A Hidden Ulster
LC Class | ML3654.7.U57 N5 2003 |
A Hidden Ulster: people, songs and traditions of Oriel is a 2003
Background
Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, an Irish singer, song collector and academic comes from the area which was historically the
Title
The book's title, A Hidden Ulster alludes to the lack of public knowledge among singers and song historians on the songs of Oriel. Many songs now sung in Ulster are claimed to be from County Donegal, though many of the songs originate from Oriel. The title is also tied with Ní Uallacháin's father, Pádraig's complaint in 1939 to the Department of Education in Dublin, with whom he was employed at the time. The Department released a list of 80 songs to appear in Ireland's national curriculum, none of which were from Ulster, the northern quarter of the island of Ireland. In his complaint, Pádraig wrote:
Irish: Shílfeá e h-amharc ar an liosta suarach chéadna nár canadh nóta ceoil ariamh taobh thuas den Bhóinn!
English: One would think to look at this same miserable list that a note of music was never sung north of the Boyne!— Pádraig Ó hUallacháin, 1939, Letter to Department of Education Dublin[1]
Content
A Hidden Ulster contains expansive notes, lyrics and translations for 54 songs found in the Oriel area, including notation, published for the first time. The book has biographies of local singers, song collectors and songwriters from various periods, catalogues of songs collected in the area and previously-unpublished glass-stained photographs from the
Reception
A Hidden Ulster was met with widespread acclaim. Patricia Craig of the
The book was a Times Book of the Year, critic Paul Muldoon commenting, "Anyone with interest in Irish song must mow look to A Hidden Ulster for the definitive account of that tradition." [3] A Hidden Ulster was also received favourable by The Journal of Music,[4] The Irish Times and May Field Review.
Pádraigín received Gradam Shean-Nós Cois Life for her contribution to the Irish song tradition and became the first traditional artist to be awarded a Major Arts Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
See also
- Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin
- Kingdom of Oriel
References
- ^ Ní Uallacháin, Pádraigín: A Hidden Ulster, p.374-5
- ^ A Hidden Ulster Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine at TLSarchive.com
- ^ "A Hidden Ulster - Paul Muldoon". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ "Focus". The Journal of Music. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
External links
- Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin - official website