Ireland

The name Ireland derives from a root meaning "fat, prosperous." Irish Music is music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland. The best selling and standout Irish acts include U2, Enya, Van Morrison, The Cranberries, Westlife, and Boyzone. And then there is Thin Lizzy

BTW, image courtesy of minniemouseaunt who writes that this is Ballycarberry Castle, in the Ring of Kerry, Ireland, and that "We saw much evidence of stone castles but this one appealed to me because it was situated along a small river, sat atop a small knoll and the design was most pleasing."

The majority of KBOO's new Irish music in the Ireland section is traditional.

These are all artists that are new to us - as far as I know, we don't have any other music from them.

Caitlín & Ciarán : Caitlín & Ciarán [label? 2015]

style: traditional Irish
what they call themselves: fast & furious Irish Fiddle, Concertina and Dance music
local: no
vocals: none
information with CD: no booklet, just an insert with information about the tunes in Irish and English
instrumentation: primarily concertina, fiddle and stepdancing
other musicians:
Sean Óg Graham - Guitar
Caoimhín Ó Fearghaíl - Bouzouki
Jack Talty - Keyboards
from: Gaeltacht, Western Ireland
cut played: 03 Midnight in Virginia / The Mountain Road
esoteric terms you can use in describing this artist: céilí music, isometric, hard shoe 
more information: caitlin.ie/
caitlinciaran.bandcamp.com/

Caitlín & Ciarán are Caitlín Nic Gabhann and Ciarán Ó Maonaigh.

Caitlin Nic Gabhann plays concertina (button box) and hard shoe stepdances (used for rhythm in absence of drums or other percussion). Caitlin is three time All-Ireland champion on concertina, and has toured the world with Riverdance as a step dancer. The latter is unfortunate.

Ciaran O'Maonaigh plays fiddle in the Donegal style. Ciaran is from the reknown Donegal fiddlers, the Ó Maonaigh family, and a member of Na Mooneys. His grandfather, Proinsias Ó Maonaigh (Francie Mooney), is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish music and culture. His aunt, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh founded Altan and is a member of T with the Maggies and Na Mooneys.

Both are from Gaeltacht (areas where Irish is the predominant language). This collection of strathspeys, reels, jigs, airs, marches, polkas and waltzes is fresh, mostly lively, and entirely instrumental. Tunes range from 2:37 to 5:11. Album notes are in both Irish and English.

Calan : Dinas [Sain 2015]

style: Welsh neo-traditional
what they call themselves: untraditionally traditional Cymru Gwerin (gwerin = folk music)
local: no
vocals: primarily female
information with CD: Not a lot. Like almost none.
languages: Cymraeg (Welsh) and English
instrumentation: accordion, guitar, pipe, harp, pibgorn and violin 
from: Wales
cut played: 02 Adar Mân y Mynydd
"fun" fact: detained and deported at/from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport alongside an Estonian death metal band in 2015 because of a computer glitch.
esoteric terms you can use in describing this artist: macaronic, Canu Gwerin
more information: calan-band.com
greatlakesfolkfest.net/2016/music-dance/festival-performers/calan/
atwoodmagazine.com/apparition-calan-premiere/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calan_(band)
woodenshipproductions.com/calan/

Neotradional celtic music sung in Cymraeg (Welsh) and English. Primarily vocals from Bethan Rhannon Williams-Jones. About a third of the album are tunes. Very upbeat.

Mairead Carlin : Songbook [BFD 2016]

style: Vocal Pop
local: no
vocals: female
information with CD: a booklet with all the words, and all the soft-focus photos of the singer looking moody and windblown. There is no information about song durations.
languages: English
from: Derry, Northern Ireland
cut played: 05 Wild Mountain Thyme
more information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Máiréad_Carlin

Celtic Woman are "known for spellbinding performances that combine the sound and sensibility of traditional Irish music with contemporary pop standards." This would describe Carlin as well - except without the traditional Irish music sensibility. She took her first voice lesson at age 4. It's an album of covers. Soft-focus windblown hair. My work here is done.

