|
The North Connacht musical tradition of counties Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon, and its strong association with the fiddle and flute, played a key role in the early recordings of Irish traditional music during the early 20th century. Emerging from this era, names such as Coleman, Morrison, Killoran and McKenna left a stylistic mark on music throughout Ireland and the United States, a rich heritage maintained in subsequent decades throughout the North Connacht region by a legion of superb musicians including Fred Finn and Peter Horan.
Influenced by the legacy of this highly-developed musical environment, the Innisfree Céilí Band comprises a generation of musicians who grew up playing together, fusing individual skill through a shared stylistic impulse, to produce a distinctive and mature musical voice. Defined by a rare sweetness and clarity of tone, the band succeeds in capturing the dramatic energy and drive which is a strong element of both North Connacht music and the genre of the céilí band itself.
In 2008, the Innisfree became the first céilí band from North Connacht to win the coveted All-Ireland Senior Céilí Band competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
Track listing:
1. Reels: The Real Blackthorn Stick - Trim the Velvet
2. Jigs: The Templehouse - The Waddling Gander
3. Reels: McGettrick's - The Mystery Reel
4. Marches: O' Domhnaill Abu - Jamesy Gannon's
5. Reels: Farrell O'Gara's - Miss McDonald's
6. Barndances: Peach Blossom - Mrs.Kenny's
7. Reels: The Flowers of Redhill - The Providence - The Ballina Lass - Fred Finn's
8. Polkas: Return of Spring - The Mountain Pathway
9. Jigs: Geese in the Bog - I Was Born For Sport
10. Reels: Captain Kelly's - The Tailor's Thimble - The Red-haired Lass
11. Hornpipes: Lawson's - Tommy Hill's Favourite
12. Reels: Colonel Rodger's Favourite - The Happy Days of Youth
|