4 Compact Disc Set
Atlantic, 1999 | 83257
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This box set is an excellent expansion on the two single-disc releases Very Best of the Claddagh Years collection volumes 1 and 2. It is a great primer on the evolution of the Chieftains sound as the band laid down its earliest tracks and grew from there. This collection features in their entirety the Chieftains first four albums originally released on the Claddagh label in Ireland. It is a wonderful addition to any collection.
In 1963, Paddy Moloney, an uillean piper, along with Martin Fay, fiddle and bones, Sean Potts, tin whistle, Micheal Tubridy, flute, and a friend of Paddy's, bodhran player, David Fallon met to record a one-time album for Garech a Brún's Claddagh label under the title of The Chieftains. This first album was a departure from the performance of slick Irish music that was popular for the day.
The Chieftains released their second album, Chieftains 2 in 1968, and this saw the first personnel change for the group. Peadar Mercier replaced the elderly David Fallon on the bodhran and Sean Keane joined Martin Fay on fiddle. By the time Chieftains 2 was released, it seemed that the destiny of the group had been laid out in tradition and innovative in spirit. They started receiving recognition for their style by the time their third album, Chieftains 3 was released in 1971.
When Chieftains 4 was released in 1973, Moloney added a new instrument to the sound of the Chieftains. He had desired to incorporate the sound of the harp as a concept of how Irish music could be played. Derek Bell, a classically trained harpist from Belfast, joined the group as a full-time Chieftain in 1973. Prior to his joining the group, he would occasionally perform with the group in some arrangements as a guest in concert or during a television performance.
This album the first appearance of Derek Bell as a full-time Chieftain. This album also featured an original composition, the hauntingly beautiful, Mná na hÉireann (Women of Ireland) composed by Seán Ríada and arranged by Paddy Moloney. The piece was also featured as a love theme in the Oscar award winning movie by director Stanley Kubrick, Barry Lyndon, with Ryan O'Neal and Marissa Berenson in 1975.
The Chieftains: Derek Bell, Peadar Mercier, Michael Tubridy, Sean Potts, Paddy Moloney, Sean Keane, Martin Fay.
Disc 1 (Chieftains 1):
| 1. | Se Fath Mo Bhuartha slow air The Lark On The Strand jig An Fhallaingin Mhuimhnea air Trim The Velvet reel | 7.38 |
| 2. | An Comhra Donn Murphy's Hornpipe hornpipes | 4.30 |
| 3. | Cailin Na Gruaige Doinne slow air | 2.40 |
| 4. | Comb Your Hair And Curl It The Boys Of Ballisodare slip/hop jigs | 3.00 |
| 5. | The Musical Priest The Queen Of The May reels | 3.25 |
| 6. | The Walls Of Liscarroll jig | 2.31 |
| 7. | A Dhruimfhionn Donn Dilis slow air | 2.00 |
| 8. | The Connemara Stocking The Limestone Rock Dan Breen's reels | 2.40 |
| 9. | Casadh An Tsugain | 3.38 |
| 10. | The Boy In The Gap reel | 1.12 |
| 11. | Saint Mary's Church Street polkas Garrett Barry The Battering Ram jigs Kitty Goes A-Milking Rakish Paddy reels | 6.39 |
Disc 2 (Chieftains 2):
| 1. | Banish Misfortune Gillian's Apples double jigs | 3:33 |
| 2. | Planxty George Brabazon | 3:28 |
| 3. | Bean an Fhir Rua slow air | 2:49 |
| 4. | An Phis Fhliuch (O'Farrells Welcome to Limerick) slip jig | 3.33 |
| 5. | An Páistín Fionn air Mrs Crotty's The Mountain Top reels | 4:11 |
| 6. | The Foxhunt | 5:12 |
| 7. | An Mhaighdean Mhara slow air Tie The Bonnet O'Rourke's reels | 4:13 |
| 8. | Callaghan's Byrne's hornpipes | 3:13 |
| 9. | Pigtown Tie the Ribbons The Bag of Potatoes reels | 2:32 |
| 10. | The Humors of Whiskey Hardiman the Fiddler slip jigs | 2:54 |
| 11. | Dónall Óg slow air | 3:54 |
| 12. | Brian Boru's March | 3:12 |
| 13. | Sweeney's Denis Murphy's The Scartaglen Polka polkas | 3:30 |
Disc 3 (Chieftains 3):
| 1. | Strike the Gay Harp jig Lord Mayo air The Lady on the Island The Sailor on the Rock reels | 6:20 |
| 2. | Sonny's Mazurka Tommy Hunt's jig | 3:10 |
| 3. | Eibhlí Gheal Chiúin Ní Chearbhaill air Delahunty's Hornpipe | 3:52 |
| 4. | The Hunter's Purse reel | 2:45 |
| 5. | The March of the King of Laois | 3:00 |
| 6. | Carolan's Concerto | 2:47 |
| 7. | Tom Billy's The Road to Lisdoonvarna The Merry Sisters reels | 4:55 |
| 8. | An Ghaoth Aneas air | 2:45 |
| 9. | Lord Inchiquin | 3:38 |
| 10. | The Trip to Sligo jig | 3:40 |
| 11. | An Raibh Tú ag an gCarraig? air | 2:15 |
| 12. | John Kelly's Merrily Kiss the Quaker Denis Murphy's slides | 3:25 |
Disc 4 (Chieftains 4):
| 1. | Drowsey Maggie | 3:57 |
| 2. | Morgan Magan | 2:48 |
| 3. | The Tip of the Whistle air | 2:52 |
| 4. | The Bucks of Oranmore reel | 2:13 |
| 5. | The Battle of Aughrim | 7:32 |
| 6. | The Morning Dew | 3:27 |
| 7. | Carrickfergus air | 2:43 |
| 8. | Hewlett | 2:30 |
| 9. | Cherish the Ladies double jig | 2:24 |
| 10. | Lord Mayo march | 2:38 |
| 11. | Mná na h Éireann air | 3:28 |
| 12. | O'Keeffe's Slide An Suisín Bán set dance The Star Above the Garter The Weavers slides | 3:36 |