The literature and storytelling traditions associated with The Great Blasket have long been acclaimed both internationally and at home. It is surprising therefore that the music traditions of The Blaskets remain little heard. In The Western Island, J.J. O'Shea seeks to address this imbalance and explores this rich but lesser-known aspect of Blasket Island tradition.
The programme offers a lively blend of expert opinion, music and song together with excerpts from letters and diaries of islanders creating a vivid picture of Blasket life and the role that music and song played in the lives of the people. The music selections include field recordings made by various collectors over the years now archived in the National Folklore Collection together with new recordings made especially for the programme by descendants of islanders playing music that draws upon their island heritage thus demonstrating how the tradition remains alive, albeit in an ever-developing format and style.
Folklorist Ríonach uí Ógáin illuminates the history, provenance and character of the music selections. Aoife and Deirdre Granville, Róisín Ní Chéilleachair and Brendan Begley are among the singers and musicians featured in this important addition to our knowledge of Blasket life.
A J.J.O’Shea production for RTE Lyric FM.
The Western Island airs on the Lyric Feature, Sunday 29th October at 6 pm on RTÉ Lyric fm and will be available as a podcast.
Listen to more from the Lyric Feature here.