-by Dai Bando (originally published in The Hobbledehoy): https://thehobbledehoy.com/)
– The Voice Squad “The Parting Glass” (from Waking Ned Devine 1999)
The Hothouse Flowers front man Liam Ó Maonlaí (surname pronounced O’-man-lee) performs this in 1999’s Waking Ned Devine but I prefer the recording sung acapella by The Voice Squad. Said music critic Rick Anderson, “The Voice Squad represent the melding of two related but separate traditions — a British harmony-singing tradition (as exemplified by the Copper Family and the Watersons) and the unaccompanied solo singing tradition of Northern Ireland (as exemplified by such legendary artists as Paddy Tunney and Joe Heaney).
By taking the traditional Irish repertoire and harmonizing it in a generally British style, the three members of the Voice Squad have created something new and absolutely wonderful.“
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lum-2ejJPrI
– The Corrs “Time Enough for Tears” (from In America 2002)
This song, written by U2’s Bono with occasional collaborator Gavin Friday, plays over the final credits in Jim Sheridan’s beautiful autobiographical film In America (2002).
I’ve long believed the fashion mag good-looks of Dublin’s Corrs sisters worked against them as artists. They’re amazing musicians and vocalists. The Corrs are Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle, mandolin, ukulele), Sharon (violin, keyboards, vocals), Caroline (drums, percussion, piano, bodhrán, vocals) and Jim (guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals). This track was reportedly recorded in just one take. It’s Andrea who whispers at the song’s conclusion, “I know…it’s ok.”
‘Tis indeed.
–Marcus Mumford “Farewell” (“The Leaving of Liverpool”) From Coen Brothers Inside Llewyn Davis
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem had a top 10 hit with the song in Ireland in 1964. Liam Clancy was a chum of Bob Dylan is his early days in Greenwich Village. Dylan swiped it, renamed it, and recorded it as “Farewell.” The song has also been swiped, renamed, and/or adapted by several other artists, most notably The Dubliners and The Pogues. This track is from the outstanding concert film made with the Llewyn Davis creative team: Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis and features the singing of Marcus Mumford with support from the Punch Brothers.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbNtUygmsSU
-The Hothouse Flowers “Sweet Marie I’m Alive” (from Joe Picket, 2021)
I purchased my first Hothouse Flowers LP in a Dublin record shop in the late 1980s and I’ve been a fan ever since. Liam Ó Maonlaí is the most soulful Irish singer since Van Morrison. The Flowers have recorded several great songs (“Forgiven”, “Emotional Time”, “Don’t Go”) but my favorite is the beautiful break-up song, “Sweet Marie.” The song played during the season one finale of Paramount’s critically acclaimed series Joe Picket.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BPgrnph5qI
–Clannad “Theme From Harry’s Game”
The unusual title for this song derives from the titular 1982 TV series about a British agent who infiltrates the IRA to find an assassin. In 1992, the song was again used in the Harrison Ford movie Patriot Games.
Clannad is the name of the band comprised of Donegal’s Brennan family: siblings Ciarán, Pól and Moya Ui Bhraonáin (in English, Brennan). The song, featuring Moya’s haunting multi-tracked Gaelic vocals, was not only used in TV and films, but famously used in a Volkswagen commercial. Jason Flom, the RCA exec who negotiated the deal with Volkswagen, recalled in a Forbes interview, “It was lucky the lyrics were in Gaelic because it was actually a funeral dirge, and I don’t think if I was Volkswagen, I would be playing a funeral dirge in my ad for cars. But, we never told them.”
The Brennan family have a younger sister not in the band but who sings by the name of Enya who is said to have more money than God or even Volkswagon.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zHTcxVjX0I
-Petula Clark “How Are Things in Glocca Mora?” (Directed by Francis Ford Coppola 1968)
Words by the legendary Yip Harburg. Pet Clark once revealed in an interview that there was much smoking of weed during the filming of “Finian’s Rainbow” and that included Fred Astaire. How are things in Glocca Morra? Apparently things are pretty baked at 4:20
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4v0B-oHsGk
– Kate Bush “Mná na hÉireann” (Women of Ireland) from Barry Lyndon
Written to accompany a poem written by Ulster poet Peadar Ó Doirnín (1700–1769), with the musical “air” composed by Seán Ó Riada (1931–1971), ”Women of Ireland” was made famous as arranged and played by Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains in Stanley Kubrick’s film Barry Lyndon. This version sung by Kate Bush, was arranged by trad-Irish uberman, Donal Lunny. Beautiful.
Kate Bush on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9vtaQNTTHc
-Glen Hansard & Maketa Irglova “Falling Slowly” (from Once, 2007)
Lovely song from the 2007 low-budget gem Once. Written by Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard (who also co-stars in the film), “Falling Slowly” won the Oscar for Best Song beating out three nominated songs from Disney’s blockbuster musical, Enchanted.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mtXwtapX4
– Dave Berry “The Crying Game”
This song isn’t Irish, nor was the singer Dave Berry who had a British hit with the original in 1964. The 1991 film, also titled The Crying Game, was written and directed by Irishman Neil Jordan. Jordan’s film explores themes of race, sex, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. What’s more Irish than that?
Boy George performs “The Crying Game” in the film. I really love the original by Dave Berry, whose real name was not “Crying Boy Berry” but actually “David Holgate Grundy.”
Dave Berry original YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c9W2-uGvQQ
-Sinead O’Connor “The Butcher Boy”(from Neil Jordan’s The Butcher Boy 1997)
The late Sinead O’Connor (portraying the Virgin Mary in the film) sings a great version of the folk song, from which the film takes it title. Neil Jordan’s film is brilliant and disturbing. Lovers of the traditional song should also hear the legendary Tommy Makem perform it.
Tommy Makem on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sinead O’Connor on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QawaIUp6Wp8
-Seamus Egan ”Weep Not For the Memories / I Will Remember You” ( from The Brothers McMullen, 1995)
-This song became a pretty big pop hit for Sarah McLaughlin, who added the lyrics. But it was originally written and recorded by Seamus Egan, leader of the Irish-American supergroup, Solas. Edward Burns wrote the screenplay and starred in the film.
Sarah’s version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FacDkraAvlI
Seamus’ version on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4PjpQf9Wcg
Just Between You and Me 
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