Down From Bell Harbour – Chris Droney

Is é Down from Bell Harbour an tríú halbam aonair ón gCláiríneach Chris Droney, fear atá ag baint ceoil as an saol le breis agus seachtó bliain, agus ag cur aoibhnis ar lucht ceoil thraidisiúnta agus damhsa araon. Le tionlacan blasta ó Jacinta McEvoy, tá Down from Bell Harbour ar cheann de na bailiúcháin is fearr riamh de cheol traidisiúnta ar an gconsairtín.

Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil ainm mhuintir Droney greanta go domhain in annála cheol traidisiúnta na hÉireann ag an ngaiscíoch tréitheach, cúlánta seo. Fear é a raibh cáil amuigh air ag céilithe tí agus gan é ach sna déaga, ina dhiaidh sin bhain sé Craobh Shinsearach na hÉireann sa chonsairtín amach naoi n-uaire, agus sheinn sé le roinnt bannaí céilí aitheanta le linn a shaoil fhada ghairmiúil. Tá seinnte aige ar stáitse ó Cheanada go Camden Town, agus tá tarraingt ag móidíní ón tSeapáin go Meiriceá ar a theach cónaithe, áit a bhfearann an máistir fáilte ó chroí rompu. Seinneann Chris go rialta fós le Banna Céilí na gCeithre Cúirteanna sa bhaile agus thar lear.

Tá poirt, ríleanna, cornphíopaí agus válsaí, chomh maith le fonn mall de chuid Chris féin, ‘Corca Mrua faoi Shuan', ar an dlúthdhiosca.

Chris's music spans the generations, and I can honestly say that it is as fresh today as it was in the 1950s. There is no mistaking the music of Chris Droney.
Kieran Hanrahan, RTÉ Radio

Down from Bell Harbour is the third solo album from legendary Clareman Chris Droney, who has been playing music for seventy-three years, delighting traditional music enthusiasts and dancers alike. With tasteful accompaniment from Jacinta McEvoy, Down from Bell Harbour is one of the finest ever collections of traditional Irish concertina music.

There is no doubt but that the Droney name has been firmly carved into the annals of traditional Irish music by this humble and gifted exponent. The toast of local house dances during his teenage years, he later became All-Ireland Senior Concertina Champion nine times, and played with several well-known céilí bands during a prolific career that has spanned several generations. He has performed on stages from Canada to Camden Town, while music lovers from Japan to North America have been warmly welcomed into the Droney home after seeking out the concertina maestro. Chris still plays regularly with The Four Courts céilí band, throughout Ireland and abroad.

The CD includes jigs, reels, hornpipes and waltzes, as well as Chris's own composition, the slow air ‘Peaceful Corcomroe'.

Liosta Traiceanna / Tracklisting –

1. Tinker's Daughter/The Coalminer/The Master's Return
2. Apples In Winter/The Maid On The Green
3. Reel Of Mullinavat/The Whistling Postman/The Chattering Magpie
4. Cooley's/Cronin's
5. Travers's/The Jolly Tinker/The Woman Of The House
6. Bell Harbour Hills
7. Knights Of Saint Patrick/The Killimor
8. Bell Harbour Reel/The Pullet/The Boys Of Portaferry
9. Peaceful Corcomroe
10. Sliabh Na mBan/The Home Ruler
11. Parcel Of Land/The Kilfenora Reel
12. Katie's Fancy/The Boys Of The Town
13. Maid Behind The Bar/The Holy Land/The Rainy Day
14. Green Hills Of Clare
15. Clogher Rose/The Bride's Favourite
16. Congress Reel/Come West Along The Road/The Dawn