April 27-29 - Sessions and singing this weekend
There is loads of music around the place this weekend. Jim Bainbridge, a welcome visitor to singing sessions around the country, is organizing a singing and music session in Drumkeeran tonight, Friday 27 April. The Leitrim fleadh is taking place in Drumshanbo this weekend too. So no excuse!
17 March 2012
There was a crowd of revellers already in Dodd's when the main group of the singers arrived on St. Patrick's Day. It had been a good day all over Boyle and the parents and children were still enjoying it.
We thought we mightn't get singing at all but the musicians who were already there when we came in were having a good session and we joined in.
Later than usual, when the crowds cleared a bit, we started and had a good lot of singing after all. Eugene had a second bash at the Son in Americay to start the singing and he could be heard this time. There were a couple of new faces who gave us Caledonia and MacAlpines Fusilliers. Spencer the Rover and the Two Sisters were side-by-side.
Other news:
Phil Callery, who was our guest during Boyle Arts Festival is launching a new album in Dublin on the 22 March. The Voice Squad, of which he makes up one third, are back on the circuit so watch out for both the solo Phil and the trio Voice Squad, at a venue near you this year!
We thought we mightn't get singing at all but the musicians who were already there when we came in were having a good session and we joined in.
Later than usual, when the crowds cleared a bit, we started and had a good lot of singing after all. Eugene had a second bash at the Son in Americay to start the singing and he could be heard this time. There were a couple of new faces who gave us Caledonia and MacAlpines Fusilliers. Spencer the Rover and the Two Sisters were side-by-side.
Other news:
Phil Callery, who was our guest during Boyle Arts Festival is launching a new album in Dublin on the 22 March. The Voice Squad, of which he makes up one third, are back on the circuit so watch out for both the solo Phil and the trio Voice Squad, at a venue near you this year!
February session in Dodd's
Looking forward to the Spring in Dodd's, Next singing session: 18th February 2012.
Take a break from sowing seeds, chitting spuds and think of singing more songs, new and old, this year.
Take a break from sowing seeds, chitting spuds and think of singing more songs, new and old, this year.
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
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
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.
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
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 wrecked 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.
‘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 wrecked 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)