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A new recording of O'Carolan songs, with lyrics adapted from original Irish Gaelic and presented in English song form.

Blinded by smallpox, sometime around his 18th year, O'Carolan was encouraged and supported by his patron, Mrs. MacDermot Roe of County Roscommon, to become a harper and bard. In 1690, he set out with horse, harp and servant. For the next 50 years, he would traverse Ireland, writing and composing for patrons. His "planxties", or tribute songs became legendary in his own time. 214 compostions are attributed to O'Carolan. As Tomas O'Maille, professor of Irish at the University College in Galway, wrote in 1916: "Carolan is best known today from the wide and popular performances of his music as instrumental pieces, however, at the time of composition most of the tunes were actually vehicles for Carolan’s own verse, during a period when nearly all Gaelic verse was performed by being sung. Unfortunately the early collectors of Carolan’s music tended not to record the words at the same time which has led to his songs (poems) fading somewhat into the background." 50 compositions survive with at least pieces of lyric. O'Carolan, Songwriter is the initial collection in a series of adaptations of his original lyric, available on this site as a

Image based on painting by Francis Bindon of Turlough O'Carolan, 1670-1738

singer/songwriter/harper

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Candace Corrigan, Co-producer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals

Sebastian Lönberg, Co-producer, Recording Engineer

Sarah Wilfong, Arranger, Co-producer, Fiddler, Hammer Dulcimer

Janne Henshaw, Songwriter, Backing Vocals

Aislinn Gagliardi, Harper

Carol Levack, Backing vocals

Emily Nelson, Cello

Bill Wolfe, Irish Flute, Whistle

George Pearce, Guitar

Skip Cleavinger, Piper, Whistle

Joe Giotta, Bodhran

Jonas Sjöblom, Bodhran

Rachel Solomon, Harpsichord, Piano

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