Aoine 15 Lúnasa 8:30i.n. -Ticéid €20 & €25
Is freagra ceolmhar é Achill Island, Basking Shark Fishermen, ar thionscal iascaireachta na liamhán gréine in Acaill, atá ag féachaint leis an gcuid thábhachtach seo d’oidhreacht an oileáin a chaomhnú do na glúnta atá le teacht.
D’eisigh “The Achill Sound” a gcéad albam Isle of the Eagle i mí Lúnasa 2023 agus tá siad anois ag cur an tionscnaimh is deireanaí seo dá gcuid i láthair, tionscnamh atá dírithe ar chaomhnú an tseanchais agus na scéalta a bhaineann le tionscal iascaireachta na liamhán gréine ar Acaill sa 20ú haois. Sa léiriú uathúil agus tumthach seo tugtar léiriú mothálach ar stair iascaireachta na siorcanna in Acaill, trí mheascán taifead, píosaí scannáin ón gcartlann agus íomhánna bunaidh in éineacht le ceol agus amhráin traidisiúnta agus nuachumtha de chuid na hÉireann.
Is iad an bheirt a tháinig suas le The Achill Sound ná Graham Sweeney, ceoltóir atá lonnaithe in Acaill, agus John Michael Berry, léiritheoir atá ag cur faoi i nGlaschú ach ar tháinig a mhuintir freisin as an oileán. Leis an togra seo tá siad ag féachaint leanúint lena sprioc chomhchoiteann maidir le stair agus cultúr Acla a choinneáil beo.
Deir Graham Sweeney, “My family had a large involvement in the industry, which is why I viewed it with a heavy heart and anger. It is only in recent years that I see both sides of the story; on a quiet island with little industry, forcing many people to leave home for work, you cannot blame them for wanting to survive and support their families. There was not a great understanding of damaging a species towards extinction. All that the local people knew was survival. I wanted to shine a light on the days gone by by recording as many first-hand accounts and stories as possible. While some community members recall 'the glory days of the shark fishing', others mourn the loss of these magnificent, harmless giants of the ocean.”
Le tacaíocht bhródúil ó Chomhairle Ealaíon na hÉireann, áiríonn an léiriú beo seo de Achill Island, Basking Shark Fishermen closamhairc leis an léiritheoir John Michael Berry, ceol traidisiúnta agus nuachumtha de chuid Graham Sweeney (giotár agus canadh) Lisa Fukuda (fidil) agus Johnny Butler (píb uilleann). Tá páirt ag na ceoltóirí seo uilig in The Achill Sound agus de bharr ceangal pearsanta tá siad ag iarraidh stair agus cultúr an oileáin a choinneáil beo.
Tá scéal thionscail iascaireachta na liamhán gréine in Acaill á chur faoi chaibidil ar bhealach álainn sa bpíosa uathúil seo, trí úsáid a bhaint as ealaín thraidisiúnta mar aon le hamharcealaín chun taispeántas ceoil bheo agus tumthach a chruthú, taispeántas a thugann léiriú ar ré thábhachtach d’oidhreacht mhuirí Acla agus na hÉireann.
Achill Island, Basking Shark Fishermen is a musical response to Achill Island’s basking shark fishing industry, preserving this important part of Achill’s heritage for future generations.
Following the release of their first album Isle of the Eagle in August 2023, The Achill Sound presents its latest project focused on preserving the oral history and stories of the basking shark industry on Achill Island during the 20th century. This unique and immersive performance sensitively imparts Achill’s shark fishing history, combining recordings, archival footage, and original visuals with traditional and newly composed Irish music and song.
Achill-based musician Graham Sweeney and Glasgow-based producer John Michael Berry, whose family also hails from the island, are the duo behind The Achill Sound. Their aim with this project is to continue their shared objective of keeping Achill's history and culture alive.
Graham Sweeney said,“My family had a large involvement in the industry, which is why I viewed it with a heavy heart and anger. It is only in recent years that I see both sides of the story; on a quiet island with little industry, forcing many people to leave home for work, you cannot blame them for wanting to survive and support their families. There was not a great understanding of damaging a species towards extinction. All that the local people knew was survival. I wanted to shine a light on the days gone by by recording as many first-hand accounts and stories as possible. While some community members recall 'the glory days of the shark fishing', others mourn the loss of these magnificent, harmless giants of the ocean.”
Proudly supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, the live presentation of the Achill Island, Basking Shark Fishermen project includes audio-visuals by producer John Michael Berry, and traditional and newly composed Irish music by Graham Sweeney (guitar and vocals), Lisa Fukuda (fiddle) and Johnny Butler (uilleann pipes). These musicians are part of The Achill Sound and have a personal connection to keeping history and culture alive.
The story of Achill Island’s basking shark fishing industry is beautifully explored in this unique piece incorporating traditional and visual art forms, to create an immersive live musical performance capturing an important historical chapter of Achill Island’s and Ireland’s marine heritage.