"One of the most remarkable features of cultural life in Ireland over the past fifty years has been the development of interest in Irish traditional music. In the Kingdom of Kerry - and in particular South Kerry - Gerry's native place - there are many principalities! My concern is rather with the Arts - poetry, story-telling and, of course, music. It is from this background that Gerry's music has been crafted. 'An old head on young shoulders', conscious and respectful of the music of Sliabh Luachra, for here in South Kerry was the little fatherland' of trailblazers - Mick Cumba O'Suilleabhain, Tomas Rua O'Suilleabhain, Brother Gildus, Eoghan Rua O'Suilleabhain, and story-teller, Sean O'Conaill. This album from Gerry with its many varied tunes, and in particular the big slow airs of Sliabh Luachra, should bring many hours of listening pleasure to a wide audience. Ar aghaidh leis an gCeol agus Bimis ag Rince'. Nicky McAuliffe
Other recordings by Gerry available from Copperplate
CICD 158 Gerry Harrington & Peter Horan: Fortune Favours The Merry
CICD 167 Gerry Harrington & Peter Horan: The Merry Love to Play
Track Listing
- Gallagher's Jig
- Lad O'Beirne's/Sault's Own/The New Century
- Timmy O'Connor's Slides
- The Old Man Rocking the Cradle
- The Ladies of Leinster/The Contradiction
- Out of the Mist/The Belles of Lismore/The Furse in Bloom
- The Upperchurch Polkas
- Mike Sullivan's/Tom Billy's Flings
- The Cuil Aodh Jig/Tell Her I Am/ A Tailor I Am
- A Halfpenny for a Cotton Ball/All in the Bag/McFadden's Own Reel
- The Banks of The Danube
- Julia Clifford's/Bill the Weaver
- The Wiley Old Batchelor/ The Mountain Top/Rick's Rambles
- Patsy Geary's/The Kaiser
- The Graf Spee/The Green Mountain/The Rising Sun
Press Reviews
www.folkworld.deGerry Harrington comes from Kenmare in Co. Kerry in the south west of Ireland and offers a fine selection of unusual tune versions from the Mountains of Sliabh Luachra. Gerry launches straight into the multiple-part "Gallagher's Jig," taken from the playing of fiddler Pádraig O'Keeffe, followed by a set of hornpipes and, typical for the area in question, three slides he don't give the names but seemingly including "The Game Cock" (recorded by Sliabh Notes) and "Kiely Cotter's". Its fifteen tracks feature the entire spectrum: reels, polkas, and two airs, namely "Old Man Rocking the Cradle" and "The Banks of the Danube" ("The Wounded Hussar"). Both from the playing of Pádraig O'Keeffe once again, other performers mentioned are Billy and Julia Clifford, Tom Billy Murphy, Paddy Cronin, Denis McMahon ... stalwarts of the Sliabh Luachra tradition. It's a fiddle only album, so rather aimed for fiddle aficionados than the average folk fan. However, Gerry is a virtuosic fiddler with a bright and pleasant style, the choice of tunes and his interpretation is excellent. The extensive sleeve notes cover tune sources, composers, recordings etc. as well as a couple of anecdotes.
