Building my first radio show episode

Today in my France Mosaic course we discussed the French region of Bretagne, which is different from the rest of France because it has clung the most fiercely to its Celtic heritage and in many ways more closely resembles Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Galicia (in Spain) and the Ile of Man (between Ireland and Scotland) than the rest of France.  The Breton language more closely resembles the indigenous languages of the aforementioned places than French, in any case.  There is currently a pretty strong movement in Bretagne that is arguing for home-rule, or at least a local parliament with the power to make decisions for the region without Parisian input.  It is rather fascinating.

As soon as I got home from class today, I began writing my first radio show on Irish music.  The theme for the first broadcast is all-instrumental music as I introduce the various instruments used in the genre.  I start with Cooley’s Reel by Inspectedby19 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HNNu8x_ulA)  to demonstrate the guitar.  It is one of the rare instances in Irish music where the guitar actually plays the melody.  Next is the fiddle, I which I demonstrate with a medley by the Dubliners, The Sligo Maid and Colonel Rodney (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk4Z0IaaW9Y at 2:04).  I then go on to discuss the tin whistle (which I play) and give a medley of three tunes: the Irish Washerwoman, the Kesh Jig and the Blarney Pilgrim (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3J-rHpuag).  Next up is the mandolin, which I also play, and I show off Chief O’Neill’s Favorite (one of my favorites) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiBN7gHb5QM).  In this version, the Dubliner’s extraordinary banjo player Barney McKenna takes a break from his signature instrument to play this lovely tune on the mandolin.  I then have him follow it on his banjo with the High Reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JG1wUh_HBo).  I then give an example of another Irish instrument, the Uileann pipes, the modern incarnation of the Irish bagpipe as used beautifully (accompanied by the tin whistle and Irish bodhran drum) in the title theme to The Boondock Saints, a song called The Blood of Cuchullain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuC1DqC67GM).  Cuchullain is the greatest of the Irish heroes, whose life was filled with many extraordinary deed, yet he met with a most tragic fate.  But I have nowhere near enough time to properly recount the tale and so will move on to the final song, O’Sullivan’s March by The Chieftains, which makes heavy use of the bodhran,Uileann pipes, and tin whistle and really serves to wrap everything up together (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vffqnYUyFVQ).

So that’s what’s going on with my life right now.  I hope you enjoy some of the listening I provided.  As for me, I really miss my tin whistle and mandolin right now, but I suppose that I’ll have to make do with my four harmonicas.  Good night, all.

Nick- out