Scríobhann Katie Whelan faoin tsraith nua, Aistear an Amhráin a fhiosraíonn an caidreamh atá ag muintir na hÉireann le cuid de na hamhráin is cáiliúla atá againn.
On All Ireland Sunday as 82,000 Dublin and Kerry fans gathered in Croke Park, they came together in song to remember Sinéad O'Connor, who had passed away earlier that week in London, aged just 56. Her captivating hit 'Nothing Compares To You' was shown on screen and played across the stadium loudspeakers, with all in attendance giving full attention to the unmistakable vocals of Sinéad.
At the fulltime whistle, as the Dublin fans celebrated the return of Sam Maguire to the capital, the powerful voice of Christy Dignam on Aslan’s ‘Crazy World’, could be heard ringing out of the stadium.
agus Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin
The singers and their songs are central to, and at the core of, who we are.
Ar lá Chluiche Ceannais Peile na hÉireann, le 82,000 duine de lucht leanúna Átha Cliath agus Chiarraí cruinnithe isteach i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, tháinig siad le chéile mar gheall ar amhrán. Ba le hómós sin do Shinéad O'Connor a fuair bás i rith na seachtaine roimhe sin i Londain in aois 56 bliana. Bhí an t-amhrán clúiteach dá cuid, 'Nothing Compares To You', le feiceáil ar an scáileán ollmhór agus á sheinm ar challairí na staide agus aird iomlán an uile dhuine a bhí i láthair ar amhránaíocht shainiúil sho-aitheanta Shinéid.
Nuair a shéid an réiteoir an fheadóg ag deireadh an chluiche, agus lucht leanúna Átha Cliath ag ceiliúradh go raibh Corn Mhic Uidhir ar ais sa phríomhchathair, bhí glór láidir Christy Dignam le cloisteáil ar fud na staide ag canadh an amhráin 'Crazy World', leis an mbanna Aslan.
Tá buntábhacht leis na hamhránaithe agus lena gcuid amhrán i saol agus i ndúchas an Éireannaigh.
Tá 'Nothing Compares To You' agus 'Crazy World' ceangailte ar bhealach faoi leith le muintir na hÉireann. Aithnítear ceangal chomh dlúth céanna acu leis an Éireannachas agus atá le tuiscint ó Phas na hÉireann a bheith ar iompar agat. Spreagann siad cuimhní, ar laethanta séin agus ar laethanta mairge. Is bronntanais iad a thairg an t-ealaíontóir don lucht éisteachta, bronntanas is buaine ná an té a thug iad ach a chinntíonn go maireann cuimhne ar na daoine sin ar feadh na nglúnta tar éis a mbáis.
Le cúnamh ó lucht chaomhnú na n-amhrán agus uathu siúd a chuireann an cruth agus an chuma orthu ina maireann siad beo, féachann na tuairisceoirí Sinéad Ní Churnáin agus Garry Mac Donncha leis an aistear atá tugtha ag ceithre cinn de na hamhráin is cáiliúla agus fearr le daoine in Éirinn a fhiosrú. Déanfar brí roinnt de na hamhráin is so-aitheanta de chuid na tíre a chíoradh ar ‘Aistear an Amhráin’.
Is iomaí cor agus casadh i scéalta na n-amhrán de réir mar a tháinig lucht an chláir trasna orthu agus iad ag dul níos doimhne i stair na n-amhrán mórchlú seo. Beidh nuacht a bhainfidh stangadh as cuid mhór le scéalta na n-amhrán a chuirtear i láthair sa tsraith.
Síleann tú go bhfuil eolas agat ar na hamhráin seo. Éist arís!
Both ‘Nothing Compares To You’ and ‘Crazy World’ inhabit an intimate space in Irish society. They are as intrinsically Irish as your passport and provide the soundtrack to many a happy and a sad memory. They are the gifts given by the artist to the audience, that long outlive the performer and ensure their legacy for generations after their passing.
