This post is simply a list of short films in the Irish language on YouTube with English subtitles. They vary in quality and style. However, they have multiple uses. They are uniquely entertaining. They mostly show the most common dialogue words used in Irish. They can help Irish language students learn conversational Irish. If you can read English, you don't have to speak Irish to understand the dialogue. Or even Chinese or French, but you'll see what I mean.
Fíorghael (Irish Language Short)
Féileacán (Irish language short)
Fluent dysphasia - Classic irish language short film
Fluent dysphasia -(part 2)Classic irish language short film
yu ming is ainm dom. full version
Ní Féidir! (Short Irish-language Film with English subtitles) 2011
Identity Crisis (Irish short film with English subtitles) 2001
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An Interview On a Documentary on the Irish Catskills
For an expanded discussion by Reverend Harold Good of reconciliation in Ireland: Click here.
Showing posts with label Catskill Irish Arts Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catskill Irish Arts Week. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Kieran Jordan Interview at Catskill Irish Arts Week 2011
Kieran Jordan is an Irish dance performer, choreographer, and instructor in the Boston area. One of her specialties is Irish sean nós step dance, which is improvised, percussive, old-style Irish dance. She taught both mornings and afternoons in July 2011 at the Catskill Irish Arts Week in East Durham where she gave us the following interview.
Question: How long have you been doing Irish dance?
Kieran Jordan: I started Irish dancing when I was five years old and have been continuing it for the 31 years since. I love Irish dance and it is my full time work. I wasn't sure I could have a career in Irish dance because when I was thinking about careers, there weren't many people making it their career. This was before Riverdance became popular. There didn't seem to be a future beyond teaching and running a dancing school, and I never pictured myself doing that. I was performing a lot in my twenties, and one thing led to the next. My career is a balance of teaching, performing, and recordings.
It's great to make a living doing what I love and I like being my own boss, although it is challenging. It is not always easy. But hey, this is Catskill Irish Arts week, so I'm not going to worry about it here. I'm just going to have fun! I look forward to this all year.
Question: Do you teach masses of people at once? Do you teach both new and experienced students?
Kieran Jordan: It fluctuates. I do have some faithful groups of people who have danced with me for years, and I also have new people all the time. Right now I think the interest is low. It might be the recession, but also these things go in trends, waves.
Question: So we are not in a time period like when Riverdance first burst into popularity?
Kieran Jordan: Right now I think the general interest in Irish dance has plateaued. There isn't a huge resurgence right now. Still certainly there are always people who find inspiration in the music and the dance, who get “bit” by this bug!
Question: When you were five years old you learned traditional step dance. How did you make the conversion to sean nós?
Kieran Jordan: In high school I did a little bit of tap dance and then I became very interested in Cape Breton step dance from Nova Scotia in Canada. I just love that music and the steps are so playful and energetic in a way that allows for improvisation between the dancer and the musicians. Things are not as quite mapped out in sean-nós as in traditional Irish step dance. So I started to gravitate toward Cape Breton dance. Then I saw Irish sean nós dancing. I saw Seosamh O Neachtain on a television piece. I watched Donnacha O’Muineachain and Mick Mulkerrin perform at Gaelic Roots at Boston College. And Joe O'Donovan was a great dance master who I was fortunate enough to study with in Cork, at UCC.
In the early 90s it seemed like the interest in sean nós was starting to grow. Maybe there were more opportunities, or maybe it was becoming more visible. So I loved sean nós and I pretty much abandoned competitive Irish step dance. I gravitated toward all these styles like Cape Briton and sean nós, which are about improvising and interacting with the music. I was working with a lot of live music in Boston because there is such a great music scene there. I had a lot of opportunities for collaboration, picking things apart with musicians. I found these dance styles more suitable to my personality. They allowed me to really express myself in my performances and choreography.
Question: Was the dancing in the Titantic movie anything of interest to you?
Kieran Jordan: My memory is somewhat vague but I recall that scene being at the party within the boat among the working class people. Of course it was choreographed for the film, but they choreographed it in a way to make the dance look like a spontaneous party scene. That spontaneity is what sean nós dancing is about. That's what you'll see in the Catskills here. In the sessions at night, myself and other dancers will get up and dance. It's about feeling the moment. Feeling the energy. When someone is dancing and its really synching up well, I think everyone loves that marriage of rhythm and melody. It's great!
