Music has a tendency to find its own way back home, in between forays to more distant shores.
Na Casadaigh are a family band who have headlined in Carnegie Hall, but whose hearts are very much rooted in Gweedore.
A lifetime of music has shaped their ensemble playing, with their eclectic repertoire of tunes and close harmony singing honed in, among other places, the back seat of the family car as they wended their way from Donegal to Valentia Island on summer holidays: a journey so long and winding that it necessitated an overnight camping stop for parents, 10 children and the family dog.
Of such picaresque adventures is the music of Na Casadaigh made.
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After over 4 decades together, Na Casadaigh and Sibéal will open this year’s Letterkenny Trad Week.
“It’s difficult to separate family from music because the two are organically interwoven. Music is an intrinsic part of any family occasion.” says Odhrán Ó Casadaigh.
Odhrán is both a traditional fiddle player and a classically trained violinist, who teaches in TU Dublin and co-ordinates the traditional music programme there. His daughter, Sibéal will perform with her family, as well as on her own.
Having made her mark with her striking rendition of Mise Éire (arranged by her cousin, composer, Patrick Cassidy) during the 2016 centenary commemorations, Sibéal is currently balancing her live performances with a busy life in Galway as a medical student. A lifetime immersed in music has served her well, her father believes.
“When we toured in America or Europe down through the years,” Odhrán recounts, “Sibéal would have come with us to some of those and she would have seen us preparing for concerts, and was quite taken with how we went about things.”
“Because of all that experience, I was very comfortable with the stage,” Sibéal adds, “and I was familiar with the whole idea of how you get ready for a gig. All of us kids got very used to the roadshow, and I think that has stood to all of us in the next generation. We’re all very comfortable being on stage.”
Sibéal’s debut with Mise Éire at the age of 17 did much to accelerate her career. She lost little time in seizing an opportunity when it came her way.
“I guess that was a once in a lifetime shot,” she says, “at a time in Ireland when everyone was interested in the same thing [the 1916 centenary], so it was a very special time to have a song like that released. So I felt very lucky in that sense.
“I didn’t actively force anything but I accepted every opportunity that came my way. That was something that my dad taught me: to always say ‘yes’, never ‘no;, because you never know what one thing might lead to. It happened very organically.”
Jazz guitarist Mike Nielson is Sibéal’s regular accompanist, and last year the pair recorded, with Odhrán on fiddle, in Abbey Road studios, in preparation for the release of her second EP, Clapsholas.
She’s recently started writing her own songs, with Twilight Lavender debuting on her recent EP. Sibéal is comfortable not just with traditional music but also contemporary material, and with Nielson by her side, her confidence in exploring jazz-tinged sounds is growing too. The success of her musical adventures is all down to careful preparation, she insists.
“It depends on the piece,” Sibéal muses, as she considers how the fabric of songs can influence her approach.
“There are different ways to connect with the music. When it came to Mise Éire, myself and my dad sat down and read through the poem and talked about it, and about Pádraig Pearse’s words and what he might have felt when he wrote it. Then in the studio, phrasing is very important, and the character you want to bring to a particular aspect of a song. So it’s a combination of naturally singing something the way you sing it, and sitting down and putting a bit of thought into it as well.”
As well as a carefully curated programme this year, Letterkenny Trad Week has the distinction of attracting the talents of a notable traditional musician, Jessie Smith, who designed the festival’s poster and programme under the moniker of Black Rogue Design. There’s a decidedly insider feel to the striking image of the accordion and the minimalist colour palette he’s chosen.
Smith, American born and raised, but now living on Arranmore Island, makes light of his work, much as he does his music making, despite the accolades that have come his way through his many recordings and collaborations.
“For years I collected posters,” he says. “I went to art school in Baltimore. I studied music, but I always had a real interest in art. My mother is a painter too [Donna Long, formerly of Cherish The Ladies] and so we always had lots of art books at home.”
Smith’s been bitten by the design bug and sees his future in this space, rather than as a musician.
“I think that being able to design album covers for friends gives me a great kick”, he says.
“I guess that with social media nowadays, everything is more ephemeral, but I still think that some folks might treat the work as collectables.
“I’d like to think that if people ask for my work, that they might print it and keep it. It started as a hobby but now it’s turned into a full-time graphic design job. I feel really fortunate that I’ve moved in this direction.”
Letterkenny Trad Week: what’s on offer?
Afternoon trad sessions, a pop up Gaeltacht, as well as art and photography exhibitions: just some of the events hosted by Letterkenny Trad Week. Guests include Cormac Begley and Lisa O’Neill and Donegal’s Clann Mhic Ruairí. In between there will be much close harmony singing from Landless, as well as some raucous songs and tunes from the multi-instrumental Skippers Alley.
Letterkenny Trad Week runs across multiple venues, January 20th-28th. regionalculturalcentre.com