With the help of lovers of song and those who have made the songs what they are, reporters Sinéad Ní Churnáin and Garry Mac Donncha endeavour to explore the journey behind four of Ireland’s most famous and most loved songs. ‘Aistear an Amhráin’, will explore the meaning behind some of our most recognisable songs.
The programme team hit many an unexpected twist and turn as they delved into the stories behind these iconic songs and the series contains some surprising revelations.
You think you know these songs? Think again!
5th Sept – Come out Ye Black and Tans
The series begins on the 5th September with a look at the rousing ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’ from Irish band The Wolfe Tones, a song that raises the heartrate of many, in good and bad ways. Although originally released in 1972 on the album ‘Let the People Sing’, it has recharted as recently as 2020, thanks to Steve Coogan/Martin Brennan’s viral rendition of the song on the BBC’s ‘This Time with Alan Partridge’.
Reporter Sinéad Ní Churnáin explores the story behind the rebel anthem and asks why this song divides opinion so much.
12th Sept – N17
The Sawdoctors N17 is one of the most icon songs of recent times, filling dancefloors wherever Irish people are gathered, but behind the cheerful melody lies a more poignant story of 90s unemployment and mass emigration. Reporter, Garry MacDonncha meets Leo and Davy as they all go on a trip down memory lane in Galway, to a time as Leo says, ‘when coffee was instant’!
Originally recorded and released by the Saw Doctors in 1990, the song was introduced to a new generation during the pandemic, with Afro-Irish singer Tolu Makay’s performance of the song on RTÉ’s New Year’s Eve countdown show in December 2020. Born in Nigeria and brought up in Tullamore, Malay’s rendition managed to unite those of us who were in exile at Christmas time due to the travel restrictions around the Covid19 pandemic.
19th Sept
The penultimate episode of Aistear an Amhráin, looks at Mná na hÉireann, written by Peadar Ó Dóirnín with music composed, by Seán Ó Riada. A song that is recognisable from the opening notes and has long been considered a type of ode to Irish women.
Mná na hÉireann has been performed at many official events, including Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Ireland in 2011. However, academic and singer, Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin has recently provided a new translation of the lyrics and admitted that "I couldn’t sing this song – for love nor money. If people knew what they were singing, and if it were in English it would never be sung, it is derogatory to women, it’s about sex, and sexual relations." Reporter Sinéad Ní Churnáin explores, given the new translation, if Mná na hÉireann should still be sung, or confined to the dustbin of history.
26th Sept – Monto
The Dubliners’ bawdy ballad, Monto is the focus of the final episode of Aistear an Amhráin. From 1860-1925 Monto was the biggest red-light district in Europe and, unusually for the time, the area was run almost entirely by women. The madams of Monto ruled over an area of one square mile which is said to have had up to 1600 women working there at one stage. Reporter Garry MacDonncha walks the streets of modern- day Monto and explores the fascinating social history behind this iconic song, with contributions from Barry Gleeson, Damien Dempsey and John Sheehan.
An 5 Meán Fómhair – Come out Ye Black and Tans
Cuirtear tús leis an tsraith ar an 5 Meán Fómhair le scrúdú ar ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’, amhrán leis an mbanna The Wolfe Tones a chuireann an chuisle ag coipeadh i gcuid mhór daoine, más le dea-mhéin nó droch-chroí sin. Cé gur cuireadh an t-amhrán ar taifeadadh ar dtús ar an albam ‘Let the People Sing’ sa bhliain 1972, bhí sé sna cairteanna arís le gairid i rith na bliana 2020, mar gheall ar an aird a tharraing Steve Coogan/Martin Brennan air nuair a chas siad ar ‘This Time with Alan Partridge’ é, clár de chuid an BBC.
Fiosraíonn an tuairisceoir Sinéad Ní Churnáin an scéal a bhaineann leis an ngáir chatha seo agus an chúis go mbíonn oiread daoine ar mhalairt tuairime ina leith.
