Various Artists
Cumar
CICD 141

1. June Mc Cormack (flute)  Fred Finn's/Father Newman's Reel             2. Oisin Mac Diarmada (fiddle) Hornpipe from Grier Manuscript/Ril gan Ainm             3. Meaiti Jo Sheamuis O' Fatharta (song) Boithrini an Lochain             4. Roisin Mc Donagh  (whistle)  The First House in Connaught/ The View Across the Valley                   5. Michael O'Rooney (harp) Paddy Fahy's Jig/ Father John's Jubilee             6. Mairead Ni Fhlatharta (song) An Buachaillin Muinte             7. Nancy Costello (flute) Air: An Buachaillin Ban/Reel: The Red Haired Lass             8. Tracey Sullivan (fiddle) Hardiman's Fancy/The Bohola Jig/An Seanduine Doite             9. Sean Smith (Box) The Wandering Minstrel/The Broken Lantern            10. Ciaran O'Concheanainn (song) An Treigean           11. Sarah Jane Woods (flute) The Newfoundland Jig/The Chorus Jig           12. Sarah Grealish (song) Amhran Chamais           13. Enda & Eithne Keane (fiddles) Cuilinn Ui Chaoimh/Paidin O'Raifteartaigh           14. Siobhan Coneran (flute) John Lee's/O'Connell's/Miss Dunbarr           15. Caitriona Ni Cheannabhain (song) Amhran Mhainse           16. Michael Hynes (concertina)  Air: The Wild Geese/ HPs Father Dollard's/Thomond Bridge           17. Kevin O'Reilly (fiddle)  The Piper's Despair/ Rolling in the Ryegrass/Farewell to Ireland           18. Luise & Aisling O'Naughton (song) Suaitheadh Farraige           19. Padraig O'Mianain (box) Kitty Move Over/Paddy Fahy's Jig Click on underlined titles to hear MP3 sound samples.

The three main concerts held in lonad na Foirneise in Camas during Cumar 1999 were a phenomenal success. Not surprisingly, acclaimed artists such as Mary Bergin, Johnny Mha'irtin Learai Mac Donncha, Johnny Connolly, Noel Hill, Marcus O'Murchu, PJ. and Marcas O'Hernon, Josie Sheain Jeaic Mac Donncha, Gerry O'Connor and Eithne Ni Uallachain (R.l.P) played and sang to a roaring crowd night after night No-one, however, anticipated the depth of talent that lesser-known and mainly very young musicians would display. Cumar decided to mark the establishment of the school by producing a live CD of these younger musicians and singers and also to include the performances of those excellent musicians and singers of all ages who had not yet produced professional solo recordings.  Regretfully, it was only possible to feature one track from each artist.. ach ta' fiorbhlas ar an bheaga'n sin!
 

Cumar CD featuring: June Ni Chormaic, (June McCirmack), Roisin Nic Dhonncha,(Roisin McDonagh), Mairead Ni Fhlatharta, (Mairead Flaherty), Oisin Mac Diarmada, Neansai Ni Choisdealbha,(Nancy Costello), Meaiti Jo Sheamuis,(Mattie Faherty), Micheal O'Ruanaigh, (Michael Rooney), Tracey Ni Shuilleabhain, (Tracey Sullivan), Sarah Ghrialiais, (Sarah Grealish), Asling & Luisne Ni Neachtain, ( Louise and Aisling O'Naughton), Eithne & Eanna O'Cathain, (Eithne & Enda Keane), Ciaran O'Concheanainn, (Ciaran Concannon), Sean Mac Gabhann, ( Sean McGowan), Caitriona Ni Cheannabhain, (Caitriona Canavan), Padraig 0'Miandin, Sarah Jane Woods, Micheal  O' hEidhin, (Michael Hynes), Siobhan Ni Chonarain, ( Siobhan Coneran), & Caoimhin O' Raghallaigh, (Kevin O'Reilly)..
 
 

                                            Press Reviews
 
 

Rock’n’Reel Reviews. 01.02
Cumar (an Irish word meaning, “ a confluence of rivers”, but retaining older connotations, of an assembly or meeting place, and “a place for a celebration”) was the name given to the first intensive Willie Clancy modelled music school to be run entirely through the medium of Irish language, held for the first time in Connemara in 1999. The main tutors provided entertainment with concerts and, surprised and delighted at the depth of talent on display from the largely young and unknown musicians, decided to mark the occasion with this live release.
The level of quality is reflected in the nineteen musicians and singers who appear on “CUMAR”, each contributing a track to the collection. The timeless and exhilarating power of this generally undiluted Irish traditional music and sean nos singing sweeps over the listener, whose conclusion can only be that, judging from the age of those involved – many are in their early twenties – the traditional music of Ireland is in safe hands. Sean McGhee

Froots Review April 2001
A fair old selection of singers, in Irish, interspersed with fluters, box players harpers and fiddlers. While not a dynamic album, with some fine singers like Matty Joe Seamus O’Fatharta, and splendid flute players like Sarah Jane Woods, this is a neat mixture and shows plenty of life in the old tongue yet.

