Christ Church Cathedral, Arc Music ****

Live recordings and anniversaries are all too often tainted by the lure of easy money, but Clannad’s four decades on the road is richly celebrated in this finely tuned, tightly-arranged collection. Capturing the essence of their live headline concert in Christ Church as part of Temple Bar Tradfest 2011, this weighty CD (and accompanying live DVD) sees a band relishing the renewed energy that comes from having the good sense to step away from the studio and the road for prolonged periods. Moya Brennan’s voice is impeccable, richly contoured and restrained, while the band’s seminal arrangements of quintessential Donegal songs such as Dúlamán and Dtigeas

A Damhsa sound as fresh here as they did in the band's heyday. Pól Brennan's flute and whistle might be just a little too tentative on their otherwise pinprick reading of Eleanor Plunkett, but otherwise this is musicianship, unforced, unfettered and fresh- faced. clannad.ie