Port na bPucaí - Seán Ó Riada

Ar an albam seo cloistear an Riadach féin i mbun ceoil le linn a cheolchoirm taifeadtha deireannach i mí Márta 1971. Cloistear rianta eile a taifeadadh i mí Bealtaine 1971, cúig mhí roimh a bhás anaibí in aois 40 bliain agus cinn eile fós ón mbliain 1966. Ábhar é seo nár chualathas cheana! Cruthaíonn an Riadach ceo meala agus é ag seinm a chuid cóiriúchán féin d’fhoinn mhóra ar an bpianó agus ar an gcruitchorda.

Ar an albam aoibhinn seo cloistear Seán Ó Riada ag seinm leithéidí: Do Bhí Bean Uasal, Carraig Donn agus Sliabh na mBan, chomh maith le foinn a chuir an Riadach féin os comhair an phobail den chéad uair: Aisling Gheal, Port na bPúcaí agus Cois an Ghaorthaigh.

Ina theannta sin, cloistear sraith de ghearrphíosaí ceoil a bhfuil téama an tírghrá mar shnaidhm eatarthu. Mar mhír spéisiúil sa bhreis, cloistear an Riadach ag aithris scéal seanchais.

Is mór mar a chuireann an t-albam seo le clár saothar an Riadaigh. Seo an cnuasach is mó dá dá bhfuil ann agus ceol aonair á sheinm aige - cnuasach eisiach den mháistir é féin ag seinm na bpíosaí ab ansa leis.

Bhí ról lárnach ag Seán Ó Riada maidir le ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireanna a chur chun cinn san aois seo caite. Trína chuid ceoil do na scannáin Mise Éire agus Saoirse?, rinne sé spiorad mhuintir na hÉireann a athbheochan agus, lena ghrúpa Ceoltóirí Chualann, rinne sé claochló ar conas mar a chuirtear an ceol i láthair an phobail.

The album features Ó Riada’s final concert recording from March 1971. Further previously unreleased tracks were recorded in May 1971, just five months before his untimely death at the age of 40, while others date from 1966.

On this album, Ó Riada weaves a magic spell with his own arrangements of great Irish airs played on piano and harpsichord. In an album which contains his personal favourites, Ó Riada plays a selection great airs, including Do Bhí Bean Uasal, Carraig Donn and Sliabh na mBan, as well as several airs which Ó Riada himself first introduced to Irish audiences, such as Aisling Gheal, Port na bPúcaí and Cois an Ghaorthaigh. The album also contains a stirring sequence of patriotic tunes, while on a bonus track Ó Riada relates an episode from Macroom’s history.

This remarkable album is an important contribution to the canon of recorded works of Seán Ó Riada who played a major role in the popularisation of Irish music in the twentieth century. Through his film scores Mise Éire and Saoirse? and recordings with his group Ceoltóirí Chualann, Seán Ó Riada re-ignited the spirit of the nation.

Liosta Traiceanna / Track Listing

1. Do Bhí Bean Uasal
2. Carraig Donn
3. An Chúilfhionn
4. An Buachaill Caol Dubh
5. Port na bPúcaí
6. Aisling Gheal
7. Codlaigí Éiníní
8. The Three Sea Captains
9. The Garden of Daisies
10. Limerick's Lamentation/Marbhna Luimnigh
11. Cois an Ghaorthaigh
12. Bean an Fhia Rua
13. The Collier's Reel
14. Cath Chéim an Fhia
15. Cáit Ní Dhuibhir
16. Óró 'sé do Bheatha Abhaile
17. Maidin Luan Cincíse
18. The Rights of Man
19. Príosún Chluain Meala
20. An tSeanbhean Bhocht
21. An Droimfhionn Donn Dílis
22. Ó'Bhean a' Tí, Cén Bhuairt Sin Ort?
23. Sliabh na mBan
24. M'Uilleagán Dubh Ó
25. 'Carthaigh na gCeann' (seanchas)