Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh - Slán le Máigh - Highland Sessions

[Eisirt]

Is Muirean my favourite singer in the world? Very likely so.What an amazing voice.

[golaoi]

Dob é meas m'athar gurb é seo an t-amhán a bheadh ina amhrán náisiúnta is fearr don tír seo. B'fhéidir go raibh an ceart aige.

[MarkHarmer]

This still gives me goosebumps. Lovely to hear inversions and suspensions in the harmony - it suits this piece beautifully. And fantastic singing, of course, and beautiful playing all round. I'd have given anything to be in that group of players that day. Wow.

[steornhugh]

beautifully sung. Go halainn ar fad. Just discovered her and Danu - great stuff.

[MayoSham]

Folks this is a weird forum! What a great song with great story behind it, forget the linguistics. If I'm not mistaken Na Fili used to do a great version of this, one of the most beautiful airs in Irish music.

[procrastinator99]

Ok, I've heard another version of this where the woman singing pronounced some of the words differently, am I mishearing something, or is it just a difference in accent? The other singer I'm refering to is Lynn Hilary, by the way.

[Lisnageeragh]

Is this lady short of breath?

[bheadh]

Ar fheabhas! agus ta na chiocha mhor ata aci.

[MusicFTW27]

Doha.

[jexplink]

Tá Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh amhránaí iontach.

[themerman2000]

this song is about the poetry courts that took place in Croom Co. Limerick in the famous tavern of Seán Ó Tuama. ~Composed by Aindrias Mac Craith. Amhrán iontach. Go raibh míle.

[jwilliam2255]

All of her videos deserve many, many more views than they have.

[jwilliam2255]

This version highlights the lower range of Muireann's enchantingly lovely voice better than the version on Daybreak or the one posted by ScoilCheoilnaBotha. I also love the camera close-ups, the emotion of the song comes thru so clearly in her face ... absolutely angelic. This is what happens when an incredibly talented person grows up in a musical family in a musical community with a deep love and respect for their ancient and admirable culture.

[bricardo83]

I cant understand why the BBC or someone else hasn't made the series into a cd or dvd.I'd love to listen to these beautiful songs away from my laptop.

Muireann sings this song so well, she really interprets the emotion of having to leave somewhere you love.

[specialk1988]

@bricardo83 You can use YT to mp3 sites to convert the audio (retaining the quality) and put them onto an ipod, if that helps you. Admittedly, somewhat more involved than buying a dvd or cd, but a solution nonetheless.

[bricardo83]

@specialk1988 Thanks for that, a friend of my mine showed me YT to mp3 site the other day,i cant believe id never seen that before.

[Lisnageeragh]

Nice ornamentation ...phrasing / breathing ??

[MarkHarmer]

I commented on this about a year ago - but it's so great to come back and visit. It's still a fantastic, passionate and wonderful song, beautifully performed by all. A real treat!

[boxplayer2]

i heard Joannie Madden play this air once and it was beautiful........Muireann really did the song justice!

[mzellgert]

I saw her in concert tonight in Collegville, MN. Quite a bit of beautiful sounds coming from Danu.

Muireann, my condolences on your recent loss.

[kealyc]

TG4gaeilige, I'd just like to thank you publicly for sending me the words to this in Irish. I feel like I now have access. Cheers dude. kealyc

[kealyc]

Tg4 gaeilige - thanks for posting this, but could you also post the words in Gaelic so that learners such as myself can follow it, otherwise, it's just a nice sounding melody that I can't understand.

[Pagra50]

Triona Ni Dhomnailll on the 88..

[bookkeeper57]

Someone a page or two back asked for the realtime pronunciation of this singer's name. She is Maureen McAuliffe. (some pronounce the first name as 'mwirren'.

[bookkeeper57]

Two way traffic between Ireland and Scotland: sure. They're the same people

basically.

[lowfiwhiteguy]

no.

[bradleyjenks]

The name for Scotland comes from Scotti, the "Irish" Immigrants who came there in droves. So, aside from Pictish heritage..... There is a major case to be made for this statement being true. Not to mention the droves of later Scottish immigrants who settled back in Northern Ireland, Antrim county especially.

[bookkeeper57]

Interesting that you'd mention that. My paternal grandfather had family ties in Glasgow and Country Antrim. By 1920,

a census report from that year puts him and his young family in Philly PA.

[mhicnanolc]

seonidh: I really see Gaidhlig and Gaeilge as the same single language of which there are many dialects some not mutually intelligable. Though I am not an expert.

