Wednesday, September 30, 2009

MacMurrough

MacMurrough (1974)


MacMurrough, or Shades of MacMurrough as they appear to have been known initially, was a trio formed in Ferns Co.Wexford in 1971 by Paul Kavanagh and sisters Mary and Josephine O'Neill. They were a ballad group in the Emmet Spiceland tradition. Between 1972 and 1978 they recorded three albums for Polydor Records which are now highly prized by folk fans.
In 1974, now operating under the altered name of MacMurrough, Paul Kavanagh, Mary ONeill and Josephine ONeill released their second album entitled Mac Murrough. Released on Polydor Ireland in 1974 and produced by Donal Lunny of Planxty. Bothy Band and Moving Hearts fame. Originally released by Polydor Ireland in a limited edition of 500 copies, Mac Murrough is an acid folk classic. Featuring lyrical ballads from the English and Irish tradition including a 15th century Latin hymn Deus Meus and the song tradition of their native Wexford provided The Pulshone Fishermen. Celestial male/female harmonies are overlaid with subtle arrangements for guitar, dulcimer, lute, spinet, glockenspiel, tin whistle and bodhran MacMurrough weaves a web of pastoral elgaeic acid folk magic that justified MacMurroughs status as a holy grail.

Tracks:
01. The Bailiff's Daughter Of Islington
02. Creeping Jane
03. Ta Na Baid
04. The Poulshone Fishermen
05. The Plains Of Waterloo
06. A Kiss In The Morning Early
07. Deus Meus
08. Sweet Jenny Of The Moor
09. A Pace Egging Song
10. Bold William Taylor
11. A Maid Who Sold Her Barley

9 Comments:

Anonymous Joetomrud said...

Thanks so much for this - a top quality rip as well, top job, err, you wouldn't have the other two as well....

joe.

30 September, 2009 05:53  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you for this. Very nice harmonies. Glad to discover MacMurrough.

30 September, 2009 10:07  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, nice to see you are still active! You may remember I posted a few links here ages ago. Udo Lindenberg was one. Any how - I'm looking for the album 'King Cotton' by The Fivepenny Piece. Can you help me? I have my own blog these days. You're welcome to come over for a look. It's a wide mix but there are a few folk-oriented posts. All the best to you!

30 September, 2009 17:42  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A wonderful post indeed! I would also love the other two pleeeeeeese!

01 October, 2009 00:04  
Blogger Siobhán Long's sister said...

This was reissued on CD by Kissing Spell Records in 2008.

01 October, 2009 01:13  
Blogger yabanjin said...

Looking good. I look forward to giving it a listen.

01 October, 2009 11:52  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Joe
"merry&fine"&"carrig river" from Mc Murrough issued on cd last year on the Kissing Spell label.
JB

01 October, 2009 20:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have to say, the Kissing Spell reissues are very limited editions and extremely hard to get. They are extremely good, and I would recommend them to anyone, but if not widely available it doesn't help anyone.They don't even have all of them available on their own website!

02 October, 2009 01:43  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The kissing spell cds are not easy to find in shops but available from various sellers on amazone(best prices on amazoneuk).
JB

02 October, 2009 15:08  

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