Oh, Jill I don’t think I’ll be able to adequately say how much I love this. The Chieftans are the sound of my childhood, Irish Heartbeat was on constant repetition and is the soundtrack to all of my earliest memories. There’s not a note or lyric from that album that isn’t engraved in me somewhere. I did the 'click' immediately after you said, “It’s music made to put a spring in your heal”, because I’m half Irish, too, and my body doesn’t know how not to. You speak to the complexity that this music holds, that we hold, so beautifully. ♥️☘️
Irish Heartbeat was actually the album we were dancing to, in the home video. Circa 1988 so Bells of Dublin wasn’t out yet. Wrote this trying to reconcile things I loved when I was little with .. other things. To use your words: thought about you a lot while writing this. Somehow knew you of all people would get it. And you’re half-Irish too?! 🤝 We should start a club. This strange, manic-melancholic, brooding island... it’s an inherited grief. But boy can they spin a tune and lift a heel
Oh, I get it. Yes, on my father’s side, making it all the more complicated. Manic-melancholic, brooding island…when you say it like that I realise just how in my bones the country is. Must say I’m grateful to be a part of the tribe who gets to have their hearts gripped, crushed and ripped wide open by our motherlands melodies, though… Yes to a halflings club!
🤝🤝 thanks Rain, love reading this! Very jealous you saw them live, I’d give a limb or maybe a digit (a small one) to see them live. Less and less likely with each passing year - no concert dates currently posted. 😢 Lucky you to have seen them!!!
Love a good dark backstory, Jill, especially involving childhood memories. The story told by the list of collaborators on that album is a volume in itself - Burgess Meredith? Marianne Faithfull! Elvis Costello?! 🤩
More hours in the day please!!! 🤪🤪🤪 I just said to Joel “imagine if I could just write all day, I’d be so productive”. Thank you - you, Kenneth - for the encouragement to make it a reality, some fine day. 🤌🔥
You're right to crave those more hours, and may you conjure them. It will sound like cold comfort, but no one can write (well) all day, and "productive" is so, so often over-rated or artifice.
God, I love this piece. Van Morrison Is the hard and crusty, patron saint of all our family gatherings. He is a living embodiment of darkness, wrapped in nonsensical levity and joy. Thank you for reading this piece too. I know how tedious that exercise can be firsthand but it’s so worth it.
Love it! My daughter's name is Wren and we have a "king of the birds" book that leaves out the part about falling to the furze. I had no idea it was a folk tale. Adding this to my Christmas playlist and will see what little Wren says about it. I'm told I'm Irish, Scottish, English, and Polish, and my wife has German and Italian ancestry, so I guess our children are the mutts Europe, sprinkled with American pride and shame.
Oh I hope you (and she!) like it Ryan. I think it’s bloody brilliant and so Christmas-y but you’re the music expert!! I can’t put it on without jigging. Please let me know how it goes down 🙏
I’m so happy to share it with you David! 🥰 It’s a song (a whole album actually) that gives me enormous joy. Also: the album Irish Heartbeat, if this kind of music is your cup o’tay ...
Very steerage! I was 15 when this came out, but remember my dad (both his parents were from Dublin) listening to it at Christmas. I actually made a point of listening carefully to all the Christmas songs I had grown up with, and some were surprisingly dark. But that's Christmas, very dark and empty if you look too closely. It's ours to make.
That was lovely. I named a character in my third novel, Wren. I like the sound of it, and the way it looks on the page. Now I know the interesting backstory thanks to you.
So sad. It’s like the old Scottish gannet-slaughter that Robert Macfarlane wrote about in the Old Ways. Can’t understand it at all, like so much else that eludes me
Oh, Jill I don’t think I’ll be able to adequately say how much I love this. The Chieftans are the sound of my childhood, Irish Heartbeat was on constant repetition and is the soundtrack to all of my earliest memories. There’s not a note or lyric from that album that isn’t engraved in me somewhere. I did the 'click' immediately after you said, “It’s music made to put a spring in your heal”, because I’m half Irish, too, and my body doesn’t know how not to. You speak to the complexity that this music holds, that we hold, so beautifully. ♥️☘️
Irish Heartbeat was actually the album we were dancing to, in the home video. Circa 1988 so Bells of Dublin wasn’t out yet. Wrote this trying to reconcile things I loved when I was little with .. other things. To use your words: thought about you a lot while writing this. Somehow knew you of all people would get it. And you’re half-Irish too?! 🤝 We should start a club. This strange, manic-melancholic, brooding island... it’s an inherited grief. But boy can they spin a tune and lift a heel
Oh, I get it. Yes, on my father’s side, making it all the more complicated. Manic-melancholic, brooding island…when you say it like that I realise just how in my bones the country is. Must say I’m grateful to be a part of the tribe who gets to have their hearts gripped, crushed and ripped wide open by our motherlands melodies, though… Yes to a halflings club!
