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Monthly Archives: August 2018

CD Review: Not Before Time. Paráic Mac Donnchadha.

Posted on August 12, 2018 by singersong

I normally don’t do CD reviews of Irish music. Firstly I am friends with many of the musicians involved so it is an area that is fraught and secondly the vast majority are brilliant expressions of the variety and many nuances and interpretations of Irish music today so reviewing them is pretty pointless.

I do make exceptions though. The recent release by Páraic Mac Donnchadha Not Before Time, is one of these. First I have to declare some conflicts of interest. Páraic is a friend and has been very supportive and welcoming to me on my own musical journey and I am grateful to him for that, and secondly he has used one of my photographs on the CD. But having said that I love this album. I was lucky enough to be at the first launch concert at the Feakle Festival and got my copy there. More on that concert later.

Páraic’s playing of the banjo is a revelation the first time you hear it, and a wonderful advertisement for the much maligned instrument. The first thing that strikes you is his gentle tonality and the unadorned clarity of his music along with his steady pace where the musicality takes precedence. There is always a wonderful rhythm and pulse that is hypnotically engaging. Primarily a session player he surrounds himself with players with a similar musicality. A lover of small sessions where each musical layer can be clearly heard and contributes to the whole and where he explores unusual keys and instrumental pairings. I have had many memorable experiences listening to Páraic. Who could forget a session with Cormac Begley in A-flat at Ballyferriter, Co Kerry, in 2015 I think, that lasted 11¾ hours? Or in Friels in Miltown Malbay, during Willie Week. There is a generosity in his playing that comes out when he is sharing with like-minded players.

If that feeling was what Páraic was trying to capture in this album then he has been wildly successful. Much of it is recorded in Pepper’s Bar at Feakle and I was lucky enough to be there for one of those recording sessions. For this album Páraic has involved many of his most recent sparring partners. And that’s when his playing shines. Whether it is the sublime fluidity of Claire Egan’s fiddle or viola or the insistent rhythmic pulse of Cormac’s bass concertina or the wonderful ensemble playing of Graham Gueren, Colm Murphy, Noel O’Grady and Libby McCroghan, Páraic’s banjo is there at the heart of it. Crisp, clean and simple. No distractions. It’s all about the tune. He also plays to great effect with his brother Mac Dara and sister Sinéad and in a tribute to his roots, honours his father Séan by revisiting one of his songs. But there are a few tracks where he is on his own, and this is where his mastery comes to the fore. He plays with just the subtle and supportive bouzouki of talented young Waterford player and instrument maker, Macdara Ó Faoláin or the gentle guitar of Terence O’Reilly.

The tune selection is fantastic. Really, really good. Many are familiar, some not, but they always come up fresh with Páraic’s playing approach or with his local versions or the unusual key selections. Sometimes it ensnares you and you just don’t want the track to end.

The CD itself is brilliantly presented with a comprehensive and informative book integrated into the cover. Paraic’s musings on his musical journey and influences reveal a man who writes as well as he plays. And I found the thoughtful and well researched tune notes by Graham Guerin added considerably to my listening enjoyment.

The concert to launch the album was held in the marquee at the back of Pepper’s Pub during the Feakle Festival. Gracing the stage were (almost) all the musicians who played on the album. With the wonderful bonus of a guest spot from Martin Hayes who spoke eloquently of Paraic’s music and its East Galway roots and the connection with East Clare. Having all this amazing music served up to us in a venue packed with appreciative fellow musicians, had me salivating!

So on the drive from the concert to my home at Quilty, a drive of well over an hour, I listened to the album. Such a generous slab of music reflects the man. Eighteen tracks took me to my front door!. And I listened again the next morning . This time on a good sound system. Just beautiful. And it hasn’t come off the player since.

How could I fail to love this music. It has truly captured the spirit that Páraic engenders when he shares his music making with his fellow musicians. Now he has shared it with us. We can all sit in.

Not before Time.

Macdara Ó Faoláin, Paráic, Claire Egan and Terence O’Reilly

Paráic Mac Donnchadha

Macdara Ó Faoláin and Paráic,

Macdara Ó Faoláin

Terence O’Reilly

Macdara Ó Faoláin, Paráic, Mac Dara Mac Donncha and Terence O’Reilly

Paráic Mac Donnchadha, Mac Dara Mac Donncha

Paráic and Claire Egan

Claire Egan

Martin Hayes launches the CD

Paráic and Martin Hayes

Martin Hayes

Noel O’Grady, Paráic, Graham Guerin and Colm Murphy

Colm Murphy

Noel O’Grady

Graham Guerin

Martin Hayes and Cormac Begley

Paráic and Cormac Begley

Cormac Begley

Libby McCroghan

Sinéad Nic Dhonncha

An appreciative audience.

