Neil Martin
Neil Martin will perfom as part of Sound of Belfast, on 9 November at 9pm.
Song 1: My Lagan Love
Song 2: Planxty Irwin
‘I chose these pieces because of their connection with Belfast. Whereas My Lagan Love has long been associated with Belfast, the air was in fact originally collected in Donegal where there’s a river Laggan, but regardless of this ambiguity, it’s a stunning air, perfect in its arc, and it evokes emotions and memories for every one of us. Even though these emotions can be of sorrow, the air and song is also something of a comfort blanket – we cherish having these emotions aroused.
‘Planxty Irwin, composed by the blind harper, Turlough Carolan, 1670-1738, is a tune of dedication to a Captain John Irwin. The tune appears in the collections of Edward Bunting, the man responsible for annotating the music played at the Belfast Harp Festival of 1792, the last gathering of the old Irish harpers. This festival was a pivotal moment in the music of Ireland, bridging the old and the new worlds, and the foresight of those people of Belfast who enabled it is of inestimable value.’
This event was filmed and edited by Whitenoise design Limited.