Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal agus dhá leagan déag ar amhrán. Each Gaeltacht region has its own style of sean nós singing.
Seán nós (meaning 'the old way' as Gaeilge) is a style of unaccompanied singing native to Ireland that continues in the Gaeltacht communities of Connacht, Munster and Ulster.
One of the features of sean nós is that different versions of the same song exist, as exemplified by ‘Dónal Óg’, which is sung all over Ireland.
Singers Áine Uí Laoithe from the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, Tomás Mac Eoin from Connemara and Seamus Ó Cionnfhaolaidh from An Rinn in County Waterford demonstrate how the song becomes something very different when the tune or words are altered.
Differences aside, some songs remain in the place where they originated, such as 'Bheadh Buachaillín Deas Ag Síle’ ('Síle Would Have A Nice Boy') sung by Eibhlín Ní Chearna from Baile na nGall.
Connemara has a reputation for producing fine sean nós singers, but Tomás Mac Eoin recalls Oireachtas competitions when singers from Donegal and Kerry dominated, such as Hughie Phádaí Hiúdaí (Aodh Ó Duibheannaigh) and Seán de hÓra.
Corca Dhuibhne singer and musician Séamus Ó Beaglaoich (also known as Séamus Begley) competed in Oireachtas singing competitions himself in the past. He sings ‘An Saighdiúrín Singil' (‘The Private Soldier’), a song about a solider who finds himself discharged from the army and separated from the woman he loves,
Saighdiúirín singil mé a briseadh as garda an rí,
Níl fiú agam dhá phingin a thabharfainn ar cháirtín dí,
Bhuailfinn an drum' is do sheinnfinn an chláirseach bhinn
Is thíos i gCill Chainnigh is ea scaras le grá mo chroí.
This episode of ‘Cúrsaí’ was broadcast on 30 October 1987. The reporter is Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin.
