Clare singer Fiona Tyndall's new album is a love letter to family and culture
The project was inspired by her father, Buadhach Tóibín, a traditional singer and collector of Irish music
Irish traditional and folk artist, Fiona Tyndall has officially unveiled her new, full Irish-language album after three superb launch shows in Dublin.
'Éinín an Cheóil', meaning 'Birdsong', was recorded in Oakley Studios in Dublin and Shorefire Studios in Longbranch, New Jersey. It was fully produced by Brendan Hayes and mixed/mastered in BAZ Studios, Portumna, Co Galway.
A Clare native, the album was inspired by Tyndall’s father, Buadhach Tóibín, a traditional singer and collector of Irish music. Meticulously hand-writing the lyrics of over 200 songs in the old Irish script using a bound ledger, he had the foresight to accompany some of the songs with tonic solfa, a musical system where a series of syllables represents the seven notes of a scale. This was so his children would have the melodies to sing.
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The singer came into possession of this manuscripted collection following her father’s passing, upon which she decided to record a selection of the preserved songs. As a child, she had learned many directly from her father, as he also taught students from all over Ireland each summer at Irish college Coláiste Eoghain Uí Comhraidhe in Carrigaholt, Co Clare.
A carefully archived digital copy of her father’s manuscript songs will be available at the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin soon.
The connection between the family runs deep through the heart of the album, as it also features vocals from Tyndall’s daughters, Aisling and Caoimhe Tyndall. Fiona says, “Three generations unite in song. We carry the voices of the past, weave them into the present and gift them to the future – a family woven together by love, memory, and the timeless spirit of music”.
The album features further collaborations with some of Ireland’s leading contemporary figures in Irish traditional music, including Fergal Scahill (Formerly of We Banjo 3), Brendan Hayes (multi-instrumentalist and long-time collaborator of Tyndall’s), renowned music artist and producer Seán Whelan (Puck Fair, Hotfoot, The Café Orchestra) Kieran Munnelly (The David Munnelly Band), Maire Egan- lead fiddle soloist for Michael Flatley’s 'Lord of the Dance', James Blennerhasset (session bassist for Elvis Costello, Sinead O’Connor, The Rolling Stones and more), Tim Edey (double BBC Musician of the year) and five-time All-Ireland title holder, Padraig Rynne.
Hailing from County Clare, Fiona Tyndall has been immersed in Irish and Celtic music traditions since childhood. Moving to the USA in later life, spending time in both Boston, Massachusetts and Princeton, New Jersey, she now splits her time between both countries.
An enduring figure in the Irish traditional genre, Tyndall’s debut album, 'Deirin De', blended traditional Irish language lyrics with innovative musical and vocal arrangements, receiving high praise.
Fiona's discography, spanning English-language and Irish-language, original and traditional works, shows her passion for preserving the Irish language and culture through song.