So yah, I like that scene in Titanic!
Question: Last year at the dance pavilion there was an exposition of dance. A big crowd came over to see that. Is that what dance does often?
Kieran Jordan:
People love Irish dancing and I think if you look at the ratio in a week like this, there may be 300 fiddle players and maybe 30 step dancers and sean nós dancers. We stand out! There are not as many of us.
Dancing is a very out-front kind of thing. We're not sitting behind an instrument. It's your own body making the performance. So for a dancer, the spot light is on you, and you are very visible. Most dancers love that to some degree, even a shy one like me!
Sean nós dance is movement and sound at the same time. Percussive dance is not just about moving your body, but it's about making percussion that contributes as a musical component.
So there is a stage presence – your physical appearance and presence, and then your ability to make music with your feet. It's coordination, skill, and technique, matched with an in internal sense of rhythm, groove, and listening skills.
Question: You said sean nós dance is very applicable to a lot of ages. Why is that and how does that work?
Kieran Jordan: I think there is a very strong connection between sean nós step dancing and set dancing – the group sets. If you look at set dancing, there are moments within it where there is percussive dancing and there are somewhat improvised moments as well. One of my major influences, Aiden Vaughn, dances steps as a solo sean nós dancer, and works the sames rhythms into his set dancing.
Set dancing is a social thing, it's meant to be for all ages. It's not about performance for the most part. Sean nós is also a social dance form and people of all ages do it.
Sean nós is more about being a musical instrument, listening, and collaborating. You can have bad knees or other joints and you can still pull it off. You don't need to have leaps high off the floor, or perfection with your flexibility. You just need to be able to listen and create a few rhythms. It's often the case where less is more.
Certainly there are dancers who are kind of flamboyant, and that's great as one style, but the dancers I like are subtle and have the ability to groove along with the musicians, rather than claim all the attention out front.
Question: How do you know when to dance with a group of musicians? I've seen dancers go up in one of the pavilions during a concert and they obviously are there to dance, but don't just run out and dance the second they get there. Is there some kind of vibe between the musicians and the dancers so they know when to start dancing?
Kieran Jordan: On stage, here at the Catskills, most of those concert performances are unrehearsed. The music is going. The dancer climbs up the stairs to the stage and listens for where the group is in the set. You are following the structure of the music.
In sean nós the start point is a little more relaxed. In Irish step dancing you would start at the beginning of a tune. In sean nós you can slip your way in when it feels right. Also, one of the nice things about the Catskills are the sessions. It's expected there are going to be dancers in the session. To jump up and dance in a session is really fun. You can't always do that. Dance is a welcome part of the performance here in the Catskills!
Kieran Jordan's Web Site
Interviews with 2010 Catskill Irish Arts Week Participants:
- Bernadette Nic Gabhann
- Aoife Clancy
- Brían Ó hAirt (Brian Hart)
- Bairbre McCarthy
Question: How long have you been doing Irish dance?
Kieran Jordan: I started Irish dancing when I was five years old and have been continuing it for the 31 years since. I love Irish dance and it is my full time work. I wasn't sure I could have a career in Irish dance because when I was thinking about careers, there weren't many people making it their career. This was before Riverdance became popular. There didn't seem to be a future beyond teaching and running a dancing school, and I never pictured myself doing that. I was performing a lot in my twenties, and one thing led to the next. My career is a balance of teaching, performing, and recordings.
It's great to make a living doing what I love and I like being my own boss, although it is challenging. It is not always easy. But hey, this is Catskill Irish Arts week, so I'm not going to worry about it here. I'm just going to have fun! I look forward to this all year.
Question: Do you teach masses of people at once? Do you teach both new and experienced students?
Kieran Jordan: It fluctuates. I do have some faithful groups of people who have danced with me for years, and I also have new people all the time. Right now I think the interest is low. It might be the recession, but also these things go in trends, waves.
Question: So we are not in a time period like when Riverdance first burst into popularity?
Kieran Jordan: Right now I think the general interest in Irish dance has plateaued. There isn't a huge resurgence right now. Still certainly there are always people who find inspiration in the music and the dance, who get “bit” by this bug!
