An Coulin agus An Tsean Coulin/Irish Air

[mactcampbell]

PS: Are there two airs here? I've only seen this rendition by Eugene referred to as "An Coulin"

[flanncada]

@mactcampbell I gave up soeaking Irish when I escaped from the Christian Brothers many years ago (before someone 'standardised' it.) In Irish my understanding is 'An Chuilfionn' would be a young man with long fair hair (as in the original 16th Century song. 'An Chuilfionn' would be a girl as in the later folk song. Cul (back) and fionn (failr haired). In my limited knowledge - 'coolin' and 'cuilin' are anglicised. No doubt someone will put me right on this

[mactcampbell]

@flanncada: Thank you for the info.

[mactcampbell]

These two sound great as usual. There's another air that they do an excellent job on, I think it's in C major, called "The Foggy Dew"

[ormepipes]

Summed up in one word - STUNNING.

[DaveLister43]

@ormepipes I agree. ....thank you for commenting.

[maureenderry]

@ormepipes Stunning is the word....Thank you for commenting.

[OrlaLxX]

thank you so much for putting this up, my grandad absolutely adores this air and hasn't heard it for years, he was thrilled when I found it for him :)

[maureenderry]

@OrlaLxX Yes it is beautiful but no one plays it quite like Eugene O'Donnell

[bronteburns]

Thanks for posting this! So Beautiful :)

[maureenderry]

@bronteburns Thankyou for commenting.

[blkvelvetband]

what are the words or title of this beautiful, fluid piece?....so soul stirringly poignant....english please.....and I thank you!

[HarleyNugent1]

Thank you so much for putting this online. I was asked to play An Coulin at the graveside of a very dear and lifelong friend (her brothers both played it many years ago). I am classically trained and have very little experience of traditional music. This is by far the most beautiful and poignant version that I found online: thanks to you putting it here, I was able to play a heartfelt tribute to my friend.

[maureenderry]

@HarleyNugent1 It is a long time since I first heard Eugene play An Coulin and there is no one can play it just like him. When I was a young girl I remember him coming to our house regularly.

[Hotchpotch08]

Stunningly beautiful!

[maureenderry]

Mmmmm....I agree.

[Fr3derick]

Beautiful!!!

Grandma mary

[maureenderry]

Thank you.

[yeahbyme]

Dawn is lighting your face, and I am always your "fair haired one". Ta gra agum guts.

[maureenderry]

Don't know how I missed your comment . Thank you now.

[AlexNavar]

I agree... Sublime! Love it! Love it! Love it!

[maureenderry]

I seem to be on 'catchup'. Thank you for your lovely comment.

[freeoriginalsongs]

Gotta love it

[mactcampbell]

Greetings from Cape Breton: Yes these two can certainly play slow airs and no you can't train to play like that. I play my own arrangement of this tune but after listening to these two I think I have a complex. Great photography also. Excellent all around.

[maureenderry]

Thanks for your lovely comments. Maureen

[Pitsku]

Sublime - oh, the joys of Youtube. Top girl, Maureen!

[maureenderry]

Thank you..........

[ljped]

It is such a delight to discover this. I knew and had the privelege to play with Eugene in the mid-70's in Philadelphia. Not only was a great fiddler but also the best accompaniest I've ever encountered.

Thanks Maureen.

[maureenderry]

I agree with you. The last time I heard Eugene he played a beautiful descant for me singing "The last Rose of Summer" He made it very special. I hope to meet up with him this weekend for we are both invited to the 100th Birthday of a mutual friend.

[jimharryjoe]

Love the pictures Maureen:)

[maureenderry]

Thanks James. They were taken in Fahan, Moville and Greencastle, Co. Donegal with my wee digital camera.( except the airial one of the Foyle.

[Derventio74]

Stunningly beautiful..

[maureenderry]

I agree. The first time I heard Eugene play An Coulin was when I was a little girl....it still gives me a thrill every time I hear it..it goes right to the soul.

[Derventio74]

It does indeed.. After my illness, this is just the sort of music which relaxes and cheers me up.. Thank you.

[clarebannerman]

Only the violin can do this beautiful air justice. Also you're pics. Of Donegal match the music ~~~ Mícheál

[maureenderry]

Thank you. I know Eugene for many years and have never heard anyone play this air like him. So full of emotion.

[UISTMAN59]

I meant to say "Great pictures of Donegal also."

[maureenderry]

I took these with a small digital camera and am anxious to start taking more pictures since I have learned how to make videos with Windows Movie Maker!!

[UISTMAN59]

It looks like you do a great job. Best wishes. Iain,

[UISTMAN59]

"In the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Henry VIII, an Act was made respecting the habits, and dress in general, of the Irish, whereby all persons were constrained from being shorn or shaven above the ears, or from wearing Glibbes, or Coulins (long locks) -- a song was written by one of our bards, in which an Irish girl states her preference to her dear Coulin (or the youth with the flowing locks) to all strangers (by which the English were meant) ***** Great tunes

[maureenderry]

Thanks. Great tunes indeed. I have sung this song in Gaelic but in recent years have sung the English version "Tho' the Last Glimpse of Erin' My Gaelic is not so good but it does sound more beautiful in Gaelic.

[maureenderry]

I will be uploading more of Eugene and James in the near future...Irish airs as they should be played!

[lorgain2]

Two of Irelands most beautiful airs, played to perfection, more from Eugene and James would be welcome.

[bmcneese45a]

Absolutely beautiful. I find it amazing that they recorded the entired CD in 4 hours! No retakes needed here.

[suzieqt68]

Beautiful music and a great job on the video Maureen!! 5 stars!