IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 22nd December ENYA’S CHRISTMAS ADVENTURES PART 2: From Amid the Falling Snow to Trains and Winter Rains It is a fact that Enya is the kind of singer who likes to take longer breaks between two albums. When she closed her first era with the compilation Paint the Sky With Stars in 1997, …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 18th December ENYA’S CHRISTMAS ADVENTURES PART 1: OÍCHE CHÚIN AND ON MY WAY HOME Enya has been active in music since 1980. After two albums with Clannad, she started her solo career in 1982. She composed the soundtrack for the BBC series The Celts in 1986. However, it was Watermark that made her famous because it featured …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 14th December Healing Angel It was 1999 when the actress Roma Downey recorded an album with the legendary musician and composer, Phil Coulter. Downey came from Northern Ireland (as well as Coulter), but later she became known in America. After some films and series, she got the role of Monica in …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 10th December Bells over Belfast The Irish Rovers is a Canadian-based band that plays Irish folk music with elements of country and rock. During their long career, they have recorded more than 30 records since 1967. Their first holiday album ’Song of Christmas’ was released in 1999. The opener, ‘Bells over …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 7th December Carol 1942 Patrick Kavanagh was a well-known realist poet of the 20th–century Ireland. He was interested in politics and was involved in journalism as well. Sometimes he was too harsh and broke some topic taboos, so some of his works were scandalous and temporary banned. His famous poem, On Raglan …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 5th December Christmas Angels According to many people (including me), Clannad is one of the biggest Irish bands of all time. The Donegal-based family group has been essential since the early seventies due to their progressive folk sound and ethereal vocal arrangements. Since 1973 they have released 16 studio albums, won …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 2nd December The Seven Rejoices of Mary Although it was not a typical Christmas carol, it is a well-known song in the Advent period. ‘The Seven Rejoices of Mary’ tells the signature moments of Mary’s life (and afterlife) connected to Jesus and religion. The way of storytelling and the symbolism of …
IRISH ADVENT CALENDAR – 1st December The Wexford Carol The Wexford Carol is a religious Christmas carol from Enniscorthy, Wexford. It is very popular in Ireland, but it has become a traditional English Christmas carol as well. It tells the story of how Jesus was born in Bethlehem. While the English version is well-known, there …
