A Wee Bit of Celtic--Updated

Though you'll find a number of suggestions on the sidebar here at Grace Notes for Celtic music--and from time to time I'll mention a book or two that might feature an Irish setting or Irish characters, there's always more to give a nod to. Here's a somewhat revised Celtic collage for your sampling.

A couple of the the newer--but not really "new"--groups drawing attention in Irish music:  

The High Kings. Although their presentation and staging leave a bit to be desired, they have a fine sound, wonderful harmonies, and a lot of excitement in their performance. This isn't an attempt at a "Celtic Man" type-group. Unlike "Celtic Woman," who mix contemporary and New Age into their performances, the High Kings focus entirely on traditional Irish music. Their enthusiasm prompts a good connection with the audience, and their strong Celtic blend transports you, at least temporarily, to Ireland. They'll squeeze your heart with sweet melancholy and have you tapping your feet in the same program.  They've been seen on PBS, but whether the DVD of their Dublin performance is available, I'm not sure.   

I've been asked about Celtic Thunder. I confess I'm not excited about this group, the reason being that they seem to do a little of everything and perhaps more of that than traditional Irish. But they're talented singers, and you can't fault their showmanship. Just be aware if you lean strongly toward the traditional Irish, this might not be your group. 

You already know about Celtic Woman, so I won't elaborate, at least not much. They're beautiful, talented, and creative with a lovely sound but just a little too much New Age stuff to keep my interest. After a while, the NA music all begins to sound alike. But then I cut my teeth on the old Clancy Brothers Irish and, though they're often irreverent and sometimes rowdy, they're just so thoroughly traditional (even when they're doing contemporary, they're traditional) that I can't quite make the move to the "pretty" Irish music. I like mine with more grit.

Most of my CDs by Mary Black have been replaced a couple of times because they were played so often. My favorite? Mary Black Collected, one of her earlier albums. She's much more popular and more highly honored in Ireland than here in the U.S., though she does have a broad, devoted Irish-American following here. Mary Black has one of the most lovely, haunting, completely Irish voices I've ever heard. Listen to her sing for a few minutes, and you'll never forget that voice. I wonder if her popularity among Americans hasn't been quite so widespread  simply because her voice is so thoroughly Irish. My favorite Irish female vocalist. 

Books about or by the Irish:

Because it would take pages and pages to list some of the ones I recommend, both old and new, let me just mention a few of the older "classics" for those who truly want to know more about the Irish--and before anyone harangues me about not including his/her favorite--this is a blog, not a book. And I have deadlines ... 

The Great Hunger, by Cecil Woodham-Smith. Some consider this the "Bible" about the potato famine of the 1840s. It's been called "scholarly," "distinguished," "meticulously written," etc. All that's very nice, but what it really is, is one of the finest, most thoroughly, accurately detailed book ever written about the famine. The tragedy of the Irish--their agony, their humiliation, their devastation, their suffering, their courage, and their hope--bleeds through the pages and takes you there. Over nine years of research went into this classic, and I guarantee that you can't read it without being moved ... and changed. This is one of the books--and probably the most significant book--that started me on my personal quest to understand the how and the why of Ireland's "great hunger." 

Paddy's Lament, by Thomas Gallagher. My second favorite book about the potato famine. This is a powerful, shocking book that reads like a novel--but unfortnately it'snot a novel, it's all too true. Although no one can begin to explain the violence and turmoil of Ireland, this book provides an in-depth look at the roots of it.

The New York Irish, edited by Ronald H. Bayor and Timothy J. Meagher. An intimidating tome in appearance, this is actually a collection of writings. The title says it all. Because I love writing about the New York Irish, I suppose it's only natural that I love reading about them also. I struck gold with this one. 

May the Road Rise to Meet You, by Michael Padden and Robert Sullivan. There are hundreds of books about Irish-American history (and sometimes I feel as if I've read them all, though I know that's a huge stretch), but if you want just one that's fun to read and gives you a quick look at everything about the Irish in America from their arrival through their art, religion, and folklore, try this one. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote an interesting and inspiring foreword for this.

The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing--Seamus Deane, General Editor. This is at the other end of the spectrum from the book above, but if you're truly obsessive about Irish literature, this belongs on your shelf. It's the most comprehensive anthology of Irish writing in print: three volumes of prose fiction, poetry, and song, including biographical information and annotated text. It covers 1500 years of Irish writing, is ridiculously expensive, and now hard to find. It's a heavy, three-volume set in a slipcase (at least that's how my edition was packaged). Takes up some room, but as I said, if you're truly obsessive ...

An Irish Century--Stephen Small. Much in Ireland has changed. This book, however, gives a close and detailed look at Ireland between the years of 1845--1945. Not only does it address many of the major political issues that helped to create Ireland's problems, but its fascinating photographs and narrative manages to capture the genuine flavor of the daily Irish life of both the urban and rural Irish. 

Maybe in a future post I'll cover a few more. Call it a labor of love ...

BJ