Songs of the Scribe

Songs of the Scribe
Studio album by
Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin
Released3 December 2011
RecordedMy Room Studios
Copenhagen, Denmark
GenreTraditional Irish
Folk
Celtic
Length45:20
LabelCeoltaí Éireann
ProducerThomas Li, Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, Helen Davies
Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin chronology
Áilleacht
(2005) 		Songs of the Scribe
(2011) 		Let the Fairies In
(2012)
Album reviews
Review scores
SourceRating
Journal of Musicfavourable[1]
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachtafavourable[2]
Argusfavourable[3]
Lonely Planetfavourable[4]
The Irish Times[5]
Lonely Planetfavourable[6]

Songs of the Scribe is the seventh studio album from Irish singer Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, who is also Traditional Singer in Residence at the Seamus Heaney Centre For Poetry at Queen's University, Belfast. Released on 3 December 2011, the album features old and newly written translations by Ní Uallacháin, Ciaran Carson and Seamus Heaney and harp accompaniment by Helen Davies.[7] Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark, Songs of the Scribe was inspired by the manuscripts held in the library of St. Gallen. Pádraigín visited the library to research the manuscripts, carried to safety from Viking attack by St. Gall and others from Bangor, County Down[8] to Europe over a number of centuries.[7]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Hermit's Wish (Dúthracar, a maic Dé bí)"9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin
Often attributed to Manchán mac Silláin; 6th/7th century		7:49
2."The Blackbird of Belfast Lough (Int én bec)"9th-century scribe; Carson; Heaney3:42
3."The Scribe in the Woods (Dom fharcaí fidbaide fál)"9th-century scribe; Carson3:30
4."Líadan's Lament (Mé Líadan ro-carus-sa Cuirithir)"9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin6:15
5."The Land of Stars (A Bé find in rega lem)"9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin4:41
6."The Wind Is Wild Tonight (Is acher in gaíth in-nocht)"9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin3:14
7."Incantation of Amergin (Am gaith ar muir)"Amergin, 11th-century mystical poet; Ní Uallacháin5:32
8."Pangur Bán"9th-century scribe; Heaney2:21
9."My Hand is Cramped with Penwork (Is scith mo chrob)"Colmcille; 12th-century scribe; Heaney2:12
10."My Mind's Desire (Ropo mian dom menmainse)"11th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin6:01

Personnel

Release history

Country Release date
Ireland December 3, 2011 (2011-12-03)
UK

References

  1. ^ Journal of Music review[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Peadar O'Riada review
  3. ^ The Argus
  4. ^ Songs of the Scribe review at Lonely Planet
  5. ^ Songs of the Scribe review at The Irish Times by Siobhán Long
  6. ^ [1] review at Cygnus Books
  7. ^ a b Songs of the Scribe at IrishSong.com
  8. ^ Interview with Pádraigín at BBC Northern Ireland