karan casey

Flower of Finae

/ David Wood / Leave a comment

Karan Casey and John Doyle are featured here in a fantastic version of Flower of Finae. It’s one of the “big songs” in the traditional singing canon and in an upcoming Singer Q & As with Karan and John, they talk about working on the big songs.

Flower of Finae

Bright red is the sun o’er the waves of Lough Sheelin
A cool gentle breeze o’er the mountains is stealing
But fair round the islets the small ripples play
But fairer than all is the flower of Finae

Her hair is like night and her eyes like grey morning
She trips o’er the heather as if its touch scorning
But her heart and her lips are as mild as May Day
Young Eily McMahon is the flower of Finae

Who down the hillside like wild deer runs fleeter?
And who on the lakeside is hastening to greet her?
Who but Fergus O’Farrell, that fiery young gay
The darling and pride of the flower of Finae

One kiss and one clasp and one wild look of gladness
But why does it change all of a sudden to sadness?
He has told his sad fortune; he can no longer stay
He must leave his poor Eily all alone in Finae

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The Bay of Biscay

/ David Wood / Leave a comment

Sean Cannon sings the gentle ghost song, The Bay of Biscay. There is also a delightful version on Karan Casey and John Doyle’s album Exiles Return.

The Bay of Biscay

“My William sails on board the tender
And where he is I do not know.
For seven long years I’ve been constantly waiting
Since he crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.”

One night as Mary lay a-sleeping,
A knock came to her bedroom door,
Saying, “Arise, arise, my dearest Mary,
For to gain one glance of your William-o.”

Young Mary rose, put on her clothing,
Unto her bedroom door did go
And there she spied her William standing,
His two pale cheeks as white as snow.

“Oh Willy dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes I knew long years ago?”
“Oh Mary dear, the cold clay has them
I am only the ghost of your William-o.”

“Oh Mary dear, the dawn is breaking.
The time has come for me to go
I am leaving you quite broken-hearted
For to cross the Bay of Biscay-o.”

“If I had all the gold and silver
And all the money in Mexico,
I would grant it all to the King of Erin
To bring me back my William-o.”

Blockbuster Concert At 2013 Temple Bar TradFest

/ David Wood / Leave a comment

Check out this awesome concert on January 22, 2013 as part of the Dublin’s Temple Bar TradFest! Can someone hook a man up with free tickets, flight, and accommodations?

A Stór Mo Chroí- A Musical Gathering

This collective of Singers and Musicians is made up of members of the most progressive and influential traditional groups of the past fifteen years. Combined they represent, Solas, Lunasa, Danu, At First Light,Lumiere, Nomos, Tamalin, Béal Tuinne and The Sharon Shannon Band.

They have performed all over the world and taken part in the award winning series ‘The Transatlantic Sessions’. They have come together to perform a shared repertoire that celebrates their love of storytelling. Through a collection of beautiful love songs, which cover the range from heartfelt loss to unbridled joy, these performers illustrate their importance in the tradition. Each voice and accompaniment captures the essence of the song.

To have a supergroup of both musicians and vocalists performing together will prove a rare treat for fans of both Traditional and Folk music.