Ride the Waves

August 6, 2006
Danny O'Flaherty / The Celtic Folk

The Celtic Folk first appeared on the western shore of the Atlantic a decade ago.  Since then, of course, Ireland’s premier balladeers have become a fixture on the American circuit.  Small wonder.  These remarkable musicians, reared in a Gaelic-speaking area alongside Galway Bay serve as ambassadors from an ancient folk tradition.  Unlike some urban Irish groups, who cross the ocean only to fee American audiences a make-believe diet of Shamrock-and Leprechaun music, The Celtic Folk always bring a taste of the real Ireland with them.

They often receive (deserved) praise for the loving care with which they play centuries-old music, but those of us who hear them in concert happily discover that the Irish tradition in which The Celtic Folk sing is a living one.  When inspired by what they see, like generations of fol-poets and musicians before them, the irrepressible Irishmen simply sit down and compose a lay so they can share their inspiration.

This album, unlike their five previous, is a collection of their own ballads and airs.  Some are from the folk memory of Celtic long Ago (Grace O’Malley, Fin n MacCumhal): some from the Gaeltacht of their boyhood(Mo Baile Baag,Achill Island, Sean agus Maire, The Cliffs of Aran); and some from the stories they have collected on their travels (Dowling’s Victory, The Road to Jaffa, Emerald of the West, Kibbuts Real, THe 8th of September and After, Asgard II).

Finally, then, an album if The Celtic Folk’s own songs.  Listen to the airs.  They have a way of bringing life to Old Story and Ancient Legend.  Listen to the lyrics.  The distinctly Gaelic turn of phrase will help you understand why, the world over, The Celtic Folk are perhaps the most warmly welcomed of any of Eire’s ambassadors.  

Track List

  1. Asgard II
  2. (Poem) Fionn Mac Cumbal
  3. Mo Baol Beag
  4. Grace O’Malley
  5. Cliffs of Aran
  6. Sean Seagull
  7. Emeralds of the West
  8. Dowling’s Victory
  9. The 8th of September and After
  10. Sean Agus Maire
  11. Road to Jaffa, Kibbutz Reel
  12. Achill Island
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