If you like Irish music, you’ll enjoy this CD immensely. If you play Irish music you’ll find this CD really useful listening. All the tunes found on Joys of Life and Shaskeen Live are core Irish session repertoire. Accurate transcriptions of all the tunes can be found in the book Through the Half Door. Wonderful music.
 
Born out of Galway and the West, Shaskeen rebounds a tradition that is deeper than time itself. Reels and jigs played with a verve and vigour that commands the ultimate response – the passioned play of dancing feet on the stone floor. And yes, there are songs too, songs of love, songs of place and songs of other, perhaps happier times. Shaskeen have been sharing their music with us for many years now, long may it continue.
 
Track List
 
Reels: The Eel in the Sink, Mullingar Races, Sheehan’s
Jigs: Whelan’s, Scotsman Over the Border, Apples in Winter
Song: A Galway Boy
Barn Dance: Kieran Kelly’s
Reels: Mama’s Pet, Gan Ainm (Humours of Loughrea)
Jigs: Hardiman’s Fancy, Mulally’s
Reels: Dowd’s No. 9, The West Clare Reel, Jennie’s Wedding
Reels: Farewell to Connaught, The Bank of Ireland, The Galway Rambler
Song: The Shores of my Lovely Lough Gill
Reels: Sweeney’s Buttermilk, The Flower of the Flock
Jigs: Joe Cooley’s Delight, Malowney’s Wife
Reels: Fahy’s, Love at the Endings
Song: The Cot in the Corner
Reels: Crowley’s, Lord McDonald’s, The Cameronian