It is lovely to be posting from the Red Shed again. It’s been about 5 months since posting this blog about Langston Hughes. I took a lot of shit from online trolls and commenters about being anti-racist. I’ll write more about that in the next few weeks. That felt frightening and, while I carried on… Read More Poetry: Once in a Lifetime, Snow – by Les Murray
In the spirit of the good weather at the Red Shed, it was time for a summery poem! ‘Sumer is Icumen In’ is a mid-thirteenth century poem written in Middle English. It is sometimes known as the Cuckoo Song. This translation is by Bella Millett. Hope you’re keeping well. I’ve been busy-ish this last few… Read More Poetry: Sumer is Icumen In
This is a really beautiful piece of music originally recorded by the American group Bread in 1971. This version has lead vocals by Michael Connolly and backing from Patrick and Lorraine. It’s a lovely piece. Have a great day whenever you listen to this! Patrick xo
Look, nobody is saying this is a happy poem about a happy subject. Wilfred Owen is a First World War poet. He is also the writer who left a very visual written legacy of what it was like to be in the War and to witness your colleagues falling around you. In this poem, he… Read More Poetry: Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen
We recorded these songs with Éiscara maybe 7 or 8 years ago and each of them has a bit of a special place. None more so than ‘On We Go’. We had a laugh recording this and funnily enough, I think that spirit infuses the song with a bit of special magic. I hope you… Read More Music: On We Go by Éiscara
In today’s Red Shed episode, we have my very faded blue hair, garden things, no apologies to Americans for saying ‘courgettes’, ‘hhhherbs’, ‘oh-ray-gah-no’ and Donald Trump. Full parish newsletter (back to normal, or feck normal until vaccination?) plus a short poem from Mark Twain. Sure you couldn’t ask for more. Well, you could, but you’re… Read More Poetry: Warm Summer Sun by Mark Twain
I’m getting in early this Sunday with the latest in my occasional series of music videos! This one is from our wee group, Éiscara, featuring Lorraine Cotter this time as lead vocalist. Additional vocals are provided by me, Michael Connolly and Sara Clancy. It’s Michael on the guitar. All of the video is taken in… Read More Music: ‘Against the Wind’ by Éiscara
With many of you, I was very sad to learn that Irish poet, Eavan Boland died yesterday at the age of 75. She was one of the leading voices in Irish literature. Details of her life are given on the RTÉ new website here. There are a number of more ‘famous’ poems than the one… Read More Poetry: ‘White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland’ by Eavan Boland
Here is the latest in my occasional series of music videos! This one is from our wee group, Éiscara, featuring Sara Clancy this time as lead vocalist, with additional vocals from me, Michael Connolly and Lorraine Cotter. It’s me playing the tin whistle and Michael on the guitar. As Sara would say ‘get on yer… Read More Music: Níl Sé’n Lá (It’s not yet morning)
It’s songbird Sunday! I got a lot of lovely comments about last week’s Music Post – The Maid of Culmore (click here for that). With Éiscara, we recorded a few songs and I am posting the second of those today. The song is called ‘May It Be’ and it’s a beautiful, reflective piece, with lead… Read More Music: May It Be
