Category Archives: L’Irlande

Des informations et culture de toute l’île mais surtout de la République d’Irlande

Poésie & Musique

Quelques Airs Irlandais

EASTER SNOW
Source: Stanford/Petrie – Complete Collection, No. 1123 (1905)

The air : Easter Snow may have been composed by blind piper, Jimmy Fallon from Dysart in south Roscommon around the end of the 1800s. Caoimhin Mac Aoidh explains the title is an English version of the Gaelic place-name Diseart Nuadhain (St.Nuadhan’s hermitage or church). Although it should be said that the term is also used for the Hawthorn blossom that whitens the hedges in late spring.

The lyrics : “Eastersnowe” here is of unknown origin and age but was a favourite of the late Florry Brennan of Lanesboro, who got it from Seamus Ennis, who collected the tune from the Donegal traveller fiddlers, the Gallaghers.

Eastersnowe
In the twilight of the morning as I roved out upon the dew,
With my morning cloak around me intending all of my flocks to view.
‘Twas there I spied a fair one and oh, she was a beauty bright,
And I took her for Diana or the evening star that rules the night.



Mareka Naito 内藤希花 (fiddle)
Junji Shirota 城田純二 (guitar)

The Mountains of Pomeroy

Dr George Sigerson (1836-1925), a physician, scientist, writer and poet from Co Tyrone, wrote words to the tune, and they were published in 1869 in The Harp of Erin: A Book of Ballad-Poetry and of Native Song (p.229). The poem cites “The Mountains of Pomeroy” as the melody, so it is reasonable to assume that the tune existed under that name before Sigerson wrote words to it.


The morn was breaking bright and fair
The lark sang in the sky
When the maid, she bound her golden hair
With a blithe glance in her eye
For, who beyond the gay green-wood
Was a-waiting her with joy
Oh, who but her gallant Renardine
On the mountains of Pomeroy –>>

Harp: Mareka Naito
guitar: Junji Shirota

CHORUS
An outlawed man in a land forlorn
He scorned to turn and fly
But kept the cause of freedom safe
Up on the mountains high . . .

Kitty O’Neil’s

Kitty O’Neil (1855 – April 16, 1893) was one of the most celebrated American variety theatre dancers of the late 19th century. From around 1863 until 1892, she performed in New York City, Boston and elsewhere in the United States, and at her death was acclaimed by The New York Times as “the best female jig dancer in the world.” Kitty’s name is remembered today chiefly because of “Kitty O’Neil’s Champion,” a “sand jig” named in her honor that was first published in 1882 and revived starting in the 1970s by fiddler Tommy Peoples and other Irish traditional musicians. Here played as a barn dance, it is named “Kitty O’Shea’s” – should be “Kitty O’Neil’s”

Edel Fox, concertina — Niall Byrne, fiddle.


fiddle: Mareka Naito —  guitar: Junji Shirota

Little Bird

Tim Edey …  playing  “Little Bird” – a tune, which he wrote for Irish Traditional accordeon player, Sharon Shannon.   Forefront productions produced this series in 2009 for RTE television in Ireland.  Tim Edey originally from Kent  is filmed live in Dingle, Co Kerry.


Little Bird · Sharon Shannon · Alan Connor In Galway
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Music Publisher: Sharon Shannon/New Recordings