Hey folks hope you are having a wonderful St Patrick’s celebrations and feeling very Irish.
I’m absolutely delighted to share some of my musical favorites with you and I hope you get a chance to read my comments and listen to the songs, maybe over a pint of Guinness!!
I have described some of the feelings and emotions I went through when recording and performing these great songs,and I hope that when you listen to the you will draw your own inspiration from them.
Very excited about the next few months and, who knows, you just may be seeing some of these songs, and more, on an Emmet Cahill album in the very near future. I know I’m a tease 😀
Exciting times folks, looking forward to seeing you very soon
T5. Danny Boy
The most beloved Irish song of them all, this holds a special place in my musical life. It’s a song that is recognized and loved all over the world by many nationalities. My version is one not often performed and I wanted to do something different with the song while preserving its beauty and simplicity.
T5. Isle of hope
This is one of the first Irish songs I ever learned to sing, and to this day remains one that is very close heart. It paints such a tragic story, leaving your beloved country behind you to find a better life in a new world. What is so beautiful about the story is that it is told through to the eyes of young Annie Moore, who was only 15 years of age setting out on her own. I cannot even contemplate how she must have felt leaving her family behind, never to see them or the Emerald Isle again. I try to imagine how I would feel in that situation every time I sing it, and it is always a very emotional song for me to perform. Living the music, I believe that is what music is all about. It is an honour to get the opportunity to record and perform such a beautifully written song.
4. The Lakes of Pontchartrain
This song only came to me very recently and I was immediately struck by the beautiful melody. But the story of the song, through the six verses, is so poetic. It’s a tale of unrequited love, but also has a hopeful message at the end. This young man is thankful for having encountered such a beautiful person, the ‘Creole girl’, and to my mind he takes inspiration from this. I can relate that very much to an experience in my own life. I recorded this song at home in Ireland, and as you can hear, was accompanied by the beautiful playing of my friend, Nicole Hudson.
3. Fix you
Although not an Irish song, this song means a lot to me. The words portray an experience that I believe so many people have gone through in their lives. When we’re finding things are getting too much, and we can’t seem to see a way out, there is always someone there to guide us and help us through. The words are so beautifully crafted with the melody, and to my mind, this is truly a great song. This is one of my favorite modern songs and, as I do with most songs, I wanted to put my own stamp on it.
2. This is the Moment
This is the first song I ever recorded with Celtic Thunder and fittingly, it was a piece of musical theatre. I have studied classical music and theatre music for as long as I can remember and this beautiful, hopeful, uplifting song really summed up that particular stage in my life. Setting out on new horizons, and ready to take my opportunities. This is a song that can inspire anyone to seize their moment and follow their dreams, as I have been very blessed to be able to do.
1. Always There
This is without doubt my favorite song of them all. I really felt the song suited me perfectly. Not only is it a beautiful melody, but the message of the song really brings the piece to life and is so accessible to anyone who hears it. We all need people in our lives who inspire, help and support us, particularly during hard times and this song sums that message up in such a simple and beautiful manner. This was a song I was very ‘precious’ about recording, as I really wanted to give it the justice it deserves. I drew inspiration from my own family for this one, and that certainly helped me perform the song from the heart, which I believe is the only way to sing it.
