Cork composer and singer to launch new trad album for folk festival

A new album of traditional songs in Irish and English will be launched next week as part of the 46th Cork Folk Festival.

The collection, Seoda na Sean, by Cork traditional singer and musician Pádraig Mac Cárthaigh, consists of a book and double CD, with an emphasis on songs from Carbery, as well as traditional music tracks.

The album will be launched by Cork composer, singer and accordion player Con Fada Ó Drisceoil in The Corner House on Coburg St.

Mr Mac Cárthaigh regularly plays in that hostelry on Tuesday evenings with fiddlers Seamus Sands, Matt Cranitch, and Garry Cronin; uilleann piper Desy McCabe, and many other musicians.

A retired lecturer in physics at UCC, Mr Mac Cárthaigh’s proficiency in sean-nós singing developed over many years’ participation in Peadar Ó Riada’s weekly Acadamh Fódhla at The Mills in Baile Bhúirne.

The album’s full title is Seoda na Sean, Irish Songs c. 1650-1850 from Carbery, Muskerry and across South Munster, and among the songs are the full, 11-verse version of the Cork city ballad The Star of Sunday’s Well, written by William B Guinee in 1879, and the 1990 song The Ordnance Survey Man by the late Deaglán Tallon.

Instrumental tracks of fiddle and pipe music feature Seamus Sands, Garry Cronin, and Desy McCabe, while Colm Murphy, Seamus Sands, and Pádraig’s son Diarmait Mac Cárthaigh accompany several songs.

One review of the album said: “The sweetness of the music and the beauty of the songs in this collection Seoda na Sean is exceptional. Everything about it is personal which is in itself a beautiful thing.”

Mhol Peadar Ó Riada an leabhar go hard chomh maith: “I saothar seo Phádraig Mhic Cárthaigh tá bailiúchán álainn, iontach amhrán. Ní hamháin focail na n-amhrán atá againn anseo ach a stair agus a n-uile eolas eile, bailithe le chéile chun scéal na n-amhrán féin do thabhairt dúinn slán iomlán.”

• Seoda na Sean will be launched at 6pm on Friday, October 3, in The Corner House, Coburg St.