1970s
166
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1970s

The Chieftains 3
‘The Chieftains 3′ was recorded over just a few days in London’s Air Studios, owned by Beatles’ producer George Martin, using what were at the time pioneering new recording techniques. The album features Pat Kilduff, a professional lilter from Athlone, who had never before ventured outside Westmeath, and The Chieftains delighted in showing him the sights of London in between recording.

Track Listing

  1. Strike the Gay Harp, Lord Mayo, The Lady on the Island, The Sailor on the Rock
  2. Sonny’s Mazurka, Tommy Hunt’s Jig
  3. Eibhlí Gheal Chiún ní Chearbhaill, Delahunty’s Hornpipe
  4. The Hunter’s Purse
  5. The March of the King of Laois
  6. Carolan’s Concerto
  7. Tom Billy’s, The Road to Lisdoonvarna, The Merry Sisters
  8. Ghaoth Aneas
  9. Lord Inchiquin
  10. The Trip to Sligo
  11. An Raibh Tú ag an gCarraig?
  12. John Kelly’s Slide, Merrily Kiss the Quaker, Denis Murphy’s
The Chieftains 4
‘The Chieftains 4’ was recorded in a single weekend in early 1974 in London. The ambitious composition ‘The Battle of Aughrim’ from Paddy Moloney, and the harp, played by Derek Bell, added a new dimension to their music.
Paddy arranged a special lament version of ‘Mneá na heÉreann’ as a tribute to his good friend the late Seeán eÓ Riada.

Track Listing

  1. Drowsey Maggie
  2. Morgan Magan
  3. The Tip of the Whistle
  4. The Bucks of Oranmore
  5. The Battle of Aughrim
  6. The Morning Dew
  7. Carrickfergus
  8. Hewlett
  9. Cherish the Ladies
  10. Lord Mayo
  11. Mná na hÉireann
  12. O’ Keeffe’s Slide, An Suisín Bán, The Star Above the Garter, The Weavers
The Chieftains 5

‘The Chieftains 5’ saw a huge change for The Chieftains, the band members having quit their permanent jobs to become full time musicians. The band, their work being distributed by major labels outside Ireland, now had to make it on a global basis, and this album had to consolidate their careers and prove that The Chieftains were not just a live band.

With ‘The Chieftains 5’, Derek Bell introduced the medieval Tiompán to The Chieftains sound for the first time with ‘Tiompán Reel’ composed by Paddy Moloney. The album also features Breton music for the first time with ‘Ceol Bhriotánach’.

Track Listing

  1. The Tiompán Reel
  2. Tabhair dom do Lámh (Give me your Hand)
  3. Three Kerry Polkas
  4. Ceol Bhriotánach (Breton Music)
  5. The Chieftains’ Knock on the Door
  6. The Robber’s Glen
  7. An Ghé agus Grá Geal (The Goose and Bright Love)
  8. The Humours of Carolan
  9. Samhradh, Samhradh (Summertime, Summertime)
  10. Kerry Slides
Barry Lyndon
Music from the Stanley Kubrick film including tracks by The Chieftains. The film was released at the beginning of 1976, and from the start, the moving music was singled out for special mention by film critics and fans. The soundtrack later won an Oscar.

Track Listing

  1. Sarabande Main Title
    (Haendel)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  2. Women Of Ireland
    (Seán O’ Riada)(The Chieftains)
  3. Piper’s Maggot Jig
    (Traditional)(The Chieftains)(Trad. Arr. Paddy Moloney)
  4. The Sea-Maiden
    (Traditional)(The Chieftains)(Trad. Arr. Paddy Moloney
  5. Tin Whistles
    (Moloney Paddy; Potts Seán)(Trad. Arr. Paddy Moloney)
  6. British Grenadiers (Traditional)
    (Fifes And Drums)
  7. Hohenfriedberger March
    (Frederick The Great)(Fifes And Drums)
  8. Lilliburlero (Traditional)
    (Fifes And Drums)
  9. Women Of Ireland
    (Seán O Riada)(The Chieftains)
  10. March From Idomeneo
    (W.A. Mozart)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  11. Sarabande-Duel
    (G.F. Handel)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  12. Lilliburlero (Traditional)
    (Pearson Leslie)
  13. Danse Allemande N 1 En Do Majeur
    (Franz Schubert)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  14. Sarabande-Duel
    (Handel)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  15. Adaptation De La Cavatine Du ‘Il Barbiere Di Siviglia’
    (G. Paisiello)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
  16. Concerto Pour Violoncelle En Mi Mineur – 3e Mouvement
    (A. Vivaldi)(Fournier Pierre;Baumgertner Rudolf)
  17. Concerto Pour 2 Harpes En Ut Mineur – Adagio
    (Bach)(Richter Karl;Bilgram Hedwig)
  18. Adaptation Du Trio De Piano En Mi Bemol Op 100 – 2e Mouvement
    (Schubert)(Holmes Ralph;Welsh Moray;Goldstone Anthony)
  19. Sarabande (Generique De Fin)
    (Handel)(National Philarmonic Orchestra)
Bonaparte's Retreat (The Chieftains 6)

Paddy explains ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat’ as his tone poem inspired by reading about the Irish connection with the French in history: “It’s about how the Irish asked for Napoleon’s help and then how they went over to help him out with problems we were having with the neighbours”.

