"Say nothing, and say it well." To this day, Vinnie Kilduff remembers that piece of advice, given to him after he had arrived on one of the Aran islands almost two decades ago.
And a sound piece of advice it was, for the Mayo musician's luggage was to last him for a while. He had decided to spend five months on Inis Mór, writing music. "Naturally, it was going to take a while to be accepted, although the tin whistle opened doors. It would have taken longer if I had been known to spread any gossip, betray any confidences."
Even as he settled into a writing routine, and unwittingly earned himself a nickname, Kilduff soon found himself recording the songs of others. "There was so much that was so rich on all three islands," he remembers. "You had the likes of Mac Dara Costello, who had written his own work, and Joe O'Brien, one of the foremost sean-nós singers in the State, and Máirín Ní Chonghaile from Inis Meáin. I spent three whole days getting them all on tape." Kilduff kept the recordings long after he left Inis Mór, but was busy with his own career over the intervening years as one of Ireland's foremost contemporary tin-whistle players. He performed with the Waterboys, was one of only two Irish musicians to do the "War" tour with U2, and travelled and recorded a number of albums with Clannad.
Over a year ago, he was moving from Kerry to Barna in Galway when he came across the "lost tapes" and knew it was time to do something with the material. He also knew for what purpose. "For the lifeboat. It is central to everything when you are living on an island - bringing people to and from hospital, providing a vital link for anyone and everyone who gets sick. There is such a dependency on it, and yet it is crewed and financed largely by volunteers."
Aran's lifeboat has long been one of the busiest on this 2,000-mile coastline, because of its essential role in medical evacuations and its proximity to the Cliffs of Moher on the north Clare coastline. Its crews have won many awards since the station was established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1927. Kilduff contacted Aran island GP Dr Marion Broderick, the lifeboat's honorary medical officer, and spent much of last year working with the islanders on his project.
The 30 original recordings were in "mint condition", and he invited other artists, both islanders and mainlanders who shared a connection with the islands to contribute material. Mike Scott of The Waterboys, also an Aran resident for a time, offered his own interpretation of Seán Ó Riada's Women of Ireland, while actor Patrick Bergin said he would read a poem entitled Aborigine, written by his father, islander Paddy Bergin. Other participants include Aran singer Lasairfhiona Ní Chonaola, musicians PJ Flaherty and Frankie Gavin, and the Australian-Irish duo Steve Cooney and Laoise Kelly.
Danny O'Flaherty, an Aran islander now living in the US, heard about the project and agreed to record in a New Orleans studio a piece which he had written himself. The youngest performers were Oisín (15) and Conal (11) Hernon, with Yvonne Barrett on piano. Kilduff contacted artist Dara McGee to design artwork with Chris Day, while Andrew McNicholas agreed to contribute photography for the CD cover. What started as one disc became two, and Gael Linn agreed to provide distribution.
There were few invoices, Kilduff bore much of the expense personally, and the Aran lifeboat committee was consulted at every stage. By the the launch date on the third weekend of October, the main man was so exhausted that publicity was an optional extra. He had just arrived off the ferry to Joe Mac's pub on the Friday evening when he received a phone call. His mother, Sheila, who had been ill for the past 14 years, had passed away in Mayo. Kilduff was her only child. "We went ahead with everything - it is probably what my mother would have wanted," he says.
The weekend of music included live performances by many of the CD's contributors, including several, like Joe O'Brien, who had worked with Kilduff 18 years ago. Two late nights ran into mornings, with very little sleep. The collection was dedicated to those who couldn't be there - late Aran residents Mac Dara Costello, author of the hilarious Bright Silvery Light of the Moon, Sean Watty Flaherty, Paitín Jack Flaherty, Mary Dillane and Paddy Bergin.
Kilduff signed over the copyright to the lifeboat, hoping that the Aran recordings would raise funds for the station for many years to come. On the Sunday morning, he rang his father from Kilronan to reassure him that he was on his way home. To his surprise, there was a significant Aran contingent at his mother's funeral in Knock. He had become part of the family, saying nothing, playing it well.
The Aran Lifeboat Collection: music, song and poetry from and for the Aran islands is available through Gael Linn and from all good music shops accepting those Christmas gift tokens at €20.99. Proceeds after distribution to the Aran island lifeboat.