Falcarragh Donegal

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Music crosses all borders, links people as One

by Sean Hillen 

Probably never in the annals of musical history has a Ukrainian saxophonist-cum-accordionist, a classical violinist and an Irish bodhrán player come together as a highly-entertaining trio.

But they did this week at a celebratory Yuletide event at Garradh Colmcille in Falcarragh attended by women, men and children representing diverse nationalities including Canadian, South African, American, Irish, Ukrainian and English.

This unique occasion featured musicians, Reuben O’Conluain, Irish-language professor and cultural enthusiast, multi-instrumentalist Yuriii Hryhoriev and talented Olena Korotka, a classically-trained orchestral violinist from the now militarised region of Kherson in southern Ukraine. 

The proceedings ranged from delightful musical renderings including traditional Irish tunes as well as Ukrainian folk songs such as ‘Chervona Ruta’ and ‘Cheremshyna,’ to contemporary ballads such as Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,’ and ‘Until I Found You’ by Stephen Sanchez, with a few festive seasonal songs including ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ and ‘It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas‘ tossed in for good measure.

Nimble dancers also took to the floor, shaking their booties in carefree abandon to the lively rhythms of the instruments played so wonderfully.

Many congratulations to Armen Galstyan, a refugee from Odessa, for organising the musicians, and local community activist at Pobal le Chéile, Rosemary Grain, and her enthusiastic support team for hosting the event so well.

For me, and I’m sure for many others attending, the event highlighted the interconnectedness of people across borders illustrating how humanity, regardless of language, skin colour, religion or nationality, is one and the same entity, each element dependent upon the other for peace, progress and prosperity.

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Theatrical triumph for the talented Cloughaneely Players in Donegal

What a theatrical triumph this past weekend for local amateur drama company, The Cloughaneely Players, who meet close to my home here in the scenic northwest corner of Donegal.

Not only did they host a superb re-enactment, complete with costumes and wigs, of James Joyce’s classic short story ‘The Dead’ set in 1904 in a most enjoyable manner, but they transformed a rural Donegal house into a 19th century multi-stage setting using most of the rooms in the house, both upstairs and downstairs, for various scenes.

Many congratulations to director Carmel MacGill, consultant director Murray Learmont, choreographer Caroline McGee, and more than twenty talented local amateur actors and musicians for a superb show.

And keep in mind, we’re not talking about well-paid West End or Broadway professional performers (though you might be mistaken that they were). We’re talking about a local bartender, a teacher, a nurse, a doctor or two, a real estate broker, a hypno-therapist, even a retired revenue sheriff, and many others, all of whom bring sheer enthusiasm and passion into treading the boards.

Here’s a few photographs to illustrate the weekend’s entertainment. 

I’ve written a much more comprehensive article in tribute to these delightful women and men for this Thursday’s edition of the Donegal News on the Digest page so pick up a copy and have a read and rejoice we have such talented artists among us.

And don’t miss out on their next production. The tickets will be red hot, so buy early. No doubt they’ll be sold for high prices on the international black market.

Thank you to Catriona Kelly, Jake Campbell McLaughlin and Maggie McKinney for photographs.

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Ireland’s Falcarragh Jazz Festival helps dispel winter gloom

Quiet, unassuming and immensely talented.

That sums up Irish musical twins, Michael and Conor Murray, sax and double bass players respectively.

Not only but they are also architects of what must be one of the cosiest and intimate jazz festivals on the island of Ireland, in the small coastal north-western Gaeltacht town of Falcarragh in their native county, Donegal, which took place last weekend.

jazz music,Donegal festival, irish festivals

With international musicians such as sublime guitarist Lucian Gray from Canada, David Lyttle, a whiz on drums, Scot Steve Hamilton, a wonderful keyboardist, appreciative audiences were treated to some high-level performances in what was only the festival’s second year, in venues such as The Shamrock and Gweedore bars and the Batch restaurant. Excellent musicians also included Cleveland Watkiss and the Joseph Leighton Trio.

If austere members of the Catholic Church, which – just as they did with yoga – proclaimed jazz as Devil worship not so very many generations ago (as did Communist dictators), had seen how people were packed close together enjoying the melodies, they’d have tossed the infamous Irish Dance Hall Act at them, pages fluttering hither and thither.

The musical menu ranged from original compositions by Lyttle such as Summer Always Passes, After The Flood and Camels, the latter a gentle melodic homage to the humpy-backed animal, to standard jazz classics such as Misty, written in 1954 by pianist Erroll Garner; Someday My Prince Will Come written by Larry Morey with music by Frank Churchill for Walt Disney’s 1937 animated movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; These Foolish Things, about fleeting memories of young love with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Jack Strachey, and Body and Soul, written in New York in 1930 with music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton, as well as works by Capitol Records co-founder and American Tin Pan Alley lyricist, songwriter, and singer, Johnny Mercer, such as Autumn Leaves.

“We put careful thought into this festival and are just delighted to be able to share the kind of music we love with you,” Conor told an appreciative audience at The Shamrock last Saturday night.

In paying tribute to the twins’ efforts in organising such a successful festival, friend and musical colleague, Lyttle, said “Once I said it would be a great idea to start a jazz festival here, but I was only joking, okay, half-joking. Sheer naivety or blind-faith, I’m not sure which was uppermost in Michael and Conor’s minds when they decided to bring a jazz festival to a little Donegal town such as this. They both deserve great credit and I’m certainly very happy to be here.”

For those who unfortunately missed the weekend’s concerts (death is the only acceptable excuse), here is a sample of what you could have heard had you risen, Lazarus-like.

Roll on next year!