Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it, by Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over

Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it

by Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over

supported by

	/

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Physical CD complete with detail liner notes outlining origins and importance of the 'Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it' project.

Includes unlimited streaming of Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

Purchasable with gift card

€15 EUR or more
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

€10 EUR or more

1.	The Humours of Aughnashalvey / The Emyvale Reel / Séamus Mór McKenna 03:06	info	buy track
2.	Owen Connolly's/John Joe McElroys/Mick Rooney's 04:04		buy track
3.	Boys of Carrickroe/Knockatallon Cross/ The Setting Sun (Jigs) 03:58		buy track
4.	Lullaby for Irish Pipes 03:24		buy track
5.	McKenna's/Jack's Alive/McKenna's No. 2 (Reels) 03:21		buy track
6.	My Charming Edward Boyle (Song) 04:26		buy track
7.	Miss Mullen / The Green Cockade/Margot Jackson 04:07		buy track
8.	Mick Rooney's / The Monaghan Scutcher / When You Come Home You'll Get It, You'll Get It 03:57		buy track
9.	O'Connell's / Norah of the Glen / Francie McKenna's (Reels) 03:22		buy track
10.	Lord Rossmore’s Tally-Ho In The Morning / Eddie Curran’s / The Roving Lads Of Dava 04:19		buy track
11.	The Kingston / The Thresher (Hornpipes) 03:37		buy track
12.	The Granshaw Boys / The Three County Hollow / The Sporting Lads Of Scotstown (Reel) 03:30		buy track
13.	The Maid of Sweet Kilmore (song) 03:50		buy track
14.	Mick Rooney’s / Before Owen Connolly’s Time / The Cadgers 03:46		buy track
15.	A Truagh Clog Dance / John Joe McElroy’s 04:00		buy track

about

Irish traditional music from the Sliabh Beagh region of Co. Monaghan/Co.Fermanagh. Winner of the Tg4 2016 Gradam Ceoil

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During her lifetime, my grandmother Annie McElwain had a keen interest in Irish proverbs or ‘seanfhocail’. In her later years, however, as both her health and mental faculties faded, one seanfhocal in particular appeared to monopolise her thoughts - Imíonn na daoine, ach fanann na cnoic (The people go, but the hills remain). Repeated with almost mantra-like frequency, the poignancy of this saying, given her situation, struck me even then. Having outlived her spouse, her siblings and friends, the world which she surveyed, was at once familiar and foreign: the familiarity of surroundings, offset by a strangeness fostered by the passage of time and the loss of friends and family. Life passes through place. Generational change plays an important role in the gradual evolution of both place and identity. Social activities and cultural practices, which served as hallmarks of previous generations, are often supplanted and replaced instead by more contemporary alternatives. Indeed over time, knowledge of these very activities and traditions can recede, slowly slipping from the collective memory.

Irish button accordionist Tony McMahon has suggested that Irish traditional music requires a ‘search for the local footprints of those who have gone before ... for the music and songs of one’s own place, and if that is not successful, a search for the music to which the individual musical spirit can reverberate.’ In keeping with these sentiments, this recording retraces the traditional musical imprints of my own native place, the Sliabh Beagh region of Monaghan / Fermanagh. Representing the natural musical outcome of my PhD studies at Dundalk Institute of Technology, it seeks to reclaim elements of the musical heritage of the region, forgotten with the passing of time and people. Returning material recovered from unpublished music manuscripts and archival recordings to some of the region’s many fine traditional musicians, it seeks to acknowledge the musical contribution of those who have gone before and inform in some small measure those who go after.