Question: When you were five years old you learned traditional step dance. How did you make the conversion to sean nós?
Kieran Jordan: In high school I did a little bit of tap dance and then I became very interested in Cape Breton step dance from Nova Scotia in Canada. I just love that music and the steps are so playful and energetic in a way that allows for improvisation between the dancer and the musicians. Things are not as quite mapped out in sean-nós as in traditional Irish step dance. So I started to gravitate toward Cape Breton dance. Then I saw Irish sean nós dancing. I saw Seosamh O Neachtain on a television piece. I watched Donnacha O’Muineachain and Mick Mulkerrin perform at Gaelic Roots at Boston College. And Joe O'Donovan was a great dance master who I was fortunate enough to study with in Cork, at UCC.
In the early 90s it seemed like the interest in sean nós was starting to grow. Maybe there were more opportunities, or maybe it was becoming more visible. So I loved sean nós and I pretty much abandoned competitive Irish step dance. I gravitated toward all these styles like Cape Briton and sean nós, which are about improvising and interacting with the music. I was working with a lot of live music in Boston because there is such a great music scene there. I had a lot of opportunities for collaboration, picking things apart with musicians. I found these dance styles more suitable to my personality. They allowed me to really express myself in my performances and choreography.
Question: Was the dancing in the Titantic movie anything of interest to you?
Kieran Jordan: My memory is somewhat vague but I recall that scene being at the party within the boat among the working class people. Of course it was choreographed for the film, but they choreographed it in a way to make the dance look like a spontaneous party scene. That spontaneity is what sean nós dancing is about. That's what you'll see in the Catskills here. In the sessions at night, myself and other dancers will get up and dance. It's about feeling the moment. Feeling the energy. When someone is dancing and its really synching up well, I think everyone loves that marriage of rhythm and melody. It's great!
So yah, I like that scene in Titanic!
Question: Last year at the dance pavilion there was an exposition of dance. A big crowd came over to see that. Is that what dance does often?
Kieran Jordan:
People love Irish dancing and I think if you look at the ratio in a week like this, there may be 300 fiddle players and maybe 30 step dancers and sean nós dancers. We stand out! There are not as many of us.
Dancing is a very out-front kind of thing. We're not sitting behind an instrument. It's your own body making the performance. So for a dancer, the spot light is on you, and you are very visible. Most dancers love that to some degree, even a shy one like me!
Sean nós dance is movement and sound at the same time. Percussive dance is not just about moving your body, but it's about making percussion that contributes as a musical component.
So there is a stage presence – your physical appearance and presence, and then your ability to make music with your feet. It's coordination, skill, and technique, matched with an in internal sense of rhythm, groove, and listening skills.
Question: You said sean nós dance is very applicable to a lot of ages. Why is that and how does that work?
Kieran Jordan: I think there is a very strong connection between sean nós step dancing and set dancing – the group sets. If you look at set dancing, there are moments within it where there is percussive dancing and there are somewhat improvised moments as well. One of my major influences, Aiden Vaughn, dances steps as a solo sean nós dancer, and works the sames rhythms into his set dancing.
Set dancing is a social thing, it's meant to be for all ages. It's not about performance for the most part. Sean nós is also a social dance form and people of all ages do it.
Sean nós is more about being a musical instrument, listening, and collaborating. You can have bad knees or other joints and you can still pull it off. You don't need to have leaps high off the floor, or perfection with your flexibility. You just need to be able to listen and create a few rhythms. It's often the case where less is more.
Certainly there are dancers who are kind of flamboyant, and that's great as one style, but the dancers I like are subtle and have the ability to groove along with the musicians, rather than claim all the attention out front.
Question: How do you know when to dance with a group of musicians? I've seen dancers go up in one of the pavilions during a concert and they obviously are there to dance, but don't just run out and dance the second they get there. Is there some kind of vibe between the musicians and the dancers so they know when to start dancing?
Kieran Jordan: On stage, here at the Catskills, most of those concert performances are unrehearsed. The music is going. The dancer climbs up the stairs to the stage and listens for where the group is in the set. You are following the structure of the music.
In sean nós the start point is a little more relaxed. In Irish step dancing you would start at the beginning of a tune. In sean nós you can slip your way in when it feels right. Also, one of the nice things about the Catskills are the sessions. It's expected there are going to be dancers in the session. To jump up and dance in a session is really fun. You can't always do that. Dance is a welcome part of the performance here in the Catskills!
