Here is a link to the mini-documentary I made about the West Clare Railway.
My thanks to all the people who contributed to it and who gave me great leads and stories … enough to make a full length documentary!
It’s dedicated to my mother & and her sisters, my grandmother, and great-grandmother – all of whom travelled to Kilkee on the West Clare.
So after all the work … here is Tracking the Ghost Train
I’d love to get your feedback … and any stories you have about the West Clare Railway.
On the day of the Marriage Equality and Presidential referendums my colleague Julie Flavin and I visited a rural polling station to record a vox pop ‘exit poll’.
When we head off to do vox pops, we never know what we are going to get … in terms of material and/or abuse! Actually, a lot of the time people are shy. And no more so than when you are trying to find out how they have voted. So, thank you to everyone who spoke to us so freely.
But there is one voice that I cannot forget; she was the person I first thought of as the results came through the next day.
She came out of the polling station with her father (I presume) – who gestured with a wave of his arm to her that here we were … at her disposal … that she could speak out in any way she liked. And we were delighted to record her.
In fact, it was a privilege to hear this young woman – voting for the first time – for whom that day was so important.
The vox pop was first broadcast on Tuesday 26 May on Wild Atlantic Waves Radio, as part of the Midday Show during our News in Focus slot.
It was mixed down by Julie, and she did a fantastic job. The excerpt here includes intro and outro clips on either side of the vox pop:
My solo radio show on wildatlanticwaves.wordpress.com on May 27 was inspired by an article in Vanity Fair by Lisa Robinson. You can read ‘An Oral History of Laurel Canyon’ here.
This time around on the Western Skyline, I journeyed to Laurel Canyon of the 60s and 70s and played tracks by Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash and others.
You can listen to the show here:
The playlist is below:
For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield 1966 Atco Records
Monday, Monday – The Mamas & Papas, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears 1966 Dunhill Records
A Case of You – Joni Mitchell, Blue 1971 Warner Bros. Records
Woodstock – Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Dejá Vu 1970 Atlantic Recording Corp.
Cathedral – Crosby Stills & Nash, CSN Greatest Hits 1977, 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp.
Carey – Joni Mitchell, Blue 1971 Warner Bros. Records
Home Again – Carole King, Tapestry 1971 Ode Records
I Feel the Earth Move – Carole King, Tapestry 1971 Ode Records
Earlybird – The Eagles, Eagles 1972 Asylum Records
Marrakesh Express – Crosby Stills & Nash, CSN Greatest Hits 1977, 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp.
Just a quick thank you to everyone who turned up last Friday night to the Record Break Café in Ennis for Poetry Corner readings by myself and Donal O’Conaill, & music and song from Emer O’Flaherty.
I really appreciated the reaction to the poems. Some were new poems on their first night out; they were very shy.
Now, my lovelies, you should go to Sinéad’s café when you are next in Ennis. The coffee is stonkin’ and the chocolate & caramel cake looks divine. I’m heading back there soon for a slice.
In other writing matters – I’ve just posted a blog about the Walter Macken centenary. You can click on ‘blog’ above, or here. I’d be glad to get your comments.
Delighted to have an article about the centenary of Galway writer Walter Macken in this week’s Clare Champion.
Check out http://www.antaibhdhearc.com for full details of the centenary celebrations.
The title of this post paraphrases a famous line from The Life of Brian.
Well, here is someone who is doing something for the Romans … and the ancient Greeks.
Meet sixteen year old Oscar McHale – who had me smiling broadly as I drove into class this morning. Oscar was on the John Murray Show on RTÉ Radio 1 – talking Classics and all things classical. It was fantastic to hear someone of Oscar’s age make a case for Classics in the classroom at secondary level, and to echo comments common in the corridors of our universities right now: that most of the funding in education in this country focuses on science; to the detriment of the arts.
Oscar obviously adores the subject – he started lectures for friends who were interested in learning more about Classics. Now, there is a society for young Irish Classics fans – with support from Trinity College and Oscar’s teacher. Check them out on Twitter @CYSI_ and on their Facebook page.
And if you want something to make you smile in these dark days of the 1% majority and the dark deeds of global markets capitalism – listen to the podcast of today’s radio interview here
As someone who graduated in Classics and History, I was delighted to hear Oscar express such an interest in both subjects. Best of luck to him in the years ahead. And good luck to the CYSI
As part of my radio work for my diploma I had to do a short interview with someone.
