New song collection for children to be launched this weekend
Samhain 2, 2012
Dominic Mac Giolla Bhríde of Gaoth Dobhair, sean-nós singer and 2009 winner of the Corn Uí Riada prize for sean-nós, has put his own take on some of the most well-loved traditional songs in Irish for children, with the help of dozens of children from the Donegal Gaeltacht.
Báidín Fheidhlimidh, Songs and Poems for Children, the new collection of music and poetry, commissioned by Ionad Oideachais Ghort an Choirce, will be launched this weekend at Oireachtas na Gaeilge in Letterkenny.
Brian O’Donnell, the singer and chef, will launch the book at Oireachtas na Gaeilge at 6:30 pm, Saturday, November 3rd, in Knockalla Suite in Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny. The launch will be part of the Club na Féile na nÓg, which will begin at 5pm. As part of the launch, the children who took part in the project will sing and recite poems from the collection in a special concert.
“As teacher and parent, it’s been a vision of mine for years to have such a collection readily available and I’m now delighted to have these popular traditional songs and poems together in this fantastic book and CD,” said Bernadette Ní Dhuibhir of Ionad Oideachais Ghort an Choirce. “It will be a useful resource for teachers and parents throughout the country, which will help them pass on these songs and poems to the next generation.’
Well-known musicians Dónall O’Connor, Séamas O’Kane and Cathy Potter play as guests on the CD. But the children are the real stars on these recordings and they shine in such songs as A Nóra Bheag, Tá mo Chleamhnas á Dhéanamh; A stór, a Stór, a Ghrá; Och, Och, Mo Mhadadh Beag; Teidí Beag Álainn, Bhí Bríd ag Siúl sa Ghairdín Lá. In all, 58 children from the ages of 4 to 10, from 12 different Gaeltacht primary schools, took part in the recordings.
The book also contains a second CD of instrumental versions of the songs, allowing everyone to sing along with the music, karaoke-style, in school, at home or in the car. Dara McGee and Deirdre Brennan made the artwork for the book. The book will be available in book shops from early November.
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