Kieran Jordan's Web Site
Interviews with 2010 Catskill Irish Arts Week Participants:
- Bernadette Nic Gabhann
- Aoife Clancy
- Brían Ó hAirt (Brian Hart)
- Bairbre McCarthy
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Andy McGann Traditional Irish Music Festival 2011
Did you ever wish you could go to a special and wonderful event which people mainly hear about by word of mouth?
Well, "Psssssssssssst, do ye wanna hear wonderful Irish traditional music by some of the best from Ireland and the United States?
Then wend your way on down the road to East Durham and attend the Andy McGann Traditional Irish Music Festival on Saturday, July 16th from 11:30 AM to 7 PM at the Quill Festival Grounds."
I am exaggerating a bit. There are articles about it on the web and a Facebook page. Still, for the quality of who will be playing and what you will hear, you'll be hard pressed to find a better value.
All this is available an hour from Albany and only two and half hours from New York City.
Why does this Festival keep happening every year? The Andy McGann Festival is the culmination of an entire week of instruction and celebration on Irish traditional music and arts known as Catskill Irish Arts Week. Since all these great musicians and dancers are there for the week, they get together and appear on stage at the end producing hours and hours of wonderful entertainment. Besides the music, there is story telling mixed in, all of which is true!
The grounds are set up with two pavilions so if you wonder what's happening in the other one, just wander a few steps over and see. There are street fair type foods and Irish CDs, art, clothing, and jewelery for sale. Of course, cold drinks and Irish brews are available.
Well, "Psssssssssssst, do ye wanna hear wonderful Irish traditional music by some of the best from Ireland and the United States?
Then wend your way on down the road to East Durham and attend the Andy McGann Traditional Irish Music Festival on Saturday, July 16th from 11:30 AM to 7 PM at the Quill Festival Grounds."
I am exaggerating a bit. There are articles about it on the web and a Facebook page. Still, for the quality of who will be playing and what you will hear, you'll be hard pressed to find a better value.
All this is available an hour from Albany and only two and half hours from New York City.
Why does this Festival keep happening every year? The Andy McGann Festival is the culmination of an entire week of instruction and celebration on Irish traditional music and arts known as Catskill Irish Arts Week. Since all these great musicians and dancers are there for the week, they get together and appear on stage at the end producing hours and hours of wonderful entertainment. Besides the music, there is story telling mixed in, all of which is true!
The grounds are set up with two pavilions so if you wonder what's happening in the other one, just wander a few steps over and see. There are street fair type foods and Irish CDs, art, clothing, and jewelery for sale. Of course, cold drinks and Irish brews are available.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Catskill Irish Arts Week
This posting is for those who are considering attending Catskill Irish Arts Week 2011 in East Durham for the first time.
The basics of the Catskill Irish Arts Week (CIAW) music, singing, and dance classes are all at this web site: Catskill Irish Arts Week.
If you come, you will be warmly accepted just for having an interest in Irish culture.
If you pay attention and practice, you will gain so much from the classes.
If you approach and speak with respect and interest to anyone during the week, from staff to other students to every teacher to famous "stars" of Irish performing or craft, you will be treated to caring and attention, as well as good craic!
Those that attend full time get a morning and an afternoon class (which you stay in all five weekdays) which are titled and laid out in schedule here. The staff will help you when you are signing up to get placed at the correct level and to optimize your days.
You yourself need not be musical or a dancer to go to the week, as the Arts and Crafts classes are top notch. Also, there is the wonderful Irish History and Language class taught by Bairbre McCarthy.
Speaking of Bairbre, she and the other teachers of young folks offer a Children's Workshop that is fun on so many levels (language, dance, music, and singing) while passing on an appreciation for Irish culture to the future performers.
After the afternoon class, you'll want to come to the lecture series which will have a schedule here. These are well done talks and conversations, and are seriously underated. They are not like the bad lectures you may remember from school. They are fascinating, fun, and often both.
When you call for lodging, some places offer meals included. If you do that, you'll have days to meet everyone who attends regularly and that has its own rewards. Another strategy is to pay a little more, but move to a new venue for every meal. That way you'll get a variety of food and atmospheres, and you'll be able to converse with the regulars and find out what they like about staying at that establishment. If you are going as part of a group, you might want to discuss this ahead of the week.
