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Once again the prefix number indicates an artist going the ‘do-it-yourself’ route. Surely there must have been some record company interest?
This has been the fastest moving CD we have had, and at the current rate of sales will easily out-pace our ‘Definitive Bodhran’ sales (Hooray! Shout ‘fans’ of ‘the drum’).

The twenty page booklet gives the lyrics in both English and Irish Gaelic and opens with the title track. Track 2, ‘Bean Phaidin’ (Padin's Wife) is a lilting little piece with voice and bodhran and is a decidedly catchy piece of sean-nós. Track 3, ‘Caislean Gearr’ (Castlegar) is unaccompanied so there’s no where for the voice to hide (if that were necessary) – but it’s not. Another strong song, an air, with a breathy vocal that adds to the poignancy. In come the warm cellos for Track 4, ‘Casadh an tSugain’ (The Twisting of the Rope), another ‘golden oldie’. A few of the songs are revived from their heyday in the 1960s. Track 5 ‘Oilean na Teiscinne’ (Island of the Teiscinn) opens with the sound of the sea and the ‘spoken’ vocals sit eerily on a simple guitar backing. Track 6 ‘Banrion Loch Na Naomh’ (The Queen of Loch Na Naomh) features another breathy vocal, almost a whisper, all of which greatly adds to the mood of the album. This song is from Connemara, dating back to the mid 1800s. Bodhran and brother MacDara join in for another ‘diddle’ or lilting song ‘Bímse Fein ag Iascaireacht’ (I Myself Go Fishing) on Track 7 before it’s quickly back to the melodic Track 8 ‘Tonnta Chonamara’ (The Waves of Connemara) – the theme of sea and island is naturally repetitive for Lasairfhíona. Track 9 ‘Amhrán an Phuca’ (Song of the Pooka) is almost done ‘dead-pan’ and unaccompanied. Track 10, ‘De Thaisme’ (Coincidence) brings back bodhran and voice for a ‘bit of fun’ on another lilt before returning on Track 11, ‘Ar Bhruacha Na Laoi’ (On the Banks of the Lee), to more quietly tasteful backing on perhaps the most straightforward song on the CD. Track 12, ‘Úna Bhan’ (Fair Úna) highlights the quiet strength of the voice, the control over the lyrics and the artists confidence in what she is doing. Track 13, ‘Inis Oirr in Inis Oirr’ (Inishere on Inishere) is a lovely island song, which, like many other island songs, mourns the leaving of a loved one off to search out the world but always with hope of a return. Hauntingly melodic. Track 14, ‘Ceol na Gaoithe’ (Song of the Gale), rounds off a very interesting CD.

The Gaelic lyrics might not be to everyone’s liking but the overall ‘buzz’ you get of hearing a young artist at work and meeting that challenge head-on and winning in such a delightful way is well worth the time and effort of the audience – and there will be an audience for Lasairfhíona. Be there then.

Let’s also clear the way with some known facts.
Lasairfhíona is from the Aran Islands in Ireland and her name is pronounced as Lah-sah-rena Nee Can-eel-lah, which is very poetic in it’s own right.

Her singing is styled upon the old traditional ‘sean-nós’ style, the Irish variant of ‘mouth-music’ – an ancient style that was used to keep the stories, often of historic events or people, alive and travelling through the ages.
Lasairfhíona is a graduate in Celtic Studies from Trinity in Dublin, and first came to public and media attention on a 1998 CD of Irish sacred songs, produced by Hector Zazou entitled "Lights In the Dark". This was a highly acclaimed CD, which The Irish Times made one of the albums of that year. This attention led to much TV and Radio in Ireland and abroad and concerts, including the Montreaux Jazz Festival.
This year she featured in ‘Nuit Magique’ (Night Magic), before an enthusiastic 12,000 audience at the InterCeltic Festival in Lorient in Brittany and, while in France, joined in both the ‘Women of Ireland’ and ‘Virtuoses d’Irelande’ concerts with songs from "An Raicín Álainn".

‘Sean-nós’ is generally unaccompanied but that is not wholly the case on this debut release. It is produced by Maire Breatnach (Fiddle, Viola & Piano) and also features Mary Bergin (Flutes); Johnny McDonagh (Bodhran); Pat Hargan (Guitar); Paul Dooley (Clarsach) and
Alex Barcelona (Piano). Her brother MacDara O’ Conaola makes his singing debut on CD on ‘Bímse Fein Ag Iascaireacht’ (I Myself Go Fishing).

Already the media buzz is high and mighty, across the radio shows, the ‘pop’ press and the internet. And it all seems to be inspired by this CD. There’s no hype, no heavy marketing or promotional budgets. When that happens simultaneously but through unlinked and different sources you can be sure that something special is on the move. So you should support this talent that is presenting itself before you. We’re sure you will get the ‘bug’ too.

And it’s a lovely name she’s got, when you know how to pronounce it.