One linguist once said the difference between a dialect and a language is if one has an army.

[topgun1863]

God, do I wish they aired this in the States.

[norsef]

A very powerful and emotive voice but I think it's ill suited to the music. In amongst the high pitched instruments she sounds like she's using a different register.

[bookkeeper57]

Her voice is low pitched, but in the same register as the instruments. I think this rendition is perfect. If she weren't hitting the same chords as the musicians, you wouldnt know if her voice is powerful or emotive. All you'd hear is the discord.

[norsef]

I see your point but I would still love to hear her backed up by some brass or a blues quartet.

[amandaberesford]

Mary Ann gets the pronunciation right in the intro, just listen.

[alunwest]

bookkeeper57

Muireann is not Maureen. It's pronounced "mwirran". "Maureen" is spelt Máirín in Irish (Gaelic).

[bookkeeper57]

Thanks for that. Almost positive about her last name. The name "Maureen" means something like "little Mary" in Irish Gaelic.

[alunwest]

You're right: Nic Amhlaoibh is the feminine form of Mac Amhlaoibh or MacAuliffe.

[bookkeeper57]

Great music from this gathering, but no one exactly dolled up for this BBC production. Everyone is dressed very

casually. Reminds me of IT professionals on Friday afternoon at work.

[Morichii]

I love her voice :D I always listen to her solo album. The irish songs are so beautiful *-*

[ljbabysprite]

'S math sin!

[gatesvillebill]

I ran across a condensed version of this program on the Deutche Welle America channel on satellite. I e-mailed the BBC about availability of a music album and a video, and the thought apparently never crossed their minds. They could sell a lot of both DVD and CD. This is the greatest music in the world!

[jwilliam2255]

@gatesvillebill YES! given the success of (now) four sets of Transatlantic Sessions, it's impossible to understand why they don't take your suggestion. They could do the folks in the states a favor by also releasing NTSC DVDs. Since they apparently won't, St. Nick will be leaving a PAL DVD player under my tree this year.

[MarkHarmer]

Wow, that's fantastic - a beautiful melody and wonderful accompaniment.

[Pictor100]

Absolutely sublime. Music like this touches me very deeply. Must be all that Scottish and Irish blood flowing through my veins that's at fault! :)

[jkosmdd]

Bravo!

[Seamus616]

Is seod í seo!

An mbeadhfeá ábalta an taspeantas úd "Fill A Rúin Ó" a bhi ar súil ón clar Imeall 26/11/08 a chuir ar fháil sa Youtube? Bhi se go breá!

[amandaberesford]

wow. that's so beautiful.

[AMason8634]

very nice.

[bigjohn697791]

how similar is or irish gealic to scottish gealic i know a few words in irish are the same as in scottish

[Seamus616]

they have the same origin. grammar is the same, but its difficult for the two to converse.

the differences are similar to the differences between English and Scots.

[arielsion]

But I think people from Donegal and Scotland have an easier time understanding each other...

[Seamus616]

its hard to say. but the same can be said like: galway understands Donegal better than Kerry. And Donegal understands Galway better than Scottish. There are similarities between certain words but it its still very difficult for them to converse

[DonegalRaymie201]

Remember there was a relatively huge influx of Scots into Donegal, (The Laggan) during the Plantation of Ulster. There's still the (Free) Presbyterian church on Letterkenny's Main street as a reminder! The links between Donegal and Glasgow are still very precious to this day! There's barely any Donegal folk who don't have close family in Glasgow! It's our "city," not Belfast or Dublin but Glasgow. Always has been!

"Manor Cunningham" for example, could hardly be more Scots?

[Rednuts142]

We are talking about the Irish language of the area.. not the culture.

[DonegalRaymie201]

I agree, but Ulster Gaelic/Irish is half way between Munster Irish and Scots Gaelic too! It's closest dialectal kin is (Scottish)Western Isles Gaelic also! Perhaps for the reasons I mentioned earlier. It's very likely that Scots Gaelic is derived from Ulster Gaelic via Colmcille and the U'Neill who became "Lords of the Isles" at Dalriada at Iona! The links go back into prehistory my friend! Just try to seperate the nations historically and you may see what I mean! (The "Scots" were Irish!)

