Description
Gael Linn, Ireland’s oldest record label, issued its first LP in 1958 and the album is now on CD.
Cork baritone Tomás Ó Súilleabháin sings eight well-known songs in Irish. Interestingly, the arrangement and piano accompaniment were by Seán Ó Riada, making this Ó Riada’s first commercial recording. Ó Súilleabháin, who is now retired and living in Dublin, was a regular guest on radio programmes of the 1950s and 60s. He also toured in the States with Austin Gaffney, the late Dermot Troy and Veronica Dunne. Tomás’s personal favourite on the album is Seán Ó Duibhir a’ Ghleanna.
The album contains Irish airs arranged by contemporary composers and played by the Radió Éireann Light Orchestra, under the direction of Éimear Ó Broin. The composers were: Ó Gallchobhair, Duff, Ó Frighil, Bodley, Ó Riada, Larchet, Fachtna Ó hAnnracháin and TCKelly.
A nostalgic tribute to a bygone era, the album’s music was familiar to listeners of Radio Éireann of fifty years ago.