Seán McElwain

credits

released October 9, 2023

Featuring: Seán McElwain (bouzouki/guitar/banjo), Dónal McCague (fiddle), Conor McCague (banjo), Michael McCague (guitar), Darren Breslin (button accordion), Michael Rooney (concertina), Laura Beagon (fiddle), Monica Beagon (vocals), Caitríona Sherlock (vocals)

Thanks to the Arts Council, Shirley Clerkin and the Monaghan Heritage Office, Somhairle Mac Conghaile and the Monaghan Arts Office for funding support and assistance in the making of this recording. Thanks also to the many people who have helped bring this project to fruition - Dr. Helen Lyons & Dr. Dáithí Kearney in the Music Section, D.K.I.T., Nicholas Carolan and the staff at the Irish Traditional Music Archive and staff at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum for their assistance in accessing relevant archival material. Further thanks is necessary to Austin Murray, Mack McKenna (RIP), Margaret ‘Shan’ McKenna, Alfie Dinkin, Eamonn Curran, Mackie Rooney, Pat McCabe, Eugene McElwain, Oisín MacDiarmada, Deirdre Connolly, Mattie Connolly, Padraig McGovern, John Carty, not to mention my wife Éadaoin, son Conall and parents Séamus & Peggy McElwain.
A special thanks also to Dónal McCague, who was a constant source of assistance during the preparation, arrangement and production of this CD. I have no hesitation in admitting that this project would have been immeasurably poorer without Dónal’s immense musical knowledge and abilities.

All tracks traditional and arranged by Seán McElwain & Dónal McCague.
The voice recording of Seán McAloon is taken from the Louis Quinn collection and appears courtesy of Seán Quinn.

Recorded and engineered by:
Paul Guerney at Real World Studio, Longford.

Additional recording by:
John Blake at ‘The Lion’s Den’, Dublin.
Tommy Flack at ‘Attic Studios’, Co. Monaghan.

Cover Photograph by Irene Suchocki.
Artwork by Brian O’Hanlon.
Sleeve Notes by Seán McElwain.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ourdeardarkmountain Twitter: www.twitter.com/SliabhBeaghCD

license

about

Our Dear Dark Mountain Dublin 2, Ireland

Irish traditional music from the Sliabh Beagh region of Co. Monaghan /
Co.Fermanagh.

Winner of the Tg4 2016 Gradam Ceoil

contact / help

Contact Our Dear Dark Mountain

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it, you may also like:

Carlos Sweeney McCartin
by Carlos Sweeney McCartin

supported by 7 fans who also own “Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it”

Tá grá ag Dia d’Éirinn, agus is cruthúnas é sin. O*Salutaris*Hostia
go to album
The One After It
by Carlos Sweeney McCartin

supported by 6 fans who also own “Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it”

Superbly played music with a great ‘live’ feel. Love Donal Lunny’s bouzouki the connection between fiddle and flute and the spot-on production and recording. Love it! Hope you lads go on to do loads more. thecapn_uk
go to album
Not Before Time...39 Years in the Making
by Páraic Mac Donnchadha

supported by 6 fans who also own “Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it”

🍻 I'm speechless. I can't even pronounce the guy's name (I'm working on that 🤣🤣), let alone comment on how brilliant his playing is. Not only that, but the physical album is the most substantial CD case and booklet I've ever held, outside of an OH MY GIRL album. Yes, I'm proud of myself for referencing k-pop while commenting on an Irish trad record. Anyone searching for tenor banjo on BC could stop here and be entirely fulfilled, although I encourage you to search for others as well. ⚡🔥🪕🔥⚡ acmochi
go to album
Buile
by Roehind

“Buile” uses an electronic backdrop to explore songs old and new from the Celtic tradition. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 23, 2023
go to album
COTOVIA TWIN - Consolação // Pescador
by Cotovia Twin

featured on Bandcamp Radio Apr 30, 2024
go to album
The Confluence LP
by Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21

Former member of Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80 unveils a rich, swinging new record that pulls from jazz and soul in its high-wattage songs. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 24, 2024
go to album
Beo
by Pádraic Keane, Páraic Mac Donnchadha & Macdara Ó Faoláin

supported by 5 fans who also own “Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it”

Absolutely sensational - love the generally low-end tones and planxty-esque set up, but most of all the incredible energy of it! Wish more instrumental trad was like this, love the fact that it's recorded live too. Prangman
go to album