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Celtic Fringe: '32 Irish favourites'
By James McKeefry
Although we all have our favourite artists and love to listen to them, it is nice sometimes to put on a compilation album and hear a variety of other Irish artists’ styles, arrangements, choice of songs and vocal deliveries.
This week I am introducing you to an album from I&B Records which pays tribute to the most popular of dances in the Irish ballrooms — the old-time waltz — and to 16 songs recorded on the K-Tel label featuring Irish performers, some of whom have packed away the microphone but are still fresh in our memories, and other singers who still step on stage regularly to please their faithful fans and visiting exiles.
Various — A Feast of Irish Waltzes — I&B Records — IRBCD 2035
T his album is a must for lovers of the three/four rhythm and the old-time waltz. It has 16 tracks that are performed by six different artists, including some of the most popular tunes for you to dance along to — and you only have to purchase one album. You can’t complain about that!
Tyrone man Johnny Loughrey contributes four tracks to the album, starting with one of Johnny’s own compositions, I’m Going Back To Ireland Again.
He moves on to the evergreen Galway Bay, then stays on the west coast with the Green Hills Of Sligo and completing his contribution with the country classic Darlin’.
Seamus Moore — who actually came to the fore after winning the talent competition at the I&B Festival in Southport many moons ago with the JCB Song — stays on a par with Johnny, as he too has laid down four waltzes.
The Lightning Express exposes Seamus’ gravelly tones and relates the sad tale of a young man on his way home for a family bereavement relying on the goodwill of the hard-faced conductor for a free passage as he is without funds.
The other passengers hearing of this lad’s plight rally round and the journey is paid for.
A resident of London himself now, Seamus carries on with Living Here In London — highlighting the all-too-common theme of working in the city with sights set on returning home.
John Duggan’s The Old Threshing Mill and Ewan McColl’s cry for the freedom of the working man to explore the countryside in Manchester Rambler conclude Seamus’s choices for this album.
Nicholas McCarthy and Sam O’Doherty — also known as Mac & O — both sing original songs, with the Man From The Glen composed by Sam and To My Children I’m Irish written by Nicholas. Both draw on a similar theme of leaving Ireland to set up home elsewhere and realising years later that they now have families who are of Irish parentage, but have also had to adopt a new nationality.
Shawn Cuddy can always be relied upon to deliver a sound song and the old-time music hall favourite If Those lips Could Only Speak sits comfortably alongside the beautiful Slaney Valley reminding us of the talents of this young performer.
Donegal lass Margo invites the listener to travel back through time with the Tower Of Sweet Rathlee and Near The Village of Dromore, while Chris Ball — who wrote My Lovely Rose of Clare — compliments the county of Leitrim in Lovely Leitrim, before winding up the album with his self-penned Ireland Will Always Be Their Home.
If you’re not able to travel to the ballroom move back the furniture put on this album and you’ll have your own Ballroom of Romance.
Various — Sweet 16 Songs of Ireland — K-Tel — KCD 312
This collection actually does have 16 individual artists, and is very confidently led by Daniel O’Donnell singing Forty Shades of Green.
He is followed by The Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur with I’ll take You Home Again Kathleen.
Irish actor Joe Lynch obviously loves The Fields of Athenry and part-time Dubliner Jim McCann pays an abrasive tribute to Ireland’s capital city with Summer In Dublin.
Lee Lynch, Sandy Kelly, the Allies, Two’s Company, Glen Curtin, Margo and John Hogan serenade us with Famous Shamus, Carlingford, Cavan Girl, Isle of Innisfree, My Lovely Rose of Clare and Moonlight in Mayo.
There are also contributions from the Sean O’Neill Band with a medley of The Irish Rover, Brennan On The Moor, Wild Colonial Boy and Muirtin Duirtin, and from David Parkes, who offers a rendition of the Foster and Allen hit Bunch Of Thyme.
Des Smyth’s gives a powerful delivery of Gortnamona and Paddy and the Biddies’ tale of woe reminds us that if you want to chase the ladies and play the field then you had better be quick off the mark before the brothers and dad get a hold of you.
My favourite is Red Hurley’s Danny — A Peace Trilogy. This is a track to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up!
Two albums, 22 artists and 32 songs — quite a collection of talent and tunes for a relatively small outlay.
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