Origins of the recording

Fiddle and flute, the sound of the two in full flight, has excited both of us for as long as we have played music. Based in County Carlow, we have played in every setting imaginable together for nearly fifteen years.

From our role as teachers of the very young, to the privilege of carrying the musical baton from those of a past generation, we have been fully immersed in all that Carlow has had to offer. If traditional music is of place; then for us, Carlow is that place.

The idea for this recording first emerged on a winter’s night in a kitchen in the townsland of Ballymoon, Co. Carlow. We were in the process of making a homemade recording of tunes that we were both teaching to a group of local teenagers. Pleased with the result given the primitive equipment used, we agreed that we should try the real thing some time. This was largely an aspiration until our meeting with Nicolas Quemener in the summer of that year. He suggested that we consider doing some recording in his studio with him and we decided to give it a go! New friendships fashioned, a date was fixed to return to Brittany to begin recording.

We made several subsequent trips to the Medieval village of Guemene Sur Scorff where the relaxed pace of life and vibrant café culture provided the perfect atmosphere for capturing this music. Two further tracks were added at Pollerton studios in Carlow and we are grateful to Derek Butler for the use of his excellent facilities. We were delighted when Michelle and Johnny ‘Ringo’ agreed to come on board and add their considerable talents to this project.

Finally, our good Friends John Coffey and Joe Kavanagh agreed to take care of photography and graphic design. Both are from the village of Clogh, Co. Kilkenny and we have enjoyed many great nights of music in their company.

Ta suil againn go mbainfidh tu taitneamh as!

C&D.