You may want to sit around your motel and listen to some folks in an impromptu session (seisiún) in a gazebo, on the patio, on the steps, or on a shady piece of lawn. They happen at motels mostly, but listen for arrangements elsewhere. The quality of these sessions varies, but often they are amazing in long streaks. The only charge is a few hoots and hollers, smiles, applause, and the well timed compliment or three.
Did you know there are concerts during the week? Not really promoted, are they? These concerts are held in the big pavillion on the official grounds Tuesday through Friday. With your official CIAW bracelet and pin, you'll get in for free. Those not in CIAW can attend for a reasonable admission. These concerts are tremendous and offer time between sets to socialize and peruse the merchants' booths. One piece of advice: if you want to get an artist's CD, don't wait. They may sell out, or they may leave and take their unsold CDs with them!
After the concert, you're not done. You still have to go to the pubs! There is a schedule in your packet when you arrive. Certain pubs concentrate on certain categories. Also, there are CD release parties during the week.
Some people go early to one pub and switch later to another. Get good directions for all the pubs you want to visit or invite someone who knows the way. As the saying goes, Giorraionn beirt bothar, or Two shorten the road.
Speaking of road, be careful walking along the road as you may have to park a bit away from the pub and share the country road at night with vehicles.
Breakfast lunch and dinner after pubbing? These are when you find out, you missed something great at another pub. Get used to it. No matter how hard you try, you'll wish you were at a pub you weren't because so and so played so and so better than in concert! The only antidote is to talk up what you saw. I'm not saying you have to lie, but you can tell the truth to great advantage, can't yah?
Besides the scheduled and unscheduled events, you can hike, shop at the Guaranteed Irish Shop, ride a bike, play horseshoes, ...
Here's my final hint: get some rest. The lure of all the attractions at Catskill Irish Arts Week can be so strong, you don't realize you need some rest. You might need a nap, except you'll miss...?
The basics of the Catskill Irish Arts Week (CIAW) music, singing, and dance classes are all at this web site: Catskill Irish Arts Week.
If you come, you will be warmly accepted just for having an interest in Irish culture.
If you pay attention and practice, you will gain so much from the classes.
If you approach and speak with respect and interest to anyone during the week, from staff to other students to every teacher to famous "stars" of Irish performing or craft, you will be treated to caring and attention, as well as good craic!
Those that attend full time get a morning and an afternoon class (which you stay in all five weekdays) which are titled and laid out in schedule here. The staff will help you when you are signing up to get placed at the correct level and to optimize your days.
You yourself need not be musical or a dancer to go to the week, as the Arts and Crafts classes are top notch. Also, there is the wonderful Irish History and Language class taught by Bairbre McCarthy.
Speaking of Bairbre, she and the other teachers of young folks offer a Children's Workshop that is fun on so many levels (language, dance, music, and singing) while passing on an appreciation for Irish culture to the future performers.
After the afternoon class, you'll want to come to the lecture series which will have a schedule here. These are well done talks and conversations, and are seriously underated. They are not like the bad lectures you may remember from school. They are fascinating, fun, and often both.
When you call for lodging, some places offer meals included. If you do that, you'll have days to meet everyone who attends regularly and that has its own rewards. Another strategy is to pay a little more, but move to a new venue for every meal. That way you'll get a variety of food and atmospheres, and you'll be able to converse with the regulars and find out what they like about staying at that establishment. If you are going as part of a group, you might want to discuss this ahead of the week.
You may want to sit around your motel and listen to some folks in an impromptu session (seisiún) in a gazebo, on the patio, on the steps, or on a shady piece of lawn. They happen at motels mostly, but listen for arrangements elsewhere. The quality of these sessions varies, but often they are amazing in long streaks. The only charge is a few hoots and hollers, smiles, applause, and the well timed compliment or three.
Did you know there are concerts during the week? Not really promoted, are they? These concerts are held in the big pavillion on the official grounds Tuesday through Friday. With your official CIAW bracelet and pin, you'll get in for free. Those not in CIAW can attend for a reasonable admission. These concerts are tremendous and offer time between sets to socialize and peruse the merchants' booths. One piece of advice: if you want to get an artist's CD, don't wait. They may sell out, or they may leave and take their unsold CDs with them!
