Saturday, June 24, 2000

Conall O'Gallachoir New CD Launch at Leo's Tavern - updated and corrected June 28, 2000


Leo's Tavern in MeenaLeck, County Donegal was filled to capacity Friday night, June 16th, as Conall O'Gallachoir (known locally as "Connie Mhary Mhici") launched a new album, 'Ar Imeall an Chuain', of local traditional songs. Máire Brennan was in attendance as well as other local musicians.

You can hear a story from Raidio Na Gaeltachta originally aired on Saturday, June 17th about the musical event at Leo's as well as a short interview with Conall O'Gallachoir about the making of the album from the link below:


[ RealAudio Format, 16kbps stream, 2 min., 260k total file size ].


Some annonymous contributors helped to translate the Raidio Na Gaeltachta story above from Gaelic into English. The partial English translation is available below:


Leo's tavern in Meen-na-Leck was filled to the door last night, when Máire ní Bhraonáin recorded a new album with Conall O'Gallchobhair, Connie Mháire Mhicí from Roinn na Móna, Annagry, singing.

"Ar imeall an chuain" (On the Edge of the Harbour/Bay) the title of the album and Máire ní Bhraonáin prasied the music & songs of Conall highly.

She said it was a great honour for her as a local person to sing these songs herself.

Others also .... spoke ........ . Among them Manus Lunny, Pól Ó Gallchobhair, controller of TG4, and they all praised Conall highly on the work he did on the album.

Among those who were present at the ....... (address ??) were .................. Pat "the COPE" Gallagher; the adviser ......, and ................ members of Udaras na Gaeltachta, Dathai Alcorn and Sean Ó Baoill a member of the board of the Udaras.

There was a collection of 11 songs on the album and Conall explained to me why he chose these particular songs.

"Well, I used to listen to these songs when I was young and these are songs for which I have a great fondness, from the district of my own town in Rann na Feirste and I heard these songs when I was young and those are the songs which people most frequently ask me to sing".

"Are there other musicians playing with you on the album?"

"Oh, yes, yes, Stephen Campbell plays fiddle & Michael Mc Goldrick (??) on the whistle and Joe Mhicí Jimmy and of course Manus, Manus Lunny."

"Well, it took us a fair amount of time; it took about...we we involved with it almost about a year, but there was no great hurry on us, y'know just less than a year, y'know, we took our time with it."

"And who produced the record for you, Conall?"

"Manus did it, the most of it. and Betsy Shile Bhilí and Ruairí did the beautiful pictures."


From the June 16th on-line edition of The Donegal News a story announcing the event:


"Dheanfaidh Conall O'Gallachoir as Rann na Monadh, Anagaire CD agus Teip a chur ar an mhargadh ag ocaid i dTaibhairne Leo, Min na Leice oiche Aoine seo, 16u Meitheamh ag 9.00 i.n. Bailiuchan de dha amhran dheag ata ann a chuala se ina oige fa na bhaile dhuchas Rann na Feirsde. 'Ar Imeall an Chuain' ata mar teideal air agus is i Maire Ni Bhraonain a bheas in mbun an lainseail. Ta Conall ag dul den cheol le blianta fada anois agus eileamh an mhor air. Beidh fail go h-aitiul ar an CD no Teip indiadh an lainseail."

Translated as follows:

"There was a large attendance at the launch of Connie 'Mhary Mhici' O'Gallachoir's new tape and CD 'Ar Imeall an Chuan' in Leo's Tavern, Meenaleck at the weekend. The launch was performed by Maire Brennan and the album is now available for sale in the locality."


Thanks to the annonymous contributers who helped with the translations and corrections.

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