Debut CD/Mo chéad DD

"Ar Mhuin na Muice"      HABRCD001 (own label)

My debut cd was released in the City Hall, Graz, Austria, on May 7th, and in Ireland on May 13th at John Spillane's concert during An tOireachtas the national singing festival.

"Ar Mhuin na Muice", the title of the cd, refers to being overjoyed at having found such a great team of musicians to finally record a cd with.

I have known Bríd since she was just a little girl fronting the talented and charming "Ceoltóirí Ghoill". Her solid grounding in both the language and tradition gives her the power of both playfulness and passion. Her voice impatient for fun and breathless with sweet huskiness is a welcome sound after all the years.    (Tommy Sands)


Order cd here!

Meet the Musicians! Click here to read more about my guest musicians.

CD Grand Tally

Tracks:
1. Bideach na gCarad
2. The Fuschia
3. Bheadh Buachaillin deas ag Sile
4. Ailiú Éanaí
5. An tSeánbhean Bhocht
6. Green Grows the Laurel
7. A Stór a Stór a ghrá
8. Cá raibh tú ar feadh an Lae uaim?
9. 'Nion a Bhaoillaigh
10. Brid Óg Ni Mhaille
11. Máire Bhruinneal
12. Caldé sin don tsé sin?
13. An Trocaillin Donn
die sonne - manfred url
Manfred Url's "Die Sonne".
Run the mouse over the painting to see it in UV light.

    Lyrics, Notes and Sources

It's taking longer than I expected to update my website. My intention is to include on this page the lyrics of the 13 songs on my cd with the translation into English of the 11 Irish songs. (Translations by myself and my mother Caitlín). Some of my comments in the Irish language in the booklet were not translated into English for reasons of space - I plan to include translations of those here too. Also I plan to include all the sources of the information in my cd notes, as well as some extra verses or versions of the songs which I have collected along the way. And it's not just a plan - I'm working on it!

    The story so far

I always wanted to record a cd and I knew I would when the time was right. After quite a bit of hop-scotching around, with stints in Boston, Quebec and Germany in between, I finally found myself in Graz, Austria. After finding myself, it was time to find the right musical partner. Anyway, it all happened, or started to happen, when I was playing with the composer Antonio Breschi, in Aarau, Switzerland in 1999. Antonio introduced me to a brilliant piper from Derry, Joe McHugh, who now lives in Zurich, and this lead to a nice series of concerts with Joe and myself accompanying Antonio. Somewhere along the line Joe lent me his bouzouki, and then the time came when he needed it back.

In September 2000 I was playing again with Antonio in Lugano, Switzerland, and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to drop by and give Joe back his bouzouki. Before I turned up, Joe told me that this singer was staying with him while in Zurich to do some concerts with their band, Airla, and that he was sure we'd get on great. Well, I met Alan Burke, we started drinking the red wine and singing the songs, and sure by the next morning the cd was well on the way. Noice one for that Joe!

Recording started in early 2002, and in the first few sessions I recorded 11 of the total 13 songs. The recording was a long process, as I released the cd on my own label and at my own expense, and also as I had other exciting priorities. Well now more than two years later, the cd is finally ready and I must say I'm very proud of us all. Maith muid. Tá mé "Ar Mhuin na Muice" anois go cinnte! (I'm "On the Pig's Back" now for sure!)