After the concert, you're not done. You still have to go to the pubs! There is a schedule in your packet when you arrive. Certain pubs concentrate on certain categories. Also, there are CD release parties during the week.
Some people go early to one pub and switch later to another. Get good directions for all the pubs you want to visit or invite someone who knows the way. As the saying goes, Giorraionn beirt bothar, or Two shorten the road.
Speaking of road, be careful walking along the road as you may have to park a bit away from the pub and share the country road at night with vehicles.
Breakfast lunch and dinner after pubbing? These are when you find out, you missed something great at another pub. Get used to it. No matter how hard you try, you'll wish you were at a pub you weren't because so and so played so and so better than in concert! The only antidote is to talk up what you saw. I'm not saying you have to lie, but you can tell the truth to great advantage, can't yah?
Besides the scheduled and unscheduled events, you can hike, shop at the Guaranteed Irish Shop, ride a bike, play horseshoes, ...
Here's my final hint: get some rest. The lure of all the attractions at Catskill Irish Arts Week can be so strong, you don't realize you need some rest. You might need a nap, except you'll miss...?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Aoife Clancy: Interview at Catskill Irish Arts Week
Aoife Clancy, the outstanding Irish singer, honored me with an interview early Saturday morning near the end of the Catskill Irish Arts Week, just after a long singing session at the Wayside Inn.
She lives in Fairhaven Massachusetts, near New Bedford, but was brought up in Ireland.
Her father, Bobby Clancy, was in the Clancy Brothers, the famous group that brought Irish folk music to America in much of the 1960s. Consequently she was brought up listening to and playing music at an early age.
Her father insisted his children all have their daily dose of Irish music.
She was playing the banjo at 7 or 8 years old, which she didn't really like. She progressed to the guitar when she was about 11 or 12.
Her mother came from an Irish speaking area, a Gaeilteach, in Ring (An Rinn, in Irish), County Waterford, Ireland.
As a result, she was exposed to a bit of both worlds of Irish music. She heard the ballads from her father, and then she'd go down to Ring and hear the sean nos songs in the Irish language and style. She stuck mostly to her father's style of songs, but she was influenced by the sean nos (“Sean nos” means “old style” and is the style of singing where a solo performer sings unaccompanied, usually in Irish, and often in free meter).
In fact, her mom often reminded Aoife of how she, Aoife, didn't get her Irish music heritage just from her father - her mom's traditions helped form her style as well.
Aoife started performing in her teenage years. She remembers at the age of 13 and 14, her father took her out to country pubs in the middle of nowhere. He'd say, “Come on, we've got an afternoon gig.” And she'd go, “What!?” shocked at the lack of adequate warning. Still, he'd take her to these beautiful little pubs. Some of them didn't even have electricity in them. The pubs sold only large bottles of beer, no drafts. Patrons bought large bottles or nothing. Such experiences were her early exposure to public music, watching her father and observing him perform in a small little intimate setting. The people in these places were very supportive. She was extremely shy and he would encourage her to sing. But many times he would tease her by introducing her as “kind of shy” and she'd think, “Why did you say that?”
Over the years, she got more confident singing in front of a crowd. She thanks her father, because of his attitude toward performing. He was very much about “enjoy yourself and sing from the heart”. He told her don't make it so much about performing for people and how they are all looking at you, as much as about how you are enjoying the song yourself and how you are bringing it across. She learned a lot from performing from that perspective.
Aoife was a solo performer when she came to the United States. She brought a CD with her titled “It's About Time” and was published by Rego (Irish Music) Records in 1991. Aoife did a tour with Patty Noonan who ran the Rego label. Joanie Madden heard the CD, Cathie Ryan was leaving, and Joanie and Aoife met on an Irish cruise Aoife's father and uncles had put on in the Caribbean. The Cherish the Ladies group was on the cruise and Joanie had a substitute singer to cover for Cathie. Joanie didn't say anything to Aoife at that time, she just kind of observed Aoife singing at the session. A few months later Joanie called Aoife and said, “Doll, we're looking for a singer. Would you like to join the group?”