Folk on Tap Oct/Dec 2000
This comes from the other side of Ireland – Connemara and the Aran Islands – although it might be the other side of the world as far as cultural differences go. This is a land where the indigenous language is spoken and the indigenous culture is not celebrated as some quaint anachronism, but is lived every day.
Cumar, literally “a confluence of rivers”, is a festival of the Gaeltachht arts, expressed on this CD in voice and music. While the occasional piece could be classed kindly as “getting there”, most of it demonstrates the facility of people born and brought up with their music.
Whistle and flute playing like that comes straight from the winds and the songs have a raw edge which has not been polished by long storage and the occasional dusting but sounds like it was written and performed at the instance of the emotion striking. Moving stuff.  Jon Sims

Revolutions UK On Line Magazine   Oct 2000.
The talents of the great and good (though thankfully not high and mighty) of the Irish “traditional” music scene are world renowned, with the likes of The Chieftans, Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and many others much loved well beyond those parts of the globe associated with the Irish diaspora.  Coming up hard on their heels are younger generations ready and more than able to keep the standard high in every sense of that phrase; Danu, Niamh Parsons, Sinead Lohan are three of my favourites but there are too many others who deserve mention. This enchanting album shows that, fostered by their culture and the generosity of artists already established, the youth of Ireland is still displaying the shining talent that will keep this creative production line running for many years to come. Cumar is the Irish word for a confluence of rivers and, just as in English, the word has taken on broader connotations of a gathering or assembly point for people and ideas.  Most specifically it has been taken as the name of the annual school/festival of Gaelic arts which, for a week each year, celebrates indigenous art forms and provides master-classes for the young players who are the future.  This lovingly put together album features almost twenty live performances from the three main concerts that were at the heart of last April’s Cumar 1999 and will act both as a record of that year’s achievements and a spur to further success.  Listening to the musicians – pipers, flautists, harpists, singers, fiddlers, accordion players and more – is to hear the sweet fruits of a dedication to music that almost always began when very young, so accomplished are they now.  Right from the off, June Ni Chormaic’s quicksilver flute will carry you off with Fred Finn’s & Fr Newman’s Reels, while another young flute and tin whistle ace, Roisin Nic Dhonncha, will transport you to where you can take in the First House In Connaught & The View Across The Valley.  Mairead Ni Fhlatharta’s voice on An Buachaillin Muinte is sensitive and touching, often soaring up through the clouds like a crystal tower.  She and Ciaran O Concheanainn – who is heard here singing An Treigean – are amongst the few singers to have been ranked highly in the prestigious Corn Ui Riada awards whilst still (enviably!) young.  There are many other highlights (the flying fiddle of Caoimhin O Raghallaigh for example) but too little space.  Suffice it to say that the young performers here, and their various mentors and inspirations who also appear, have put together a musical experience that shows just how healthy Irish music is likely to remain for some time to come.     David May.

Traditional Music Maker October 2000
Cumar is a worthy attempt to celebrate the young talent emerging through the annual Cumar Easter School held in Connemara. Conducted entirely in Irish, this CD showcases the talent, which played the week alongside such established stars as Mary Bergin and Gerry O’Connor. The trawl is wide, taking in all sides of music and arts, from flute, fiddle, accordion, harp instrumentals to sean nos singing by a local DJ! It’s a well-organised celebration of an appreciative crowd greeting act after act with obvious relish.   Simon Jones

The Living Tradition Sept/Oct
“Cumar” is a week of indigenous Irish arts for young people, held annually in Connemara, but not exclusively for locals. This CD is a sample from three concerts at last years event, and proves that the tradition is in safe hands amongst those who took part. As is usual with Clo Iar Chonnachta, content, balance and presentation are excellent. Six songs are interwoven with the dance music. Sleeve notes in Irish and English are concise but comprehensive. I only wish CIC had included prose translations, as well as the words of the songs for those of us whose Irish is not as good as it ought to be. But that’s my problem; I’ll just need to work harder at it.
Reels, jigs, hornpipes, slow airs, fine Sean noose singing; what more could you want? Unusually for Connemara, there are only two accordion tracks, most of the others being fiddle and flute. I found it really difficult to pick outstanding tracks, because the standard is so uniformly good. However, “An Buachaillin Ban” and “ An Cailin Rua”, a fine combination of slow air and reel on the flute of Nancy Costello, stay in the mind long after the record finished. Sarah-Jane Woods’ jig set also made me sit up; she gets a really big sound from her flute.
All in all, not so much a sample as an example of what a local community can do to foster the traditional local arts. I’ll keep coming back to this one. Mick Furey.

The Irish World 14.7.2000
On this authentic Irish CD, there are a variety of contributors that come together to compile this very Irish album. Musicians include June McCormack, Oisin Mac Diarmada, Mattie Jo Faherty, Roisin McDonagh, Michael Rooney and Mairead Flaherty.
The name of the album, Cumar, derives from the Cumar Easter School that was set up last year along the lines of the Willie Clancy Summer School, which is run entirely through the medium of the Irish language.
The album itself reflects this very strong Irish charged music that has been influenced by the school. Throughout the 19 track album, there is a variety of some of the best in what can be called the best described as "real" Irish music. In particular, there is a selections of reels
on the album performed by many top Irish musicians including June McCormack and Roisin McDonagh that emphasises the excellence in real Irish music.
The album is sung in Irish, even the inside sleeve of the album is purely written in Irish, and is therefore not aimed directly at those who are not too up on their Irish language. The album in however aimed at anyone who enjoys the musical sounds of old Ireland, maybe as a reminder to the years gone by.
Whatever your interest, be prepared, as Cumar is certainly not the easiest of albums to learn to appreciate, unless you have an existing rapour in what I can only describe as "real" Irish sounds.              Sharon Sheere