[Seamus616]

The Goidlec language spoken in Donegal is a dialect of the Irish group not the Scottish. Some feel Scottish Gaelic is a dialect of the Irish language. But ithere many of examples of words and sounds common to Connacht and Ulster that neither Munster or Scotland share. Ulster shares incredible similarities with Scottish Gaelic, but the facts its a dialect of Irish, not Scottish.

[DonegalRaymie201]

You'll find no argument here! Think you may have misunderstood me. I've never known a Scots Gael who thought otherwise than that they came originally from Ireland, or that Scots Gaelic is but a Dialect of the Continum!

I only asked, if Ulster Gaelic/ Irish if you prefer, was the tongue that was exported along with Colmcille TO Scotland?

When I hear Julie Fowlis sing I'd love to claim her as one of our own! Or perhaps it may explain the Donegal/Glasgow link finally!

[seonidh]

Old Gaelic was spoken in Dal Riata it was not the national language of the Picts of Scotland. However when the king of Dal Riata planned to kill two Pictish princes Aid (Aith) and Constantine to take Pictland Fortu they fled to their aunt Pictish princess in 9th century. She was the wife of the King of Tir Connell Donegal no less and as a thank you when they returned to form the kingdom of Alba they had Gaelic as the national language. The links of Donegal and Alba are long and strong. Slan

[Seamus616]

Theres no language called old Gaelic, its called Old Irish.

[seonidh]

"Some feel Scottish Gaelic is a dialect of the Irish language"

No Scottish Gaelic is a sister language of Irish like Polish and Czech.

[seonidh]

They both derive from the same language root of old Gaelic but they are not the same, Cork Gaelic is almost unintelegable to a Donegal Irish speaker. I didnt in that last comment mean that Donegal Gaelic is Scottish just in case you think that. However it has strong ties to Scottish Gaelic thats all.

[Seamus616]

That story comes from the seanchas and béaloideas. It is not concrete fact. Many of these stories, while by all means were at one stage based on the truth, were orally passed down from generations untill recorded by Christians. many are unreliable and are merely a byproduct of storytelling traditions.

[Seamus616]

As does the entirety of the Irish language. Scottish Gaelic is really just the next step over. It is a connection starting from the South West coast of Ireland stretching to Scotland. Ulster being the closest. But seriously you are completely wrong to say Cork and Donegal speakers cant understand eachother. Go dtuga ciall duit, agus nár laga sé do lámh!

[Seamus616]

Thats your opinion. Ive read a professor of linguistics state he felt the only thing making Italian and Spanish seperate was politics. Did you say Cork and Donegal Gaels cant converse? I live in a Gaeltacht, I hear them speak to eachother everyday on the television, radio and even in person. There is sufiicient evidence to prove Gaelic language and culture spread to the west Coast of Scotland from trading, cultural assimilation and settlement.

[zorbo77]

I've read that Spanish and Portuguese share about 85% of the same vocabulary, but for some reason, people who speak Portuguese understand people who speak Spanish quite easily and with not much effort however the converse is not true.

[DonegalRaymie201]

That's true. I've met Portuguese who had no trouble understanding Spanish, and even Italian, but were not understood in return.

I guess it's the big neighbour thing, where Portuguese hear lots of Spanish regularly, perhaps on TV/radio so learn to comprehend but maybe not speak it. Bit like Scots speakers having no trouble understanding English, but English struggling to grasp Scots. They never hear it!

[seonidh]

What you say here is correct, in Glasgow their is a community most Irish that came here from Donegal. So much so that a woman I once met from wexford said (a little bit annoyed) that Donegal people are everywhere here and not her part of Ireland. Also Scots have gone to Donegal as the Gallowglass and Islay is a short boat ride away. Music and the fiddle tunes are similar and if you go to Donegal town its like a little Glasgow as theirs a lot of that accent their too.

[seonidh]

The links go even further back, the granddaughter of Cinead Mac Alpine married into the royal court of Donegall in the 9th century and took two Cruithne Pictish princes Aith and Constantine and they learned Donegal gaelic. When they returned to scotland as kings they changed the national language to Gaelic instead of brythonic as a thank you but kept the Pictish name for the country Alba. Ties have been forged even before Ireland became a country. Something to be proud of ;)

[DonegalRaymie201]

Well, one could even add that Donegal's first export to Alba was a certain Colmcille/ St. Columba who had quite an impact on the "wee land across the way".

[BardofCornwall]

This Highland Sessions show is fantastic. I wish we got it in Canada.

[JSCWhistler]

Yes, it's the same song she sings on the thing about Bulgaria! This is such a beautiful one...