An 12 Meán Fómhair – N17
Tá N17 leis na Sawdoctors ar cheann de na hamhráin is aitheanta iomráití le blianta deasa anuas anois. Preabann na sluaite amach ag damhsa cibé áit a mbíonn na hÉireannaigh bailithe le chéile ach más ceilte uaireanta ag spreagadh an cheoil é, tá scéalta trua maidir le dífhostaíocht agus imirce na 1990idí sna focail. Buaileann an tuairisceoir Garry MacDonncha le Leo agus Davy agus téann siad siar bóithrín na smaointe i nGaillimh go dtí an tráth, mar a deir Leo, ‘when coffee was instant’!
Sa bhliain 1990 a rinne na Saw Doctors an t-amhrán a thaifeadadh agus a chur amach ar cheirnín den chéad uair. Cuireadh an t-amhrán ar na cluasa ag glún nua i rith na paindéime, ar chlár teilifíse Oíche Chinn Bhliana RTÉ i mí na Nollag 2020, agus é á chanadh ag Tolu Makay, an t-amhránaí Afra-Éireannach a rugadh sa Nigéir agus a tógadh ar an Tulach Mhór. Thug leagan Malay le chéile gach a raibh ar deoraíocht an Nollaig sin mar gheall ar na srianta taistil a bhain le paindéim Covid19.
An 19 Meán Fómhair
Ar an tríú clár sa tsraith Aistear an Amhráin, scrúdaítear Mná na hÉireann, amhrán de dhéantús Pheadair Uí Dhoirnín, a chuir Seán Ó Riada ceol leis. Aithnítear an t-amhrán seo ar na cúpla nóta tosaigh agus is fada daoine á cheapadh le moladh na mban.
Cantar Mná na hÉireann ag cuid mhór ócáidí oifigiúla, mar a rinneadh nuair a thug an Bhanríon Eilís II cuairt go hÉirinn sa bhliain 2011. Os a choinne sin uilig, tá aistriúchán nua ar an amhrán curtha ar fáil le tamall anuas ag Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, scoláire agus amhránaí, agus áitíonn sise: "Ní fhéadfainnse an t-amhrán seo a chanadh, ar ór ná ar airgead. Dá dtuigfeadh daoine an rud atá á chanadh acu, dá mbeadh sé i mBéarla, ní chanfaí go brách é... Masla agus tarcaise atá ann do mhná, collaíocht ábhar an amhráin, agus caidreamh collaí." Cíorann an tuairisceoir Sinéad Ní Churnáin, i bhfianaise an léargas ón aistriúchán, más ceart Mná na hÉireann a chanadh i gcónaí nó a chaitheamh i dtraipisí arís.
An 26 Meán Fómhair – Monto
Ar an mbailéad gáirsiúil Monto, a chanadh na Dubliners, a dhírítear sa chlár deireanach sa tsraith Aistear an Amhráin. Ar feadh na mblianta 1860-1925, bhí Monto ar an limistéar soilse dearga ab fhairsinge ar fud na hEorpa agus, ní nár ghnách ag an am, an ceantar á rith a bheag nó a mhór ag mná. Bhí Máistreása Thithe Striapachais Monto i gceannas ar cheantar aon mhíle cearnach ina meastar suas le 1600 bean a bheith ag obair uair amháin. Siúlann an tuairisceoir Garry MacDonncha sráideanna Monto na linne seo agus cíorann sé an stair shóisialta a bhaineann leis an amhrán clúiteach seo, in éineacht le Barry Gleeson, Damien Dempsey agus John Sheehan.
Cuirfear tús le Aistear an Amhráin ar RTÉ ONE agus ar RTÉ Player Dé Máirt, an 5 Meán Fómhair, ag a 7 i.n.
Aistear an Amhráin begins on RTÉ ONE and RTÉ Player on Tuesday the 5th of September at 7pm.
