The next song was sung in Gaelic. I have no idea what the real title was, but what I heard was "Spahl pi na Ron." Ger introduced it by stating that the song had 37 verses and was a love song till the 1798 Rebellion when they added a verse or two about that. LOL! I remembered sitting at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's, Cape Breton, listening to a fellow student sing in Gaelic. She explained to me that 99% of the songs in Gaelic were about love...lost, cut short, unwisely pursued.
The song that followed was, as Ger put it, "my effort at a country song." Jim heckled him, "Which country?" It would make me wonder in awe about Ger. It was called "Heaven Paints Her Holy Mantle Blue." Obviously a religious song, it didn't make me cringe. I normally don't subscribe to blatant religious songs for public consumption because I feel it leaves out too many people. This was different. Despite the religious nature of it, it was welcoming in its feeling. "Heaven holds the sweetest notes they'll sing."
I can't believe I am writing so much about Ger. Geez! I guess he really DID impress me!
The penultimate song had a religious reggae beat to it! Is there anything this man doesn't do? Jim was grinning - he's my source of all things reggae these days. "Oh my Lord, help me carry your weight," caught my ear. I was thinking about singing on Good Friday at church. Alan, the bass player ended up playing BOTH piano and bass at the same time for this song!
Hugh came out after that and he and Ger performed a song they wrote together called "You're Our Hope." While they were getting ready to do that, we chatted with the young men who had sat down next to us. They were from Dublin and had only ever seen Ger playing at "the local." They were surprised we had come from Philadelphia to see the Festival. They also were very happy with his performance at the Triskel.
Intermission found us chatting with Siobahn again. We kidded each other about saving seats for the next night. |
