Customer Reviews

Singing from Memory

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First of all the review above translates as "It was an exceptional CD" for those of you uninitiated into the challenging world of Irish Gaelic. But one does not have to read or understand Irish Gaelic to appreciate the wonderfully harmonized tunes of boats, the sea and Irish rural life contained in these songs [what else would natives of Donegal sing about?]. For American Gaelgeoirs their pronunciation is only occasionally "tainted" by na Casaidigh's Donegal Ulster accent. They are also the first group to give Patrick Pearse [Padraig mac Piarais], the leader of the 1916 Easter Rising against the British, his due on those songs he composed, although the producers continue to shy away from the politically incorrect "An Dorde Feinne" [The Fenian Fist], the actual title of "Oro se do Bheatha abhaile." Anyone interested in studying the Irish language would do well to purchase this CD and then have fun translating the Irish words provided in the CD jacket. I certainly did.

i was fortunate enough to have this album on tape and cd. but, friends talked me out of them so i have to order again. it is a superb example of their muscicianship, and if one can hear the undertones, their joy in performing. i was told by one of the brothers that these are songs from their childhood, thus the title. one need not speak gaelic to appreciate this album. their other albums, though not currently available on amazon.com are of equal caliber and importance to the grand irish traditions. bravo cassidy's!

As an Irish speaker and traditional musician, I found Na Casaidigh's rocked-up take on these very familiar traditional songs to be fun and refreshing. The treatment works better for some songs than others, and I must admit, despite my initial startled reaction, I really like best the ones that they've tinkered with heavily, such as "Óró, Sé do Bheatha Abhaile" and "Port Láirge" (and "An bhFaca Tú Mo Shéamaisín" makes me guffaw every time I hear it! If I were Séamaisín, I'd sneak off to school too, with this kind of doting mamaí hanging over me!). If you're looking for a very straight, pure drop traditional performance, this isn't the CD for you (and it definitely won't appeal to airy fairy new age types!), but if you like your trad mixed with a bit of creative rock and roll, and if you enjoy the idea of hearing native Irish speakers (with beautiful Donegal Irish!) put a new spin on songs they've sung since childhood, this is a must-have.

i was lucky to have seen them perform in the 80's and so glad to be able to purchase this cd.i enjoy traditional irish music and this it it.

This is far and away one of the best collections of songs I have ever heard! Not just in this genre of music either. This album is a gem!

Yes...the songs harken back to those that for some folks were the stuff of childhood...your grandmother may have crooned these or some like these to you to get you to calm down and sleep -- and then maybe these are like the tunes you sang to yourself or with friends as you did the things that kids do to fill a day.

All the same, the uncomplicatedness of these songs should not be a mark against them.

The musicianship of the performances is superb as well. And, you cannot help but appreciate the spirit of the performances either. Really amazing work!

This is one that I go back to time and again. And it can move me to tears as I think about the past and where I am now. Maybe it frightens some people to be reminded of the innocence lost...but we can use great music like this to tap into who we started out as and who we really are!

Okay...forget all that -- just listen to this and enjoy it!

Bhí dlúthdhiosca go hiontach

Just brilliant, I can't understand why this isn't Nr.1 in the Charts! I absolutely love this stuff and I've bought 3 copys of it (just in case I lose one...)
Cassys, you're fabulous!

Although I'm an Austrian, I was fascinated by the music on this CD. I'm surely one of the greatest "Cassidy-Fans", I even was with them at their performance in Rome in October 2000, when they played in St. Peter's Square for the pope. They're better than the Beatles (although I wasn't alive at their time. I ask you to buy this album if you want to do your ears and your heart a favour.