|
The Spirit Within
St. Patrick's Day Special |
This broadcast was produced for National Public Radio in 1998 with the help
of CMU Public Broadcasting, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
We wish to thank them for making this possible.
Danny Boy
and
The Story of St. Patrick
have been excerpted from
this broadcast and are available as separate files you can email to your
friends as St. Pat greetings.
Our guest host for this broadcast is Nina
Nash-Robertson, Director of Choral Activities at Central Michigan University and Irish
immigrant. She will be providing Irish history, color, music and
stories from the land of the shamrock.
Introductory
Theme:
Catoctin Daybreak (R. Aldridge) (Available on Earth Remembers
CD)
Road to Listoonvarna (Available on Earth's Essence CD)
Foggy Dew (Available on Earth's Essence CD)
The Story of St. Patrick (story -
read text)
Come Back Paddy Reilly (Percy French) (words and
biography)
Believe Me Those Endearing Young Charms (Robert Moore) (words and
biography)
The Little Red Hat (story - read text)
Danny Boy (Available - instrumental only - on Celtic Portrait
CD) (words & history)
Lord Mayo (Available on Celtic Portrait CD)
Star of the County Down (Available on Celtic Portrait CD)
Closing Theme:
Lament (T. Patterson)
Performing artists for this broadcast
You can send
The Story of St. Patrick as
audio email greeting card.
Written by G. Wakenhut
 |
|
Photo: Sr. Julia Mohr |
A beautiful spring morning
opened as the sun broke through the dreary damp clouds which had covered
the harbor in Wales for so many days. It was the beginning of the 5th
century, and much of the British Isles was occupied and ruled by the
Romans.
16 year old Maewyn was the
son of Calphurnius, a high Roman official in Wales. Their family lived a
rich and noble life. Maewyn had little responsibility and spent most of
his time watching the boats and sailors from many lands as they came and
went from the harbor.
 |
|
Photo: Sr. Julia Mohr |
This morning, he was taking
in the warmth of the sun, lying on the hill high above the harbor. His
mind was engrossed by the freedom of birds as they explored the currents
of air along the cliffs, and the essence of spring was present in the
beautiful smell of the delicate yellow flowers around him.
Maeywn's curiosity was drawn
to a fleet of small ships sailing through the narrows and dropping anchor
in the harbor. But something seemed unusual and wrong. He realized the
ships were not friendly.
Fearing for his family, he
ran down the hill toward their home as the warriors began looting and
burning the town. Even with the energy and strength of a sixteen year old,
he was no match for the invaders, and he soon found himself bound with
course ropes and thrown into the bottom of a boat. The speech of his
kidnappers told him he was a captive of warriors from Ireland.
After a few hours in the hold
with the sea tossing him about, he was brought on deck to discover a
strange land. Instead of recognizing beautiful buildings and homes with
paved streets and people with his religious beliefs, he found the gloom of
mud huts and a primitive people dressed in dirty animal skins and
worshiping Pagan deities.
Because of his age and
strength, Maewyn was sold to a king in Northern Ireland. His next six
years were spent wearing a sheepskin tunic with a shaved head, the marks
of a shepherd slave. Lacking the comforts and pleasures of his home in
Wales, Maewyn's new existence was an important next step for his future.
 |
|
Photo: Sr. Julia Mohr |
He was forced to live a life
of isolation in the wild. He found himself becoming spiritually in tune
with the wholeness of the earth, and he turned more and more to meditation
and prayer to fill his lonely hours.
After several years of this
deprivation, he experienced a vision that told him he would escape on a
boat. Walking 2 hundred miles to the south, he found a boat leaving for
Wales. Homecoming was a unbelievable shock. Wales was in ruins, and there
was no sign of the Roman culture in which he had been raised.
Then Maewyn had another
vision, and he felt the people of Ireland calling him back to help them.
To answer this call, he undertook 20 years of training studying the
scriptures, administration skills, and construction techniques so he might
return to Ireland as a Catholic bishop.
You can send
The Story of St. Patrick as
audio email greeting card.
The Garden of Eden has vanished they say
But I know the lie of it still.
Just turn to the left at the bridge of Finea
And stop when halfway to Cootehill.
'Tis there I will find it I know sure enough
When fortune has come to my call,
Oh the grass it is green around Ballyjamesduff
And the blue sky is over it all.
And tones that are tender and tones that are gruff,
Are whispering over the sea,
Come back, Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff,
Come home, Paddy Reilly, to me.
The composer
of Come Back Patty Reilly was Percy French.