Categories: Festivals, Stories, Trad Irish Music | Tags: banjo, CD, CD launch, CD Reveiw, Claire Egan, Cormac Begley, Feakle, Feakle Festival, Ireland, Irish music, Mac Donnchadha, Martin Hayes, music, Not Before Time, Paraic, people, photography, traditional music | Leave a comment

Sampson Island at Loop Head, Co Clare; You’ve probably never heard of it.

Posted on August 3, 2018 by singersong

Loop Head is only an hour away from my house near Quilty. It is one of my favourite places to take visitors no matter what the weather. So serene and dramatic when it is calm; wild and scary in the wind and rain. If you have been following this blog you will have seen my earlier posts and photographs. Spectacular cliffs displaying contorted folded sediments, rock arches and caves, a lighthouse, dolphins and in the distance the mountains of Kerry.

Contorted rocks in the cliffs north of Loop Head

There is a rocky island at the end of the headland which looks like it was sliced off with a giant knife. It is mad with breeding sea birds through the summer. The picture below was taken in May and shows just a few early arrivals, taking up prime spots. A deep and treacherous chasm separates it from mainland Clare. As you would imagine, much mystery and legend surrounds this place.

The island is popularly known by some as Diarmuid and Grainne’s Rock, one of many places in island that reference the famous Irish legend of the love triangle between Fionn Mac Cumhail, his warrior friend Diarmuid and a girl named Gráinne.

The gap to the island is also known as Cú Chulainn’s Leap. And that’s another interesting story in its own right. Here is the short version.

Cú Chulainn was an ancient Gaelic hero warrior gifted with superhuman strength, speed and skill. He was leader of The Red Branch Knights, who in ancient times would be fighting battles, protecting the folk of Ulster from invaders. He would, however, often go travelling. On one of those trips, he met a ‘cailleach’, translated variously as a wise woman or a ‘hag’. Her name was Mal. She fancied him and as she had magic powers with which she could ensnare anyone she touched, he took flight.

She chased him all over Ireland eventually following him to this remote promontory in west Clare. He leaped across the channel to the island but she was fairly athletic as well and was able to follow. Still desperate to avoid her he hopped back to the mainland. She continued to give chase but she didn’t quite make it slipping on the edge and and ending up in the ocean below. Three days later her head washed up at what became known as Hag’s Head and nine days later her remains came ashore at Quilty. The bay here took the name Mal Bay (hence Miltown Malbay) and the site of the jump became Leap Head or later Loop Head.

All fascinating but I digress.

At the end of April with Spring desperately trying to make an appearance I paid yet another visit. Isn’t it amazing that you can walk past a spot a dozen times and just not realise the significance of what you are seeing? Well this day I noticed on the cliff edge two metal spikes fixed into the rock and a neat wall and some stone construction above them, including a large stone lined hole. It all was heavily disguised by the soft spongy grass and the newly budding sea thrift.

Two Iron spikes fixed into the cliff and a stone wall and hole above.

Looking from the north to the south

I was intrigued. My first guess was that it was evidence of a former bridge. Perhaps a rope bridge like Carrick-a-Rede, I thought. But why? And in any case, hard as I looked I could see no works on the other side of the island which I would have expected. It remained a mystery but unsatisfied I resorted to Google later that evening.

It didn’t take long to find this truly amazing photo in the archives of the National Library of Ireland.

Viewing Platform Sampson Island. c1905

What I was seeing was in fact the remains of the foundation of this viewing platform. The photo is dated at c1905. and reveals a lot. You can see a sign on the Island that says ‘Sampson Island’ and proffers a date in the 1830s suggesting a landing then.

Detail of above photo showing sign and shelter.

Did Sampson stake a claim to the island? There is also evidence of a small shelter. Further the people on the lookout are identified by researchers as members of the Sampson family. But really it is all speculation. Why build this elaborate and hair-raising construction and how did they actually get across to put up the sign? Why even bother naming it?

Then I saw another image. God knows how the photographer got this angle

Crossing to Sampson Island?

That is one very brave woman in that sling. I am not exactly sure what is going on but it is possible that this was how they got across. There’s quite a crowd waiting to try. Perhaps Mal would have been better off to wait for the Sampsons to build this before attempting the crossing.

With Ireland’s long and convoluted history it is common to come across these hidden stories for which only scant evidence remains. Sometimes though you have to look very hard. Next time you visit Loop Head have a look for it. It’s close to the edge though so take care lest you end up like poor old Mal.