Aoife had often looked at the group with admiration as they have so much variety, the dancers, the tunes, the instruments, the songs. Of course, Aoife jumped at the chance and the next thing she knew she was appearing with Cherish the Ladies.
She sang with Cherish the Ladies for about five years.
When she left, she was in bands of various configurations with her own band, the Clancy band, and Matt and Shannon Heaton. Fling played with her for awhile. She played with other musicians including Owen Marshall.
Now she's in the Clancy Legacy with her cousins Robin O'Connel and Donal Clancy. They just brought a CD out in March titled “The Clancy Legacy” (btw, they first performed together at a workshop called "The Clancy Legacy" during the Irish Arts week in East Durham, NY in July 2006).
Aoife came to be at the 2010 Catskill Irish Arts Week because she was there a number of years ago. Myron Bretholz, the bodhrán player, encouraged her. There was one year when he was in charge of the bookings for the event, like Paul Keating was in 2010 (and before). She met Myron at a festival in Philly and he was the MC. They started chatting. Myron asked her, “Do you ever teach?” and soon asked her to come teach in the Catskills.
She did it and loved it. She had a fantastic bunch of people. She just had to talk about her father and her uncles, and then led the group in the songs that had been passed on to her. She found a whole slew of songs that over the years she'd forgotten about until she started looking back on them.
She couldn't believe the number of people who wanted to learn the songs passed on to her by her father.
Then she started getting into it. She started teaching the songs at other workshop events too.
For the last three or four years she hasn't been to the Catskills Irish Arts Week because of a competing festival, but she was invited this year and she decided it was time to return to the Catskill Irish Arts Week.
She said the 2010 week was a great week, and everyone worked her hard. There is so much going on, so many people she knows, she wishes it could be spread over two weeks. The evening sessions at the pubs alone are a dilemma – if you are at one, you cannot go to another.
The students were exposed to such wonderful music that week.
Aoife said the standard of musicians and teachers here for the week doesn't get any better. You don't get any better than the Kane sisters, Edel Fox, Joanie Madden, Cherish the Ladies, or Liz Carroll. They are the crème de la crème of Irish musicians. Anybody would be so lucky to have these people as teachers. They've been playing since they were small and now they are passing on the music to their students. That's what keeps the music alive.
On a personal note, Aoife loves when she sits at a session and somebody comes in and sings a song that she taught them.
Aoife said the Andy McGann Festival on the last Saturday of the Catskill Irish Arts Week would be great because even more performers come in. Bua is playing. The performers represent the standard of the musicians the place attracts.
She hopes to be asked to return to the Catskills next year, but she hopes to arrange a night off that week to catch her rest!
Aoife's online calendar is here: http://www.aoifeclancy.com/calendar .
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More Irish Musicians in Shamrock Road blogs:
- Brían Ó hAirt (Brian Hart)
- Bernadette Nic Gabhann
- Aoife Clancy
- Matt and Shannon Heaton
She lives in Fairhaven Massachusetts, near New Bedford, but was brought up in Ireland.
Her father, Bobby Clancy, was in the Clancy Brothers, the famous group that brought Irish folk music to America in much of the 1960s. Consequently she was brought up listening to and playing music at an early age.
Her father insisted his children all have their daily dose of Irish music.
She was playing the banjo at 7 or 8 years old, which she didn't really like. She progressed to the guitar when she was about 11 or 12.
Her mother came from an Irish speaking area, a Gaeilteach, in Ring (An Rinn, in Irish), County Waterford, Ireland.
As a result, she was exposed to a bit of both worlds of Irish music. She heard the ballads from her father, and then she'd go down to Ring and hear the sean nos songs in the Irish language and style. She stuck mostly to her father's style of songs, but she was influenced by the sean nos (“Sean nos” means “old style” and is the style of singing where a solo performer sings unaccompanied, usually in Irish, and often in free meter).
In fact, her mom often reminded Aoife of how she, Aoife, didn't get her Irish music heritage just from her father - her mom's traditions helped form her style as well.
