Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over It – Recording

Irish traditional music from the Sliabh Beagh region of Co. Monaghan/Co.Fermanagh. Winner of the Tg4 2016 Gradam Ceoil.

Reuniting musical repertoire collected in the region during the 19th and early 20th century with some of the region’s current traditional musicians, the album has arisen from the PhD research of Seán McElwain.

Musicians featured on the album include:

Seán McElwain (bouzouki, banjo, Co. Monaghan)
Dónal McCague (fiddle, Co. Monaghan)
Darren Breslin (button accordion, Co. Fermanagh)
Conor McCague (banjo, Co. Monaghan)
Michael Rooney (concertina, Co. Monaghan)
Brian McGrath (piano / banjo, Co. Fermanagh)
Laura Beagon (fiddle, Co. Monaghan)
Michael McCague (guitar / bouzouki, Co. Monaghan)
Monica Beagon-Treanor (vocals, Co. Monaghan)
Caitríona Sherlock (vocals, Co. Monaghan)
Eamonn Curran (uilleann pipes, Co. Monaghan)

Reviews

“A fascinating musical project … beautifully rendered … the reflection of a musical community rallying around and exploring a shared and underrecognized identity” Dan Neely (Irish Echo)

“Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over It has a charm and depth that’s incomparable. It’s easy to hear the musicians’ emotional attachment bursting through on this very important collection.” John Carty (TG4 Musician of the Year 2003)

“Musically it is a revelation and could quite easily become album of the year … An outstanding recording of traditional music.” Tony Lawless (TradConnect)

“A revivified local accent and an intensely populated repertoire underpin this finely executed collection: a feast for local and curious eared visitor alike.” Siobhán Long (The Irish Times)

Downloadable version available at:

https://ourdeardarkmountain.bandcamp.com/album/our-dear-dark-mountain-with-the-sky-over-it