Amhrain Aneas

Nioclás Tóibín (1928-1994), possibly the most renowned sean nós artist from the Déise tradition of County Waterford, was winner of the prestigious Corn Chomhlucht an Oideachais (the senior sean nós award for men) at the Oireachtas of 1961, 1962 and 1963, a feat never previously accomplished and which will not be equalled as the rules for the competition have since been changed! It was said that he knew 300 songs; ‘Nioclás of the 300 songs, a limitless source of tunes and words.’ Most of his songs were from the rich Déise tradition, celebrating history (Cath Chéim an Fhia, Sliabh na mBan, Na Conneries); love (Máirín de Barra); and love of one’s native place (Sliabh Geal gCua). His early releases on the Gael Linn label included 3 tracks on the 1964 EP GL6, and, in 1965, a further 4 tracks on GL8. The present collection includes all those tracks as well as the 13 tracks from the classic 1977 Gael Linn LP Nioclás Tóibín. All tracks have been digitally remastered and come beautifully packaged with a booklet containing the words and background information for each song. Nioclás, the king of Irish singers according to Nioclás Mac Craith, is especially remembered for his fine singing of Na Conneries, the story of the nineteenth-century deportation of three brothers from the Dungarvan locality to New South Wales.