Moon Music

As I work away here, I am listening to Máire Breatnach’s exquisite album Coinnle na nAingeal (Angels’ Candles.) She is not only a fairy fiddler – you have to hear her violin, honeyed sounds from heaven – she also writes her own music and songs. Her website is www.mairebreatnach.com. She gave me permission to use lyrics from the song "Eist" in The Hunter’s Moon. I first heard the song on a compilation album, also called Eist [songs in their native language], mentioned below, and only later did I discover that it was inspired by the tale of a fairy king mourning his lost love. (Got prickles on the back of my neck from that.) I use it, of course, when Findabhair mourns the loss of her fairy king. One of the other songs featured in the book is a trad number covered by the Dropkick Murphys (great name, eh?) from their album Sing Loud, Sing Proud. Here’s a pic of the CD cover and here’s their website: www.dropkickmurphys.com. They’re real Irish-American working-class union-family boyos. You have to hear their version of "Rocky Road to Dublin." Talk about frenetic. No wonder the leppin’ leprechauns love it!