Sounds of Shannon songwriter echo on the Lee

The Cork International Choral Festival, which ran from the April 20 to 30, opened with a concert entitled Is Mairg an Té gan Ceol in St Anne’s Church of Ireland in Shandon, performed by the Cork Chamber Choir.

 

The title was taken from a song written by Clare songwriter Risteard (Dick) Ua Cróinín, who has been writing songs in Irish and English for over 30 years and the song was also performed at the concert event with five other different pieces.

Dick explained he wrote the song for his niece, Solfa, who wrote the music and then approached the Cork Chamber Choir.

“The song was advertised as a world premier during the festival. I attended this recital and was amazed how good it sounded as I hadn’t heard it since it was put to music. The experience of hearing my own words sung in four-part harmony by an acclaimed choir was a wonderful feeling. And one that comes once in a lifetime. I was overawed by the beauty of the music and the appreciation of the audience,” he said.

He said Is Mairg an Té gan Ceol (Pity the Soul without Music) is about the beauty and wealth of music which is to be found in the ordinary sounds and noises from nature, everyday bustle and the human voices that surround us.

“We must be open to listening and appreciating the great gift of hearing. I wrote it as a present to my niece Solfa, who is a gifted musician and composer,” he said.

Dick has been song-writing for a number of years. One of his more famous compositions is The Banner Roar, which he wrote for Kieran McDermott and his band when Clare beat Limerick in the 1995 Munster hurling final.

It later went on to reach the Irish Top Ten after Clare won the All-Ireland the same year.

Although he has had Irish poems and songs published in Feasta, the Irish Literary Arts magazine and his bardic poem Cruinniú na mBard published in the county archaeological journal The Other Clare in 2012, this is the first time his work has featured in the realms of contemporary music.

The poem Is mairg an Té gan Ceol was put to music, for a four part choir, by his niece Solfa Carlile from Fermoy, who is resident composer with the London Youth Orchestra and pursuing a Doctorate in Music at Oxford University.

Ms Carlile has won numerous international competitions for her compositions, including this year’s Seán Ó Riada competition with her musical interpretation of the work of Joseph Mary Plunkett, executed leader of the 1916 rising.