I decided to speak to one Mr Charles Montgomery Burns, from Springfield (aka Scott D). Mr Burns has just announced that he will be running in the 2016 American presidential election.
But – how safe will America be in the hands of Mr Burns?
YOU decide!
Listen here to Mr Burn’s first public interview since his campaign manager, Mr Waylon Smithers announced the candidacy on social media on Sunday 13th April.
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From now on I will broadcast my solo shows with Wild Atlantic Waves Radio under the programme title Western Skyline. Most likely, each show will have a different theme.
So, here is the first one – a selection of Irish traditional and ‘prog. trad’ music: some of the finest musicians in the world.
Listen to Clannad, Planxty, The Chieftains, Horslips, Martin Hayes and many of the people with whom he collaborates.
Hope you enjoy the show as much as I did compiling it.
And, if you wonder about a reference to Marilyn Moroe on the sign off – we had a live Happy Birthday sung for our Chris in the studio. I edited that out of the podcast!
PLAYLIST
Clannad: Brian Boru’s March – ‘Clannad’ 2014 Spectrum Music
Planxty: As I Roved Out – ‘The Well Below the Valley’ 2005 Shanachie Records
Planxty & Bill Whelan: Timedance Eurovision 1981 Interval Act – see youtube
The Chieftains & Sting: Mo Ghile Mear (excerpt) – ‘The Long Black Veil’ 1995 BMG Music
The Chieftains: Carolan’s Concerto – ‘The Essential Chieftains’ 2006 BG Intl
The Bothy Band: The Kesh/Give us a drink of water… – ‘Bothy Band Live’ 1994 Windsong Intl
The Bothy Band: Farewell to Erin – ‘Bothy Bank Live’ 1994 Windsong Intl
Horslips: Dearg Doom – ‘The Táin’ 1973 RCA (UK)
Martin Hayes: The Star of Munster – ‘Martin Hayes’ 1992 Green Linnet
Martin Hayes & Denis Cahill: Martin Rochford’s/The Green Gowned Lass – ‘Live in Seattle’ 1999 Green Linnet
The Gloaming: Samhradh Samhradh – ‘The Gloaming’ 2011 prod. T Bartlett.
Hello listeners!
Below is a link to my radio show from Thursday 2 April 2015 – broadcast on Wild Atlantic Waves Radio online. Classical Easter is a mix of classical music (now, there’s a surprise). There’s some chat about Easter, the Emperor Constantine, Tenebrae, plus the food we like to eat around this time of the year. What is simnel cake?
I’ve also given the playlist below. Hope you enjoy it . Comments are welcome.
PLAYLIST:
Intro and last track: Beethoven’s Allegro # 3 from the Pastoral Symphony performed by Orquesta Lírica de Barcelona
‘Christ is Risen’ (Arabic) performed by St Symeon Orthodox Church Choir, Birmingham Alabama.
‘Alleluia’ (Georgian/Znamenny Chant) performed by Stretenye: The Ensemble of Old church Music, Kharkov
‘Responsories for Holy Saturday’ by Tomás Luis de Vittoria performed by Sepulto Domino
‘He was Despised and Rejected of Men’ from Handel’s Messiah, performed by Les Arts Florissants
Excerpt from And the Trumpet Shall Sound from Handel’s Messiah, performed by The Monteverdi Choir
Ach Herr lass dein lieb Engelein from J.S Bach’s St. John’s Passion, performed by Joanne Lunn, Katherine Fuge conducted by JE Gardiner.
‘Sprin’g from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi performed by the London Philharmonic with Pieter Schoeman
‘That Sheep May Safely Graze’ by J.S Bach, performed by the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
‘The Easter Hymn’ from Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, performed by Julia Varady and the London Opera Chorus
JOIN ME & MY CO-HOSTS
The Breakfast Show with Julie, Lorraine & Karen this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 31 March – 2nd April.
On the Menu
The Mini Feature
Movie Moments Quiz
What’s RIGHT with Ireland?
On this day
News updates
And – of course – some great music.
Bígí linn!
PODCAST of TUESDAY’S SHOW 31 March 2015
PODCAST of WEDNESDAY’S SHOW 1 April 2015
PODCAST of THURSDAY’S SHOW 2 April 2015
Karen J McDonnell 