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“In the spring of 2021, Laoise Kelly,
the renowned harper, representing Féile Chruite Acla, approached us
with an idea for a project. Many people are familiar with the wonderful
tunes of O’Carolan, but, until Laoise informed us, we were not aware that
most of those famous tunes had lyrics! That was how O’Carolan earned his
living, writing songs and tunes in praise of his benefactors. Laoise
presented us with two copies of “The Complete Carolan Songs and Airs” by
Caitríona Rowsome and asked if we would try out
the songs within. The idea was to pick two or three of them and sing them
online for the Achill Harp Festival which would be a virtual event that
year, due to Covid restrictions. We spent the next few months trawling
through the books and whittling down the songs until we ended up with nine
songs which feature on this album.
Trying
to get a handle on the songs was difficult at the start, as we couldn’t
meet up and so had to send recordings around via WhatsApp. Eventually,
restrictions were eased and we were able to meet again as Coda. Freda
Hatton, a wonderful harper living in Westport, came on board and we all got
cracking on the arrangements. Laoise also organised the legendary
Steve Cooney to come and meet with us on two occasions and help refine our
instrumental arrangements. What an experience! So, we practised all
summer long and when it came to doing the recording it was very difficult
to get a venue in Achill as “The Banshees of Inisherin”
was being filmed at the time! Finally, we got a venue, The Valley House,
which proved to be a lovely setting. We recorded the nine songs there, and
this live performance was broadcast online as part of Féile
Chruite Acla, in
October 2021. We had spent so much time and effort and received such good
feedback, that we decided to go ahead and make a CD of the concert. The CD
is called “O’ Carolan in Song”. Conall Ó Domhnaill, Coda
O’Carolan on YouTube
Freda Hatton
 Freda
Hatton is a multi-instrumentalist and holds a BA in Music and Irish
from UCC. She won the Senior All-Ireland
Harp Competitions at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and the O’Carolan
Harp Festival, Keadue, Co. Roscommon. She
composed and performed music with Branar Téatar
do Pháistí and has performed all over the world
at concerts, festivals and events. She was the selected harpist on the
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann tours of Britain and North America. She is a
regular session player around Westport and Galway.
O’Carolan in Song: song notes
1.
Lament For Eoin Roe O’Neill:
Eoin
Roe, a son of Art and the younger brother of Hugh O’Neill 2nd
Earl of Tyrone. He spent 40 years serving in the Irish regiment of the
Spanish Army having fled Ireland in the Flight of the Earls. He returned to
Ireland in 1642 and in 1646 he led a victory at the Battle of Benburb.
2.
John Drury (First Air) :
The air was composed in 1724 for the wedding of John Drury and Elizabeth
Goldsmith. It was notated by Edward Bunting from the playing of Charles
Byrne at the Belfast Harp Festival of 1792
3.
Bridget Cruise (Fourth Air):
Carolan’s
first love was Bridget, a neighbour of his youth
and whom he would have known while he still had sight, the more poignant as
his descriptions of her were mostly from memory.
4.
John O Connor:
John
O’Connor was killed at the battle of Aughrim in
1691.
5.
Ode to Whiskey:
This
song is a conversation between a carouser or toper(someone fond of
excessive drinking) and their whiskey. The first verse starts out with the
toper addressing the whiskey, the second verse is the whiskey’s reply, and
the remaining verses are where the toper continues his one-sided
conversation.
6. Sí
Bheag, Sí Mhór:
This is said to be the first song
that Carolan composed, at the home of a friend, Mr. Reynolds, near Letterfian, Co. Leitrim. A fellow harper and poet,
Reynolds encouraged Carolan to try his hand at composing lyrics for the
Legend of Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (the site of a great battle between the fairies).
It is believed that Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his
Fianna were defeated in battle between these two hills. Some believe Fionn
is buried under Sí Bheag and a hero of the
opposing side under Sí Mhór.
7. Hewlett:
It’s not known who Hewlett was but
presumably it was written for him.
8. Fanny
Power:
This air, also known as Mrs. Trench,
was composed for Fanny Power and Richard Trench on the occasion of their
wedding.
9. Lament
for Terence MacDonough:
Terence was a popular and
distinguished lawyer, soldier and poet of Carolan’s time. In the early days
of the Penal Laws he was the only Catholic lawyer allowed to practise at
the bar. When he died in 1713 many poets and musicians of the day wrote
tributes to him.
Turlough
Carolan was born in Nobber, in Co Meath, in 1670.
When he was 14 his family moved west to Connaught. He lost his sight at 18
to smallpox and took up the harp (t’was common in
those days for the blind to make a profession from harp playing). His
patron, Mrs. McDermot Roe, of Ballyfarnon, provided a horse and guide and
at the age of 21 he set off on a journey which has shaped the course of
Irish music. He travelled the length and breadth of the country and in 1720
he married, had six daughters and one son. In 1738, he returned to his dear
friends the Mc Dermott Roe family to die and on his deathbed composed his
last and most haunting melody, Carolan’s Farewell to Music. His wake lasted
4 days and more than 60 clergymen are said to have attended. He is buried
in the old church in Kilronan. To this day,
people visit his grave and place coins there as a mark of respect.
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