The Dog that heard the Bell

A Millenium Celebration of Shannonside Folkore

PRESS RELEASE

Just in time for the year long Millennium celebration comes Larry de Cléir's debut solo album The Dog that heard the Bell. The album's intriguing title masks a collection of original songs and tunes with strong local roots in the Limerick/Clare/Shannonside area.

Tracks of pertinent local interest on The Dog that Heard The Bell include Larry's musical setting of "The Siege of Clampbett's Bow" the words of which were included in Jim Kemmy's "Limerick Compendium", and "Peter Tait" which was inspired by an article written by local historian Kevin Hannan on the story of an election song written by a Tom Moloney of Watergate. "The Rocks of Old Curraghour" is an evocation of Limerick past and present, "Sweet Shannon's Lovely Shore" is an emigration song in reverse, and "Mickey Mac's Folk Club" is a celebration of the Castleconnell Folk Club held weekly in this beautiful riverside town.

Larry not only wrote the songs (and the instrumental pieces on the album) but arranged all but one of the tracks. (The odd one out, "Dave's Christmas Bells", was arranged by Denis Allen). The tunes in the traditional idiom include a hornpipe, ("The Whistling Bridge"), a selection of jigs, ("Seachain an Fíon, Larry!" and the title track "The Dog that heard the Bell"), the above mentioned "Dave's Christmas Bells", and a three part reel ("Ríl an Oileáin"), which is part of a seven and a half minute long suite, as Gaeilge, celebrating the playing of, and the listening to, music.

Complementing the music on the C.D. is a humourous and informative booklet, with a striking and imaginative pictorial interpretation of The Dog that heard the Bell, by Limerick born artist Dave McCormack, with further colour illustrations by Ursula, Larry's daughter.

The entire album was recorded at Denis Allen's Studios in Rosbrien, Limerick. Larry sings and plays guitar, harmonica, keyboards, bouzouki, banjo and whistle. Mike Minihan plays fiddle, banjo and bodhran, while Denis himself plays bass and produced the album. Margaret Toomey adds vocal harmony to "So Our Love will be".

The Dog that heard the Bell will be launched at:
The Basement Club, Glentworth Hotel, Limerick, at 9.30 p.m. on Wed 16 Feb '00.
and will thereafter be available at music shops in the locality.

Additional information, and mail order enquiries, should be sent to
Larry de Cléir, 5, The Moorings, Westbury, Corbally, Limerick, Ireland.
or
larrydecleir@eircom.net

Larry can be contacted directly (phone) at +353 86 8370034 or +353 61 340812.