EIMEAR COUGHLAN & FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM
The Caves of Kiltanon
Philippe Cousin
After Donegal, Clare is surely one of the counties with the most traditional musicians in Ireland. It is a region with a very strong tradition. Eimear Coughlan and Francis Cunningham hail from this western region.
A husband and wife duo, they share the musical heritage of their native county. Both count famous musicians among their ancestors. Eimear is the granddaughter of Paddy Canny, the fiddler from Tulla who popularised Irish music for over sixty years, both in Ireland and abroad. He was also one of the founders of the Tulla Céilí Band. A multi-instrumentalist (fiddle and harp), Eimear has toured extensively throughout Europe with the Irish Harp Orchestra.
Francis, a native of Crusheen, is recognised as one of the best concertina players. A multiple Irish concertina champion, he is also a highly sought-after teacher who has toured both Europe and the United States.
The Caves of Kiltanon, a superb cave site near Tulla, a tune composed by P. Canny, is their first joint album, an opus they have obviously dedicated to Paddy Canny. Their ancestor's repertoire is also heavily featured throughout the album, with no fewer than seven tracks borrowed from P. Canny. Jigs, reels, hornpipes and marches follow one another at a frenetic pace. Their other sources of inspiration include Andrew MacNamara, Joe Burke, Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Brian Conway, Scotland's Phil Cunningham and Seán Ryan. We even recognise Banish Misfortune, popularised by the Chieftains in the 1960s.
Eimear and Francis' playing is characterised by a liveliness and brilliance that sometimes leaves you speechless. A performance full of passion and talent.
Autoproduit CC0001 - www.francisandeimear.com