Born in Ireland in 1854, he studied civil engineering at Trinity
College, but later lost his engineering job and turned to journalism,
a career which also failed. |
 |
Success was finally his as a song writer and
entertainer, touring England, Canada, the US and the West Indies. One
of his first compositions, was the well known
Abdulla Bulbul Ameer.
However, an unscrupulous publisher failed to give him credit, and he never
received any of its royalties. He was also recognized as a painter.
Believe me, if all those endearing
young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms
Like fairy gifts fading away.
Thou wouldst still be adored as this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while
beauty and youth are thine own
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear
That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known
To which time will but make thee more dear.
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets
But as truly loves on to the close
As the sunflower turns to her God when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose.
 |
Thomas
Moore was born in Dublin in 1779, and was one of the first
Catholics to be admitted to Trinity College. While he wrote in favor
of Irish independence from British control, he still managed to stay
in favor with the English.
In 1799, he went to England to
study law and became an immediate social success. In addition to
his work as a political satirist, he also penned many beautiful poems
which he set to the old Irish melodies. He was also recognized
as a vocalist and composer. |
The theme for this
story came from "Celtic Fairy Tales", collected by Joseph Jacobs. The
original title was THE FIELD OF BOULIANS, but since we were unable to find
out what a boulian was, we let Jack look for the pot of gold under a thorny
bush rather than a boulian. Then we changed the title to THE LITTLE RED
HAT.
The photos that
accompany this story were taken on our spiritual retreat in Ireland and
Scotland in June of 2004. Much of Ireland's land is small fields
divided by thorny hedgerows. In June these hedgerows were loaded with
beautiful blossoms. The white blossoms are hawthorn and the yellow are
gorse.
It was in the latter months of the year, and a fine day it
was. Tom Fitzpatrick was taking in the beauty of the sun and the warmth of
the air as he walked the path in front of him.
When all of a sudden, he heard the
strangest tapping sound in the hedge nearby. And stealing along as quietly
as the night, Tom moved on the tips of his toes to peer above the hedge to
gain sight of this unknown sound.
|
Now what did he see in the crook of that
hedge, but a strange little bucket which would hold about a thimble of brew.
And shortly after appeared the tiniest of men wearing a smile drawn within
his beard, two sparkling blue eyes, a jaunty red cap, the greenest of coats,
little blue pantaloons and many colored socks tucked into shoes with
beautiful curved toes.
He sat down on a three-legged stool at a
little wooden bench and began crafting a very fine and beautiful shoe.
|
 |
Well, Tom had heard of Leprechauns, but he
didn't believe in them. Well, at least until this moment. He had heard you
must never allow your eyes to move from them or they will escape.
So keeping his eyes caught on the little
man, Tom drew closer and wished the Leprechaun a good day. But the little
fellow failed to return his greeting.
Disregarding the lack of response from the
Leprechaun, Tom's curiosity led him to ask, "What's that in your bucket?"
And the little man responded with one very
resentful word, "Beer", and Tom again interrupted his work to find where he
got it. When the Leprechaun said he himself had made it, Tom, with even
more brashness asked what it was made from.
 |
Now, the little man replied this time, with
a small twinkle in his blue eyes, "It was made of heath". This set Tom to
laughing so hard he fell to the ground almost loosing the little man from
his eyes. Tom informed him, "Everyone knows you make beer from malt, not
heath". |
Pulling Tom along even further, the
Leprechaun told of when the Danes had been in Erin and taught the father of
his father the secret of making beer from heath.
Then the little man changed the course of
conversation by implying Tom should talk care of his own affairs instead of
interrupting those of others and reminded Tom of his father's upset should
the cows escape and trample the oats and corn.
Such advice almost caused Tom to turn and
run away home when he again remembered not to take his eyes from the little
man should he escape.
Worried, the Leprechaun might leave, he
quickly reached down and grabbed the little man within his hands, and at the
same time, spilled the contents of the bucket all over the ground. Upset and
angry with himself for he would now not be able to taste it, he suddenly
found himself feeling very powerful and extremely greedy. With the wickedest
of smiles, he threatened to kill the little leprechaun should he not give
him all of his riches.
|
The little man, being wise with age, told
Jack to take him to a field a short ways off where upon they came to
the thorniest of bushes and the Leprechaun told Jack to dig there for
the pot of gold. |
 |
Not having a shovel and knowing he would
have to return home to find one, Jack lowered the Leprechaun to the ground
and took the little man's hat placing it on the highest and thorniest of
limbs for there were many other bushes present of the same type, and Jack
did not want to risk being confused when he returned to dig his fortune.
Jack made the Leprechaun swear not to touch
the hat where upon the little man said, "How could I with it being so high
up in such a thorny bush?
