- Peter Davis - OXFAM campaigner - speaking about the benefits of New Internationalist's independence
- Troth Wells - one of the founders of the New Internationalist cooperative
- A.Gormley, Redcliffe, Qld
- John Pilger - journalist and film-maker
Irish Folk 2nd Edition
From classic jigs and reels to beautifully crafted songs
Deep-rooted and thriving, Irish folk is among the most vibrant musical traditions in Europe. Featuring a whirlwind of fiddles, flutes and accordions, this Rough Guide is jam-packed with an infectious blend of Irelands greatest twenty-first-century music.
Sharon Shannon (accordion) and Frankie Gavin (fiddle and flute) are two of Irelands most famous traditional musicians and on this album they perform with Michael McGoldrick and Kerry guitarist Jim Murray. The talented quartet teamed up for the album Tunes, from which the track here is taken. The foursome Patrick Street have been at the forefront of the Irish trad scene for almost twenty-five years and the song featured here, The Rich Irish Lady, was originally released by Peggy Seeger in the 1950s. One of the most innovative and provocative voices in Irish traditional and folk music, Karan Casey was a founder member of the influential band Solas and a key member of Paul Winters Grammy award-winning Celtic Solstice. The song here is from her 2008 solo album Ships In The Forest, which can be explored further on the bonus CD.
Seamie ODowd is a remarkable multi-instrumentalist and singer. He first made a name for himself with the band Dervish and the song here is taken from his only solo album, 2006s Headful Of Echoes. Both Éamon Doorley (fiddle, bouzouki, mandola) and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (vocals, flute, whistle) were members of the highly successful band Danú. On this album they link up with singer Julie Fowlis (2008 BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year) and her Scottish-compatriot guitarist Ross Martin on the beautiful Beauty Deas An Oileáin. Cara Dillons captivating vocals are featured on the love song, Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór, which is from her latest album Hill Of Thieves. In the 1990s she was part of the band Equation with Kate Rusby and the well-known Lakeman brothers.
Based in south Tipperary, Rattle The Boards isnt so much a gigging band as an occasional venture into mutual musical pleasure with mates. Accordionist Benny McCarthy (of Danú) is central to the venture and the song here, taken from the 2008 album The Parish Platform is a well-known comedic ditty. Voted Young Musician of the Year by the Irish-language TV channel TG4 in 2008, Martin Tourish plays the piano accordion and the track here comes from his debut album, Clan Rannald, recorded in 2005 with the Co. Cavan-born bouzouki player Luke Ward. Seán Tyrrell is one of Irelands finest song interpreters and The Rising Of The Moon, a Republican ballad oft associated with The Clancy Brothers, is given new life here thanks to his vibrant baritone and Davy Spillanes atmospheric whistle.
Bonus source CD by Karan Casey, one of the most innovative and provocative voices in Irish traditional and folk music. Her career has spanned over twenty years, from the early days as a jazz performer in Dublin to her heady days in New York with the band Solas to her now blossoming solo career. She has toured widely across North America and Europe and has been nominated for the BBC Folk Awards, the Danish Grammys and was a key member of Paul Winters Grammy-award-winning Celtic Solstice. Produced by Donald Shaw, Ships In The Forest is her 2008 fifth solo album and focuses largely on the traditional repertoire.
Track Listing:
1 Seamie O'Dowd: Crooked Jack
2 Róisín Elsafty: Pota Mór Fataí
3 Arty McGlynn, Chris Newman, Nollaig Casey & Máire Ní Chathasaigh: The Yellow Barber/Gold Rush
4 Patrick Street: The Rich Irish Lady
5 Martin Tourish & Luke Ward: Tripin’
6 Karan Casey: Town Of Athlone
7 Robbie O’Connell: The Flower Of Kilkenny
8 Four Men And A Dog: Dan Murphy’s/Tom Barrett’s/Tarmon’s Cross/Upperchurch Polka
9 Éamon Doorley, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Julie Fowlis & Ross Martin: Beauty Deas An Oileáin
10 Con Ó Drisceoil: The Spoons Murder
11 Cara Dillon: Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór
12 Catherine McEvoy & Steve Cooney: Elizabeth Kelly's Favourite/Follow Me Down To Limerick (Slip Jigs)
13 Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne: The Men That God Made Mad/L'Entrada De L'Angustura
14 Brendan Mulholland, Brendan Hendry & Paul McSherry: High Road To Linton/The Humours Of Newcastle
15 Rattle The Boards: St Patrick Was A Gentleman
16 Sharon Shannon, Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick & Jim Murray: The Lochaber Badger/The Road to Corrandulla
17 Seán Tyrrell: The Rising Of The Moon
Catalogue number (Cat#): RGNET1226CD
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