Manus Lunny Music Residency
by Manus Lunny

This new CD collection of the unique song archive from Rann na Feirste in West Donegal is the culmination of an artist’s residency by Manus Lunny. The songs have been chosen by the performers and represent the type of song one is most likely to hear in the intimate setting of the home, at local social events or in the local pub. Most of songs were composed by writers and poets from Rann na Feirste and all but two tracks are performed by local artists or by those who have strong family links to the area. Two of Donegal’s most celebrated traditional singers, Máire Brennan and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, perform tracks on the CD.


A free copy of the CD was distributed to each household in townland of Rann na Feirste and all subsequent proceeds from the CD and associated concerts will directly benefit both Scoil Náisiúnta and Áislann Rann na Feirste community and enterprise centre. Read More

Manus Lunny Music Residency, 2009
Commissioned utilising the Per Cent for Art Scheme arising from Housing projects in West Donegal, musical residency in Rann na Feirste, West Donegal.

photo of manus lunny playing his gutair photo of chair and musical instruments photo of key board and keys cd cover cd cover
photo of manus lunny playing his gutair photo of a pack of Lozengers

Biography of artist

Manus Lunny

Manus Lunny is one of the top accompanists, arrangers and producers working in traditional Irish and Scottish music today. He is renowned for his innovative work with Capercaille, Donald Shaw and Michael McGoldrick for whom he produced the CD ‘Morning Rory’. He has worked with many of the top traditional musicians in the world and has produced and engineered many acclaimed recordings.


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A background to the Rann na Feirste CD –

Rann na Feirste has played a key role in producing and maintaining the Irish language arts. This small community’s contribution in terms of literature, song and storytelling is quite unique. It begins an exiting new phase in its community’s development with the building of Áislann Rann na Feirste, a community and enterprise centre which will, for the first time, provide social, cultural and economic workspace for local people. A local committee was set up in 2008 to produce a CD which would celebrate the community’s contribution to traditional music and song. The songs have been chosen by the performers and represent the type of song one is most likely to hear in the intimate setting of the home, at local social events or in the local pub. Most of songs were composed by writers and poets from Rann na Feirste and all but two tracks are performed by local artists or by those who have strong family links to the area. We are delighted that two of Donegal’s most celebrated traditional singers, Máire Brennan and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, have shown their support by performing tracks on the CD.

In 1972 Gael Linn produced the first collection of song, poetry and traditional music from Rann na Feirste. The album, Rann na Feirste: Ceol agus Amhráin, was digitally remastered and re-released in 2006. We are particularly pleased that four of the artists who performed on the original album have also contributed to this new recording.

Music and song are not produced in a vacuum. They are the dynamic product of a complex interaction between human society and its environment. The songs on this CD, with their themes of love, tragedy, nature and the love of place, record that social relationship and are expressed in the local dialect of Irish. In a sense music and song are the currencies which enable small rural communities, like Rann na Feirste in West Donegal, to contribute to the arts in general, while also allowing the broader community access to the artist expression of a community that still continues to take pride in its native culture. All proceeds from the CD and associated concerts will directly benefit both Scoil Náisiúnta and Áislann Rann na Feirste.

Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Coiste Dhlúthdhiosca Rann na Feirste, Fómhar 2009


Manus Lunny Music Residency, Ceol Cheann Dubhrann

A Mhéilte Cheann Dubhrann, is sibh a thógfadh domh cian, Tráthnóna sa tsamhradh nuair a luíos an ghrian. Tá na hamhráin agus an seanchas fá choiscéim dá chéile, bíonn an siúl céanna leo, ag inse scéal a bpobail, agus is amhlaidh an cás sa bhailiúchán ceoil agus amhrán seo, Ceol Cheann Dubhrann. Is cnuasacht ceoil agus amhrán é seo de chuid Rann na Feirste. Tá an bailiúchán bunaithe ar mheascán d’amhráin a cumadh i Rann na Feirste agus amhráin ar ghnách a cheol ariamh anall ar an bhaile.

Is iad muintir agus bunadh an bhaile amháin atá ar an dlúthdhiosca, seachas dhá aoi speisialta atá ar na gaobhair linn, is iad sin Máire Ní Bhraonáin agus Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, ár gcomharsain agus ár gcairde. Tá muid sásta go bhfuil ceathrar den mhuintir a ghlac páirt sa chéad cheirnín, Rann na Feirste, Ceol agus Amhráin, a thaifead Gael Linn in 1972, le cloisteáil ar an dara bailiúchán ceoil seo.

Is é Coiste Cheol Cheann Dubhrann a chuir an dlúthdhiosca seo le chéile le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar cheol agus amhráin Rann na Feirste. Rachaidh an phroifid uilig a dhéanfar as an tionscnamh seo chun sochair do Scoil Náisiúnta Oilibhéar Pluincéid agus d’Áislann Rann na Feirste. Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Samhain 2009 Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Coiste Dhlúthdhiosca Rann na Feirste, Fómhar 2009


Manus Lunny Music Residency - Notes for the songs

1. Lá Breá Te sa tSamhradh Chum Seán Bán Mac Grianna (John Bán Fheilimí, 1905-1979) as Rann na Feirste an t-amhrán seo. Amhrán grá ina mbíonn an file ag meabhrú ar laetha a óige agus ar ainnir dheas a casadh dó Lá Breá Te sa tSamhradh. Ach níor éirigh leis an údar caidreamh a dhéanamh léi agus d’éalaigh sí uaidh san oíche.