Doolin' : Doolin' [Compass 2016]

style: Irish neo-traditional, sorta
what they call themselves: French Touch Irish Music ; one of the most innovative bands of the Irish music scene
local: no
vocals: male (with one female rap cut)
information with CD: booklet with lyrics and photos of moody band members, but no song durations.
language: English
instrumentation: guitar, accordion, fiddle, tin and low whistles, bodhrán, bass
Other musicians:
Jerry Douglas - Dobro
John Doyle - Guitar, Bouzouki
Alison Brown - Banjo
Kenny Malone - Percussion
Taron Benson - rap
from: Toulouse, France
cut played: 13 Famine (featuring Taron Benson)
more information: www.doolin.fr/english/
store.compassrecords.com/products/doolin

French musicians with Irish and Jazz problems take originals, chansons françaises and covers from Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, and Sinead O'Connor, and make them sound new-fangled Irish. Taron Benson of Anakronic raps Famine.

David Ingerson : My Lovely Mountain Home: Traditional Irish Songs in the Old Style [David Ingerson, 2016]

style: sean-nós (old-style Irish traditional)
local: yes!
vocals: male
information with CD: booklet with lyrics and context for all songs
languages: English, Irish
instrumentation: none
from: Portland, OR
cut played: 08 Cath Chéim an Fhia
esoteric terms you can use in describing this artist: sean-nós, rabhcáins [songs]
more information: David Ingerson — Pacific NW Folklore Society Coffeehouse Concert
soundcloud

David Ingerson (the Portlander, not the Christian author of The Caleb Years) is very involved with Portland's and the NW's Irish & folk music communities. He "has been singing old-style Irish songs for almost 40 years and is deeply invested in collecting, researching, and performing them authentically. He has visited Ireland twelve times, for more than a month each time, and has attended dozens of traditional singing and music festivals as well as hundreds of singing sessions there." He also teaches traditional Irish singing. He performs these songs traditionally - unaccompanied. The majority of the songs on this album are in English (in most Gaeltacht communities, sean-nós implies that it is sung in Gaeilge). The generous booklet includes words and context to all 15 songs. Song lengths are from just under 2 minutes to just under 6 minutes.

Peadar MacMahon : The Legacy of Percy French [CD Baby 2015]

style: Irish traditional pop
what he calls himself: His strength lies in his unique interpretation of historic songs
what he calls this album: Old Time Irish Folk music, an homage to Ireland's greatest songwriter Percy French (1854-1920). The songs evoke times gone by.The music is charming and timeless, masterfully presented.
local: regional
vocals: male
information with CD: booklet with lyrics
language: English
instrumentation: simple - guitar, banjo, mandolin, upright bass, autoharp
other musicians:
Bruce Shaw - banjo and mandolin
Aaron Harmonson - upright Bass
Richard Scholtz - autoharp
from: Bellingham via Limerick, Eire
cut played: 02 Gortnamona
more information:peadarmacmahon.com
whatsup-magazine.com/2016/01/peadar-macmahon-and-the-legacy-of-percy-french
soundcloud

Native of Limerick, now living in Bellingham. The album's theme is the songs and poems of Percy French, known as Ireland's greatest songwriter. “Percy French was Ireland’s most famous songwriter and quite the renaissance man. He wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Portlandia. I was drawn to his music because his songs are more like stories with multiple characters. He really tells the story, rather than performing a song.” The songs are all in English, their lyrics in the booklet and simply accompanied.

Na Rósaí : Na Rósaí [Na Rósaí 2014]

style: pan-Celtic acoustic folk
they call themselves: Irish folk group whose musical repertoire includes dance music and songs from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Appalachia.
local: yes!
vocals: male
information with CD: not really
language: English
instrumentation: Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, Bouzouki, Tenor Guitar, Flute, Fiddle
from: Portland
cut played: 05 Three Fishers
more information: narosai.com
statesmanjournal.com/story/entertainment/2015/10/10/irish-concert-features-na-rsa-celtic-culture-oct-17
soundcloud

Na Rósaí (pronounced n rosie) is Irish Gaelic for "The Roses." The album is mostly tunes, with three songs.

Runa : Live [Runa Music 2016]

style: neo-traditional Irish
they call themselves: Celtic Roots
local: no
vocals: mostly female
information with CD: not really
languages: English, Irish 
instrumentation: guitar,  mandolin, bodhrán, fiddle
from: Philadelphia, Nashville, Ireland
cuts played: 04 Fionnghuala (Live)
05 Mae Colven (Live)
more information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runa_(band)
runamusic.com

A fiesty, lively collection of songs and tunes. I was especially taken in by the cover of traditional song made famous by the Bothy Band - Fionnghuala, a puirt à beul or mouthmusic piece sung in Gàidhlig (scots gaelic). Mouthmusic is "constructed around the sounds of the words rather than their meanings". The group's energy is infectious and not at all cloying.