The Tides that Bind / Fánaíocht is a new album from Connemara singer songwriter Seán Ó hÉanaigh, featuring traditional songs in English, Irish and Scots Gàidhlig, as well as some original compositions.

Seán is from Connemara, and can boast an enviable musical pedigree as the nephew of legendary sean-nós singer Joe Heaney.

Seán has been playing and composing music since he was young.  He was a member of well-known Galway band Roudledum, which played throughout the west in the 80s.  He then formed the band Éinniú in 1990 and they released an album of the same name in 1992 on the Cló Iar-Chonnacht label (CIC).  The album featured mainly Seán’s own compositions, many of which became Irish-language hits, including the popular song ‘Conamara’.  The Tides that Bind / Fánaíocht is his first album since then.

As well as being a musician, Seán is also a broadcaster, and Head of Programmes at RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.  He co-presents Sruth na Maoile with Scottish musician Mary Ann Kennedy, a show which has been on air for 20 years and features the best in folk and traditional music from Scotland and Ireland.  Indeed, this album was recorded in Ardgour in Scotland and features Mary Ann as well as Allan Henderson, Blair Douglas, Findlay Napier, Chaz Stewart and Signy Jacobsdottir, musicians associated with bands such as Blazing Fiddles, Runrig, Cliar and Capercaillie.  Seán’s son Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh can also be heard on the album.

The Tides that Bind / Fánaíocht features songs from the Irish tradition, many of them remembered by Seán from the singing of family members, such as Bríd Thomáis Mhurchadha and An Buachaill Caol Ard.  There are also three folk songs in English in this collection, including The Banks of the Lee, one he remembers his mother Kate and uncle Joe singing.  Two Scots Gàidhlig songs are included as well as four original compositions.

The album is distributed by Cló Iar-Chonnacht, and can be purchased from their website http://www.cic.ie/music/non-digital/the-tides-that-bind
Further information at tidesthatbind@outlook.ie

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The Tides that Bind/Fánaíocht an teideal atá ar an albam nua le Seán Ó hÉanaigh, amhránaí, cumadóir agus craoltóir as Conamara.  Tá amhráin thraidisiúnta i mBéarla, i nGaeilge agus i nGàidlhlig le cloisteáil ar an albam, agus amhráin nua-chumtha le Seán freisin.

Tá Seán ag cumadh amhrán agus ag gabháil fhoinn ó bhí sé óg.  Bhí sé ina bhall den ghrúpa Roudledum, a bhíodh ag casadh ar fud an iarthair sna 80í.  I 1990, bhunaigh sé an grúpa Éinniú, agus sa bhliain 1992 d’eisigh siad albam ar lipéad Chló Iar-Chonnacht (CIC).  Amhráin a chum Seán, den chuid is mó, a bhí le cloisteáil ar an albam sin, cuid acu a bhfuil an-tóir orthu go fóill, an t-amhrán ‘Conamara’ ina measc.  Is é The Tides that Bind / Fánaíocht an chéad albam aige ó shin.

Chomh maith le bheith ina cheoltóir, tá aithne go forleathan ar Sheán mar chraoltóir, agus tá sé ina Eagarthóir Stiúrtha Clár i RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.  Cuireann sé an clár Sruth na Maoile i láthair lena chomh-bhádóir Mairi Anna Nic Ualraig.  Scoth an cheoil ó thraidisiúin na hÉireann agus na hAlban a bhíonn le cloisteáil ar an gclár, atá ag ceiliúradh fiche bliain ar an aer i mbliana. Go deimhin, ba in Albain a taifeadadh an t-albam seo, in Ardgour.   Tá Mairi Anna le cloisteáil air, chomh maith leis na ceoltóirí Allan Henderson, Blair Douglas, Findlay Napier, Chaz Stewart agus Signy Jacobsdottir, ceoltóirí atá luaite le bannaí ar nós Blazing Fiddles, Runrig, Cliar agus Capercaillie.  Tá Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh, mac le Seán, le cloisteáil ar an albam freisin.

Tá amhráin thraidisiúnta le cloisteáil ar The Tides that Bind / Fánaíocht, go leor acu ar cuimhin le Seán go mbíodh a mhuintir á rá, leithéidí Bríd Thomáis Mhurchadha agus An Buachaill Caol Ard.  Tá trí amhrán i mBéarla sa bhailiúchán freisin, ceann acu sin The Banks of the Lee, ar cuimhin le Seán a mháthair agus Joe Éinniú á rá.  Tá dhá amhrán i nGàidhlig na hAlban le cloisteáil ar an albam, chomh maith le ceithre hamhrán nua-chumtha.