Aoife started performing in her teenage years. She remembers at the age of 13 and 14, her father took her out to country pubs in the middle of nowhere. He'd say, “Come on, we've got an afternoon gig.” And she'd go, “What!?” shocked at the lack of adequate warning. Still, he'd take her to these beautiful little pubs. Some of them didn't even have electricity in them. The pubs sold only large bottles of beer, no drafts. Patrons bought large bottles or nothing. Such experiences were her early exposure to public music, watching her father and observing him perform in a small little intimate setting. The people in these places were very supportive. She was extremely shy and he would encourage her to sing. But many times he would tease her by introducing her as “kind of shy” and she'd think, “Why did you say that?”
Over the years, she got more confident singing in front of a crowd. She thanks her father, because of his attitude toward performing. He was very much about “enjoy yourself and sing from the heart”. He told her don't make it so much about performing for people and how they are all looking at you, as much as about how you are enjoying the song yourself and how you are bringing it across. She learned a lot from performing from that perspective.
Aoife was a solo performer when she came to the United States. She brought a CD with her titled “It's About Time” and was published by Rego (Irish Music) Records in 1991. Aoife did a tour with Patty Noonan who ran the Rego label. Joanie Madden heard the CD, Cathie Ryan was leaving, and Joanie and Aoife met on an Irish cruise Aoife's father and uncles had put on in the Caribbean. The Cherish the Ladies group was on the cruise and Joanie had a substitute singer to cover for Cathie. Joanie didn't say anything to Aoife at that time, she just kind of observed Aoife singing at the session. A few months later Joanie called Aoife and said, “Doll, we're looking for a singer. Would you like to join the group?”
Aoife had often looked at the group with admiration as they have so much variety, the dancers, the tunes, the instruments, the songs. Of course, Aoife jumped at the chance and the next thing she knew she was appearing with Cherish the Ladies.
She sang with Cherish the Ladies for about five years.
When she left, she was in bands of various configurations with her own band, the Clancy band, and Matt and Shannon Heaton. Fling played with her for awhile. She played with other musicians including Owen Marshall.
Now she's in the Clancy Legacy with her cousins Robin O'Connel and Donal Clancy. They just brought a CD out in March titled “The Clancy Legacy” (btw, they first performed together at a workshop called "The Clancy Legacy" during the Irish Arts week in East Durham, NY in July 2006).
Aoife came to be at the 2010 Catskill Irish Arts Week because she was there a number of years ago. Myron Bretholz, the bodhrán player, encouraged her. There was one year when he was in charge of the bookings for the event, like Paul Keating was in 2010 (and before). She met Myron at a festival in Philly and he was the MC. They started chatting. Myron asked her, “Do you ever teach?” and soon asked her to come teach in the Catskills.
She did it and loved it. She had a fantastic bunch of people. She just had to talk about her father and her uncles, and then led the group in the songs that had been passed on to her. She found a whole slew of songs that over the years she'd forgotten about until she started looking back on them.
She couldn't believe the number of people who wanted to learn the songs passed on to her by her father.
Then she started getting into it. She started teaching the songs at other workshop events too.
For the last three or four years she hasn't been to the Catskills Irish Arts Week because of a competing festival, but she was invited this year and she decided it was time to return to the Catskill Irish Arts Week.
She said the 2010 week was a great week, and everyone worked her hard. There is so much going on, so many people she knows, she wishes it could be spread over two weeks. The evening sessions at the pubs alone are a dilemma – if you are at one, you cannot go to another.
The students were exposed to such wonderful music that week.
Aoife said the standard of musicians and teachers here for the week doesn't get any better. You don't get any better than the Kane sisters, Edel Fox, Joanie Madden, Cherish the Ladies, or Liz Carroll. They are the crème de la crème of Irish musicians. Anybody would be so lucky to have these people as teachers. They've been playing since they were small and now they are passing on the music to their students. That's what keeps the music alive.
On a personal note, Aoife loves when she sits at a session and somebody comes in and sings a song that she taught them.
Aoife said the Andy McGann Festival on the last Saturday of the Catskill Irish Arts Week would be great because even more performers come in. Bua is playing. The performers represent the standard of the musicians the place attracts.
She hopes to be asked to return to the Catskills next year, but she hopes to arrange a night off that week to catch her rest!
Aoife's online calendar is here: http://www.aoifeclancy.com/calendar .
_____________
More Irish Musicians in Shamrock Road blogs:
- Brían Ó hAirt (Brian Hart)
- Bernadette Nic Gabhann
- Aoife Clancy
- Matt and Shannon Heaton
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