Music

Soundtrack and Film: The Secret of Roan Inish

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I wrote about Far and Away previously. You can call this my 90s soundtrack series since I’ve been watching many 90s movies lately.

Since I started getting into the Irish and Scottish lore, I’ve read about the myth of the Selkies. My aunt read a book about it and was beaming with excitement telling me the story. You can say she got infected with my passion for all things Celtic. So, whenever I look for Irish films, it’s for either the myth or the music. The Secret of Roan Inish is a film that can satisfy both. It’s based on the 1957 novel Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry by Rosalie K. Fry. I am going to look for that one. 

The story was set in 1946. It is told from the point of view of Fiona (Jeni Courtney), a young girl who is sent to live with her grandparents in an Irish fishing village. This incident happened after the death of her mother. She also has failing health. I will not give the rest of the story away, but I will tell you that it is worth your time!

There is something intimate and organic about the whole movie. The ease and timelessness of the village and the lovely people around it add to the story’s warmth. And then there’s that selkie mystery thrown in. 

Music: Madon Daring’s traditional score blends well with the atmosphere. It’s a joy to listen to again and again long after the movie is finished. 

Beautiful Scottish Lament

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Lament played on a ten-string lyre, Burke Viper low D whistle, Ibanez M340 guitar, and Dixon Trad D pennywhistle.

I agree with the artist that Scottish laments give you the feeling of hope, of consolation, even a call to arms just under the surface. Yes, life can be sad and tragic, but music makes everything bearable and hopeful. This video is from a musician under the monicker Whistling Badger. You can follow his youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/whistlingbadger/videos for more videos.

Far and Away 30th Anniversary

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Far and Away Trailer

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Ron Howard’s Far and Away. Yes, this film was derided by critics, but you can’t deny that the film has outstanding cinematography and soundtrack. I watched the movie because of Enya and The Chieftains-for those reasons alone. I felt the film was too long, but it has impressive shots of Ireland and Oklahoma. If you love movies that look beautiful and do not overwhelm you, then this is the film to watch. It also gives you a good impression of how America came to be. 

Ron Howard made fascinating films after.

The music: The movie boasts a fantastic soundtrack. I like John Williams, and his work with Superman and the magic is present in this movie. I think the film would have been so bland without Enya and the Chieftains. I love the soundtrack that I bought the record when it was released in the 90s. And I love listening to it again and again. 

Lockdown Music by Dom Duff

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Late is better than never. This song was posted in 2020 at the start of the lockdown. Where was I? I stopped blogging because there were so many things going on at the same time. So yes, I miss the funfair. But then again, here I am to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding this blogging thing. But not without a bit of help from my friends.
What I like about this song is that it is written entirely in the Breton language. So you get that first tongue sentiments not found when you are transcribing in English. English is my second language. Although I try my best to be grammatically correct, it is really different when I express my pain and fear in my first language. Dom preserves that primal appeal. What a fantastic video too!
Go ahead and check out the YouTube link. There are lyrics plus English translation there. Have fun. Celebrate life. Things will be better.

Check out the Emerson Gale YouTube Channel

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Sometimes I do my snooping around during the evening. If I am not watching tutorials on video editing or bike repair, then I am scouting for new talents. That’s how I came accross this fella from Strafford VT. Perhaps you should give him a listen and ‘like’. He has few short videos up, plus this one with Bill Sheppard. This is a raw performance. No sound editing or effects. Just the acoustics of the room and pure heavenly fun.

Like I mentioned before, I am now writing for people who are on the go, busy and with less attention tolerance. However, I will post links that are short and long for your pleasure. Oh, and I am now writing, the way I talk. So no more Grammarly editing here. Just short, informative fun.