Father’s side too 🤝
🤝 David & I just danced wildly around the kitchen to The Wren in the Furze, so thank you for that xo
You’re so welcome!! ❤️🔥 Happy holidays to the both of youse xx
Thanks darlin, and to you and the gang ❤️❤️❤️
🤝🤝 thanks Rain, love reading this! Very jealous you saw them live, I’d give a limb or maybe a digit (a small one) to see them live. Less and less likely with each passing year - no concert dates currently posted. 😢 Lucky you to have seen them!!!
We had a Chieftans album on heavy rotation on road trips and such when I was a kid. Similar feelings.
🤝 in good company then x
Love a good dark backstory, Jill, especially involving childhood memories. The story told by the list of collaborators on that album is a volume in itself - Burgess Meredith? Marianne Faithfull! Elvis Costello?! 🤩
I know right?! Casual A-list.
Strange, it makes me feel, to come upon this marvelous piece while listening to "The Bells of Dublin." Oh, that child...
Thanks for reading Henry. Enjoy 🎵
Honed, tuned. One of my absolute favourites, purring upon release from your engine room. More please.
More hours in the day please!!! 🤪🤪🤪 I just said to Joel “imagine if I could just write all day, I’d be so productive”. Thank you - you, Kenneth - for the encouragement to make it a reality, some fine day. 🤌🔥
You're right to crave those more hours, and may you conjure them. It will sound like cold comfort, but no one can write (well) all day, and "productive" is so, so often over-rated or artifice.
God, I love this piece. Van Morrison Is the hard and crusty, patron saint of all our family gatherings. He is a living embodiment of darkness, wrapped in nonsensical levity and joy. Thank you for reading this piece too. I know how tedious that exercise can be firsthand but it’s so worth it.
🤣 Love the image of patron saint Van Morrison, blessing the choir and presiding over a mass of whiskey shot sacraments....
Love it! My daughter's name is Wren and we have a "king of the birds" book that leaves out the part about falling to the furze. I had no idea it was a folk tale. Adding this to my Christmas playlist and will see what little Wren says about it. I'm told I'm Irish, Scottish, English, and Polish, and my wife has German and Italian ancestry, so I guess our children are the mutts Europe, sprinkled with American pride and shame.
Oh I hope you (and she!) like it Ryan. I think it’s bloody brilliant and so Christmas-y but you’re the music expert!! I can’t put it on without jigging. Please let me know how it goes down 🙏
This is the magic of Substack. How else would I ever have come across this song and been able to listen to it with the great background you provided.
Thanks Jill!
I’m so happy to share it with you David! 🥰 It’s a song (a whole album actually) that gives me enormous joy. Also: the album Irish Heartbeat, if this kind of music is your cup o’tay ...
Very steerage! I was 15 when this came out, but remember my dad (both his parents were from Dublin) listening to it at Christmas. I actually made a point of listening carefully to all the Christmas songs I had grown up with, and some were surprisingly dark. But that's Christmas, very dark and empty if you look too closely. It's ours to make.
Best not look too closely then I guess... unfortunately I have an omphaloskeptic’s inability to look away 😂
That was lovely. I named a character in my third novel, Wren. I like the sound of it, and the way it looks on the page. Now I know the interesting backstory thanks to you.
It’s a lovely name 🙌 thanks for reading Camila, so glad you enjoyed
I so enjoyed this post, especially the main wren story. Beautiful (if sad). Thank you!
So sad. It’s like the old Scottish gannet-slaughter that Robert Macfarlane wrote about in the Old Ways. Can’t understand it at all, like so much else that eludes me
That’s lovely Colleen, thanks so much for reading and enjoying 🙏 of course feel free to link, it’s much appreciated! ❤️