and those who shout loudest,

It would seem that power has been given,

To berate us deride us, separate and divide us

In the hope of their version of heaven.

But mountains and rivers will by far outlive us

And when our bones into dust they have withered,

There'll be lovers and friends who will still comprehend

The true reason we're all here together.



So fill up your glass, that future and past,

In harmony be determined,

For there's more friendship poured out

In one bottle of stout,

Than you'll find in statute or sermon.

Boyle Traditional Singers and Phil Callery, Thurs, August 2nd

We had the singing workshop earlier this year than last. We had it between 4pm and 6pm. Phil led us through some warm up exercises, and then through songs such as, One I love (from the singing of Frank Harte and Jean Ritchie before him), My name's Napoleon Bonaparte (also Frank Harte), Reconciliation and Gabhaim Molta Bhríde - to be ready in time for February!

The evening session was mighty, with lots of visitors, singers and listeners, to add to the entertainment. The regulars were out in force too, and we weren't able to get around to everyone before Phil had to leg it as he was off to Sydenham and more singing in the morning. The informal after-session session went on for a while after that and Friday was very quiet!

21 July 2012 in Boyle

Regular session held in Dodd's. Looking foward to ARTS WEEK extra session and workshop with Phil Callery.

Again this year, as part of the Boyle Arts Festival 2012, the Boyle Singers' Session will host an EXTRA session on Thursday 2nd August 2012. Phil Callery, renowned for both his solo and harmony singing (with the Voice Squad and others) will be a guest on the evening.

Phil will facilitate a singing workshop from 4pm-6pm..

Read more about Phil Callery.

Have a listen to the Voice Squad .

Bloomsday in Boyle - June 16 2010

Actually, there wasn't a mention of it. Here's what did go on...

As football preoccupies many a mind, Boyle Singers gathered for the June session.

Tidy Ann from Euge. The Rigs of Rye, Clare, Banks of the Lee, from Frank and Marian sang An Bonnan Buí.

Breege sang of Josie Mc Dermott, to remember him on his 20^th anniversary.

Jim, Carraig Dun – heard from the McPeake family. Helen – a lovely melodic song, Be faithful lovely girl, be true to me about a soldier going off to the Lebanon war.

Paddy sang about the fair in Dingle. His brother, Tom, Sunday morning going down. Paddy was celebrating his 64^th birthday whilst others were celebrating Andy Irvine’s 70^th!

Michael, Go lassie, go. Marie, Dark -eyed gypsy oh. “There were 3 gypsies” – it was beautiful. Bríd, The Lakes of Sligo; Nace,  Isle of hope, John, Lovely Rose of Clare. Nace also was “Sitting in the firelight, rolling back the years’”... we all were, by the end of the night.

There were recitations: Gene Sheerin, Céilí Band; Frances, The weather and Paraic, Unwelcome visitors.

More news of weather from, Frank, “On a gloomy Summer’s evening; George, “I’m sittting here and thinking of those days long ago... Summer days were warmer then, long long before your time”.

Final count, forty songs, seven recitations and into the small hours.

Phil Callery singing workshop and session

Phil Callery will be returning to Boyle during the Arts Festival this year, to run a singing workshop and to appear as the guest at the Boyle Singers session. The workshop and the singing session will both take place on THURSDAY, August, 2nd, in Dodds. Time to be arranged.

John McKenna Festival singing session

Jim Bainbridge and Jackie Boyce will be running a singing session as part of the John McKenna festival.
Drumkeeran, 9 June, 3- 5pm in Fordes Bar. All welcome.