Sunflower-New Life (SUN 01)

During his first visit to Australia in 1998, Eddie composed this tune. Fremantle is a part of Perth, the biggest town on Australia's westcoast. Every day around noon, a gentle breeze called the Fremantle doctor starts blowing in from the ocean, cooling off the town. Perth, and the rest of Western Australia, a huge piece of land, are often neglected by travellers, who prefer checking out the east coast at first. It's another beautiful part of Oz, though.

To hear an mp3-sample of this tune, click here

Londonderry air

The original name of this air (a slow tune) is Londonderry air. Since it was composed, probably in the 16th century, there are at least 5 songs written to it. The most famous one is Danny boy. Which, by the way, is a Scottish song and not an Irish one. It deals with the Clearings, when the Emglish migrated many Scots to Ireland to strenghten the Protestant minority.

Princess Royal

The first of the almost obligatory Turlough O'Carolan pieces on this album. For some reason, playing this tune was bound to scare off our audience, but lately more people seem to like it. Perhaps because finally we can almost play it without making too many mistakes!

To hear an mp3-sample of this tune, click here

The fields of Athenry

Sentimental times revisited...the story of the banned missing their home- and vice versa. Another classic on the repertoire of many nowadays Irish folkbands. Also, we heard it sung by the fans from the national Irish soccerteam when they played the Dutch team. Does anybody know why they sing this particular song?

The band played Waltzing Mathilda

This powerful Eric Bogle (an Australian songwriter) number is an anti-war song, seen from the perspective of an old veteran of the first World War. On many important moments in his story, such as the leaving of home, the start of the fighting and during the parade to memorize the war afterwards, the tune 'Waltzing Mathilda' was played. This wellknown melody, which you can hear at the end of this track, is Australia's unofficial anthem.

Forest sunset

Give me your hand

Apart from O'Carolan, there are not many harpers remembered from the old times. This tune was written by Ruaidhr’ Dall 'O Catháin, another blind harper. Being blind left almost no other possibility for a job in those days. Unlike most artists, Ruaidhr’ Dall 'O Catháin was fairly rich. He lived in Scotland for most of his life.

The town I loved so well

The subject of this song is the town of (London)Derry in Northern Ireland. The first versions of New Life contained, amongst smaller mistakes, one big hick-up; we said that the song was about Dublin... This has been corrected but still: our apologies!

To hear an mp3-sample of this tune, click here

The journey

To write and compose this tune was nice work and we gave it a lot of thought. Once it was ready, we sort of left it though. One of the few ones that is not on our repertoire anymore.

Gouda 2003 (photo: K. Staepels)

Mary Scott, flower of Yarrow Playing this piece 'live' is still a big challenge. Especially the B-part has had many 'interesting' versions during performances. But it is such a nice tune, that we'll keep on practicing and who knows-one day we might get it right. Traveller's rest A cute, simple melody that has become the opening (soundcheck)tune at our gigs. Planxty Burke The second O'Carolan piece from this album. Although we knew the tune since long, our attention to it was brought back by a recording from a friend of ours, Kyle Wohlmut. Originally an American, Kyle lives in Utrecht, Holland nowadays. He recorded a beautiful cd, called Old Loves. Kyle works using the name Lazarus harps.

Natives

Another song we picked up from a Christy Moore-recording. Featuring Alan McLachlan, our old time friend and a great musician, on slideguitar once again. Alan has worked with Ed in numerous bands, back in the days when Eddie still played bass and guitar.

Piano sentimento

Eddie's piano-song, hence the name. A very romantic and dreamy piece, written in a fairly statical, classical fashion. As far as original compositions go, this tune and Forest Sunset are probably Eddie's best efforts so far.