The Leprechaun, realizing he was again
free, departed wishing Tom good fortune with his treasure of gold.
Tom ran home with great exhilaration to get
the shovel, but when he returned, not one bush in the field held the little
man's hat. Since it would not be of good sense to dig under every bush in
the field, Jack sadly shouldered his shovel to return home perhaps a little
wiser than before, but since then, many a rough word has been given by Jack
whenever he thinks of the turn done to him by that Leprechaun.
You can send
Danny Boy as an audio email
greeting card
|
|
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes,
the pipes
are calling
from glen to glen,
|
|
and down the mountain side.
|
|
| |
 |
The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
|
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,
It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,—
Oh, Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so!
|
But when ye come, and all the flowers
are dying,
If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Avè there for me. |
 |
 |
And I shall hear,
though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!
|
These photos were taken during our
Journey to the Edge spiritual retreat in June 2004 by Sr. Julia Mohr.
We appreciate her talents and her willingness to share them with you.
You can send
Danny Boy as an audio email
greeting card
When doing a search for information about Danny Boy,
I uncovered some interesting possible history for this song at
http://www.standingstones.com/dannyboy.html.
The host of the site, Michael Robinson claims
that according to his research of printed
music,
the melody may have originated in either Ireland, Scotland, or
possibly even England. The best known title for this melody is Londonderry Air (sometimes also called the Tune from
County Derry). He claims there are over 100 lyrics that have
been set to this melody with Danny Boy being the most significant.
.
According to Mr. Robinson, a Mrs. Weatherly was
residing in California and heard some gold miners singing the melody.
Taken by its beauty, she sent it to her brother, Frederic Edward Weatherly
in England in 1912. Mr. Weatherly was a lawyer, song writer and
entertainer. In 1910, he had written an unsuccessful song which he
entitled Danny Boy.
 |
He was quite surprised to discover
that the melody sent by his sister was a perfect vehicle for his words to
Danny Boy. Taking the new melody, he published a revised
version in 1913.
According to Mr. Robinson, we have an "Irish"
melody written by an Englishman who never set foot in Ireland.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Will Nichols
Baritone |
|
Tony Patterson
Keyboard |
|
Gary Padden
Bass & guitar |
|
Dave Lund
Guitar |
|
Nina
Nash/Roberson
Contralto
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
G. Wakenhut
Irish Flute |
We were blessed with the presence of some very
talented musicians the evening we recorded this broadcast. We wish to
thank them for their gifts to our work.
Will Nichols and Tony Patterson are both on the
music faculty at Alma College, Alma, Michigan.
Will is the Secrest
Professor of Music and Director of the Alma College Choirs and his groups
are recognized as some of the best collegiate ensembles in the country. He
is also in demand as a baritone/bass soloist.
http://www2.alma.edu/academics/music/choir/nichols.htm
Tony is Artist-in-Residence and Staff Accompanist
at Alma College, and he writes arrangements
for the choral ensembles. He is also recognized as a solo pianist
and has two recordings to his credit. http://www2.alma.edu/academics/music/choir/patterson.htm
They are well known to those who desire our
recordings. Will's vocals are featured on the
All Thru the Night
recording and Tony's arranging and keyboard skills are in evidence on the
Reverence and
The Earth Remembers
recordings.
Nina Nash-Robertson has
been Director of Choral Activities at Central Michigan University since
1983. She directs four choirs and teaches conducting and choral
literature. She received her first musical training in her native Dublin,
Ireland, where she earned awards for both singing and Irish dancing. Upon
arriving in the U.S., she became the founding director of the
award-winning Shamrock Irish Dancers. Nina is featured on our
All Thru the Night Recording.
http://projects.oit.cmich.edu/music/faculty/nash_robertson.htm
Gary Padden is one of our talented neighbors and
the bass man for the Gravel Ridge ensemble. Professionally, he has a
chiropractic practice in Lakeview. His important presence is found
on our Reverence and
Earth Remembers CDs.
Guitarist Dave Lund is another of our neighbors.
An employee of the US Postal Service, he also works with the Central
Michigan based band, Too Hip.
http://www.toohipmusic.com/index.htm
We hope you have enjoyed our Spirit Within St. Patrick's Day
Celebration. Subscribe to our email newsletter to receive notice
of our next Live Broadcast Recording.
Danny Boy
and
The Story of St. Patrick
have been excerpted from
this broadcast and are available as separate files you can email to your
friends as St. Pat greetings. You can access these files and more at
Collecting Consort email greeting cards.
Stay informed of new
creations by Collecting Consort
Subscribe to
email newsletter |