This musical collage details the rise and fall of Napoleon through Ireland’s eyes, beginning with the lament for the flight of the Irish chieftains – ‘The Wild Geese’ – and ending with Napoleon’s exile and the end of the Irish dream for freedom. This is the first Chieftains recording to use a singer, featuring the then 17 year old Dolores Keane (her first recording).

Track Listing

  1. The Chattering Magpie
  2. An Chéad Mháirt den Fhomhar (The First Tuesday of Autumn)
    Green Grow the Rushes O
  3. Bonaparte’s Retreat
  4. Away With Ye
  5. Caledonia
  6. Iníon Nic Diarmada (Miss Mac Dermott)
    or The Princess Royal, Máire Dhall (Blind Mary), John Drury
  7. The Rights of Man
  8. Round the House and Mind the Dresser
The Chieftains 7
The Chieftains 7, described as the group’s ‘musical scrap book’, features, for the first time, various personal choices of music from each group member.

Track Listing

  1. Away We Go Again
  2. Dóchas
  3. Hedigan’s Fancy
  4. John O’ Connor, The Ode to Whiskey
  5. Friel’s Kitchen
  6. No. 6 The Coombe
  7. O’ Sullivan’s March
  8. The Ace and Deuce of Pipering
  9. The Fairies’ Lamentation and Dance
  10. Oh! The Breeches Full of Stitches
The Chieftains Live
In the wake of the success of ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat’, The Chieftians returned to America and Canada in December of 1976 to tour. The concerts in the Symphony Hall in Boston and the Massey Hall in Toronto were recorded for this live album, although because of interference with the recording equipment in Boston, only one track from the Symphony Hall was used, the balance made up with the Toronto performance. It gives a great taste of the energy and joviality of a Chieftains’ performance.

Track Listing

  1. The Morning Dew
  2. George Brabazon
  3. Kerry Slides
  4. Carrickfergus
  5. Carolan’s Concerto
  6. The Foxhunt
  7. Round the House and Mind the Dresser
  8. Solos: Caitlín Triall, For the Sakes of Old Decency, Carolan’s Farewell to Music, Banish Misfortune, The Tarbolton/The Pinch of Snuff, The Star of Munster/The Flogging Reel
  9. Limerick’s Lamentation
  10. Ríl Mór
The Chieftains 8
‘The Chieftains 8’ saw the final appearance of Michael Tubridy and Seán Potts with the group, and features a beautiful and striking set piece composed by Paddy Moloney, ‘Sea Image’, a six minute experimental piece in homage to the stirring power of the sea. ‘Melody Maker’, Europe’s No. 1 music magazine, complimented the group for not resting on their laurels and continuing to experiment and expand, and named them Group of the Year.

Track Listing

  1. The Session
  2. Dr. John Hart
  3. Seán sa Cheo
  4. An tSean Bhean Bhocht, The Fairies’ Hornpipe
  5. Sea Image
  6. If I had Maggie in the Wood
  7. An Spéic Seoigheach
  8. The Dogs among the Bushes
  9. Miss Hamilton
  10. The Job of Journeywork
  11. The Wind that Shakes the Barley/The Reel with the Beryle
Boil the Breakfast Early (The Chieftains 9)
‘Boil the Breakfast Early/Chieftains 9’, released in 1980 was seen as a fresh start for the group, because it featured for the first time bodhreán player Kevin Conneff singing a capella on a beautiful song. (When a Man’s in Love) and also introduced flautist Matt Molloy. Said Colin Irwin from Melody Maker of the album: “The rejuvination of The Chieftains has been an education to behold. Just a year ago they looked a skeleton of the band they used to be. And now they’ve come up with their freshest album for years”.

Track Listing

  1. Boil the Breakfast Early
  2. Mrs. Judge
  3. March from Oscar and Malvina
  4. When a Man’s in Love
  5. Bealach an Doirnín
  6. Ag Taisteal na Blárnán
  7. Carolan’s Welcome
  8. Up against the Buachalawns
  9. Gol na mBan san Ár
  10. Chase around the Windmill
The Year of the French
In Autumn 1981 Paddy Moloney was commissioned to write a joint score for The Chieftains and the RTE Symphony Orchestra for an Irish television mini-series called ‘The Year of the French’. Based on the novel by Thomas Flanagan, the story follows a wandering poet called Owen McCarthy on his travels through Ireland at a time when the French had volunteered some military assistance against the British in Ireland. The album was critically acclaimed when released, and The Chieftains even made their acting debut on the series, playing as 18th century musicians.

Track Listing

  1. Killala: The Main Theme
  2. The French March
  3. The McCarthy Theme
  4. Treacy’s Barnyard Dance
  5. The Irish March: March of the Mayomen, Uilleann Pipes Lament
  6. Killala: The Main Theme
  7. Cunla, The Yearling Fair Reel
  8. Killala: The Opening Theme, Killala: The Coach Ride
  9. The Bolero: McCarthy’s Arrest
  10. The McCarthy Theme/The Wandering
  11. The French March/Cooper’s Theme
  12. The Hanging/ Seán Ó Dí
  13. Killala: The Main Theme