2. Ar Maidin Dé Máirt Amhrán grá eile atá i gceist leis an amhrán seo agus tá téamaí an ghrá le sonrú i bhfocla an amhráin, go háirid briseadh cleamhnais agus briseadh croí. Insíonn an t-amhrán an scéal faoi fhear atá ag fanacht lena ghrá geal ar lá a bpósta ach ligeann sí síos é mar nach dtig sí lena phósadh. Cuireann seisean an locht ar chúlchaint daoine a chuir ó phósadh iad.

3. Méilte Cheann Dubhrann Chum Séamus Ó Grianna (Jimí Fheilimí, 1889-1969), an scríbhneoir cáiliúil as Rann na Feirste, an t-amhrán seo agus ba é a dheartháir, Hiúdaí Fheilimí, a chan é an chéaduair in 1925. Chan sé Méilte Cheann Dubhrann ag cóisir i dteach na comharsan, Aodh John Mac Gairbheith, do mhac Aoidh, Johnny Mór, a bhí ag imeacht go Meiriceá an mhaidin dár gcionn. Bhí sé leathchéad bliain sular phill sé ar Rann na Feirste.

4. Mheall Sí Lena Glórthaí Mé Seán Bán Mac Grianna as Rann na Feirste a chum an t-amhrán seo fá chailín as Gaoth Dobhair a raibh sé i ngrá léi. Bhí sise i ngrá leisean fosta ach. níor phós ceachtar den bheirt ariamh. Fuair seisean bás roimpi agus bhí sise ar a thórramh.

5. An Chéad Mháirt d’Fhómhar Amhrán brónach a chum Séamus Ó Domhnaill, duine de na ‘Filí gan Iomrá’, nuair a báitheadh a mhac, Pádraig, le linn dó a bheith ar a bhealach i gcurach trasna an ghaoith idir an Bun Beag agus Rann na Feirste sa bhliain 1811. Maíonn scríbhneoirí áirithe go bhfuil Pádraig adhlactha i Machaire Gathlán siocair gurbh as Gaoth Dobhair Gráinne, bean Shéamuis, agus go raibh sise ag iarraidh a mac a bheith adhlactha i Machaire Gathlán. Bhí a athair i bhfách lena mhac a bheith i reilig na Cruite in éineacht le Dálaigh Rann na Feirste uilig. D’éirigh achrann eatarthu. Fágadh an cinneadh ag Niall, an mac ab óige, agus roghnaigh seisean reilig na Cruite.

6. An Seanduine Dóite Tá leaganacha éagsúla den amhrán bhríomhar seo le fáil ar fud na tíre. Cailín óg pósta ar sheanduine, ach nuair a bhíonn seisean ina chodladh, bíonn sise ag spraoi le fir óga! Téama atá coitianta go leor i gcuid mhór de na hamhráin ghrá go moltar don chailín óg gan an seanduine a phósadh ar mhaithe le maoin shaolta. Tá leagan an amhráin atá ar fáil ar an dlúthdhiosca seo iontach comhaimseartha mar atá an téama féin.

7. Úirchill an Chreagáin Ceann de na hamhráin is binne agus is breátha dá bhfuil le fáil; is aisling thírghrách é seo a chum Art Mac Cumhaigh (1715-1773), an file ba mhó cliú d’fhilí Oirialla i nDeisceart Ard Mhacha. Tá an dán i bhfoirm agallaimh idir an file agus sióg; eisean ag caoineadh chliseadh na nGael agus ansmacht na nGall, ise ag iarraidh é a mhealladh chuig Tír na Meala. Géilleann sé di sa deireadh ar choinníoll gur lena mhuintir féin i reilig an Chreagáin a d’adhlacfaí é, níor mhiste cá háit a bhfaigheadh sé bás.

8. Má théid tú chun Aonaigh Amhrán a bhí iontach coitianta i Rann na Feirste uair den tsaol agus leis an leagan úr seo ar an dlúthdhiosca, beidh daoine in ann éisteacht a thabhairt don amhrán arís. Ba ghnách le measarthacht daoine ar an bhaile an t-amhrán a cheol agus ina measc an bheirt deartháireacha Aodh agus Seán Ó Duibheannaigh mar aon leis an fhile Seán Bán Mac Grianna agus a nia, Feidhlimidh Dubh Ó Baoighill. Rinneadh taifid éagsúla de na leaganacha seo thar na blianta.

9. Mo Sheanchara Dhílis Is í Gearóidín Breathnach, an t-amhránaí iomráiteach as Rann na Feirste agus buaiteoir Chorn Uí Riada, a chum agus a chanann an t-amhrán brónach seo i gcuimhne a hathara, Neidí Frainc Mac Grianna. Bhain an t-amhrán seo Comórtas na nAmhrán Nua-chumtha san Oireachtas in 1982.

10. Caidé Sin Don Té Sin? Seanamhrán traidisiúnta a raibh agus a bhfuil cuid mhór dúil ann agus a fhianaise seo ar na leaganacha éagsúla