Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger - Jacobite Rebellions

"In the Jacobite songs every battle became a cry against oppression, and every leader wears the aspect of Ideal courage, boldness and strength, without blemish. The songs are glorious. Through them the Jacobites have won their rebellions, for the songs exist In posterity, moving us who are so far removed from the events, the causes, and the feelings, of the Fifteen and the Forty-Five; who live In other countries and pursue other destinies. As Ewan MacColl writes: "To a world which has become familiar with the concept of genocide, which has known fascism and two world wars, the Jacobite rebellions appear as no more than cases of mild unrest. They have grown dusty in history's lumber room along with all the other lost causes. The Stuart cause is forgotten and nothing, remains of it except the songs. "And what songs they are'. Witty, tender, proud, bitter, ribald, delicate, passionate; the songs of a people with a great zest and appetite for life; the songs of a people who are essentially optimistic and who, oddly enough, succeed In combining sympathy for a declining royal house with the most republican sentiments." [source Ralph Knight]

1 Ye Jacobites By Name

2 Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation

3 Will Ye Go To Sheriffmuir

4 Wae's Me For Prince Charlie

5 Charlie He's My Darling

6 The Haughs Of Cromdale

7 The Bonnie Moorhen

8 Johnnie Cope

9 Cam Ye O'er Frae France

10 There's Three Brave, Loyal Fellows

11 This Is No My Ain House

12 The Piper O' Dundee

13 Donald MacGillavry

14 MacLean's Welcome

15 Will Ye No Come Back Again

link to the free album

Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger - The Jacobite Rebellions

Michael Dwyer - Traditional Music of Ireland

Recorded on his brother Finbarr's Silver Hill label in 1975, this is a lovely EP of Irish music played on the simplest of instruments by Michael Dwyer, and accompanied very tastefully by Kevin Taylor on piano. There was wear on the record, so there are some surface noises here and there, but this is a lovely recording of a great player, and it's well worth a listen. Sadly Michael died tragically a number of years ago, and there is very little of his sweet whistle playing left behind [source ceolalainn].

1. Richard Dwyer's/Seán Sa Cheo [Reels]
2. The Sunshine [Hornpipe]
3. The Flax in Bloom/The Castle [Reels]
4. The Laurel Tree/Speed the Plough [Reels]
5. The Kid on the Mountain [Slip Jig]
6. The Heather Breeze/The Chattering Magpie [Reels]

link to the free album

Michael Dwyer - Traditional Music of Ireland

Willie Clancy - Minstrel From Clare

The musicians who have truly influenced Irish traditional  music have not been many. Willie Clancy (1918-1973), piper, whistle-player and singer of Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, was indisputably one of them. He belonged to a strong tradition and left one after him. Clancy was born into a musical family. His parents both sang and played concertina, and his father, who had been heavily influenced by local blind piper Garret Barry, also played the flute.

Clancy started playing the whistle at the age of five, and later took up the flute. He first saw a set of pipes in 1936 when he saw Johnny Doran playing locally. He obtained his first set of pipes two years later. His influences included Leo Rowsome, Séamus Ennis, John Potts, and Andy Conroy. Clancy won the Oireachtas competition in 1947.

01. Langstern Pony

02. The Templehouse / Over the Moor To Maggie

03. Bruachna Carraige Báine (The Brink of the White Rock)

04. Erin's Lovely Lea

05. The Killavel Fancy / The Dogs Among the Bushes

06. The Family Ointment

07. The Dear Irish Boy

08. Caoineadh an Spailpín (The Spalpeen's Lament)

09. The Pipe On the Hob

10. The Gander

11. The Flogging Reel

12. The Legacy Jig

13. The Song of the Riddles

14. Spailpín a Rúin (Spalpeen, My Love)

link to the free album

Willie Clancy - Minstrel From Clare

Kila - Kila Live In Dublin

The magnificent Kila recorded live in Dublin over four nights between 2002 and 2004. Celtic/Irish contemporary traditional music with a massive style injection.

1. Her Royal Waggledy Toes
2. Cabhraighí Léi
3. Dusty Wine Bottle
4. Tine Lasta
5. Wandering Fish
6. Bully's Acre
7. Grand Hotel
8. Glanfaidh Mé
9. Luna Park
10. Faoiseamh
11. Seo Mo Leaba

link to the free album

Kila - Kila Live In Dublin

Josephine Keegan - Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes, Airs

Josephine Keegan Keegan was born of Irish parents in Dundee, Scotland, and at the age of four went to live with her family in South Armagh. She began to play piano and violin when she was about six, being taught by both parents at home, and later taking formal lessons. She studied classical music on both instruments as well as playing traditional music, and won many prizes at competitions throughout Ireland. She won a gold medal at the Feis Ceoil in Dublin, and later won the gold medal at the All-Ireland Fiddle Championship at the Oireachtas in 1955. After that, fiddle playing took a back seat and she concentrated on being a piano accompanist to other musicians, including Joe Burke and Seán Magure. She recorded her first of five solo albums in 1976; in 2006, after a gap of twenty-five years she recorded a new solo album. This 1980 album is one of five featuring Josephine Keegan's solo fiddle albums on which she double tracked her own piano accompaniment. There is some lovely playing as well as a very nice selection of tunes.

1. The Kylebrack Rambler/Gerry Cronin's [Reels]

2. The Queen of the West/Hasberry Howard [Hornpipes]

3. Cronin's Rambles [Jig]

4. Sliabh Geal gGua [Air]

5. Dancing Eyes/Eddie Kelly's [Jigs]

6. Music in the Glen/The Lass of Ballintra [Reels]

7. The Square of Crossmaglen/Coolderry Bridge [Reels]

8. To the Waters and the Wild/The Hazel Wand [Hornpipes]

9. The Lark in the Morning [Jig]

10. An Buinnean Buidhe [Air]

11. The Pear Tree/The Stranger [Hornpipes]

12. Jimmy McBride's [Reel]

link to the free album

Josephine Keegan - Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes, Airs