If the damp of the first Saturday in November has the warmth of the fire beckoning, you could give yourself a treat by pouring a glass of something good and tuning into Raideó na Gaeltachta for the primary seannós competition of the year, Corn Uí Riada, which is broadcast live this evening from Oireachtas na Samhna.
Beidh amhránaí den scoth ar an ardán agus na hamhráin móra á casadh acu – agus bíonn ard-ealaín le chloisteáil an seachtain ar fad.
We have become so attuned to hearing over-produced, over-arranged, over-stylised music that we can forget the astonishing power of the unaccompanied human voice and its impact not just on our emotions but our souls. There’s nothing raw or primitive about seannós – this is a high-art form which often utilises ancient poems and airs that either still exist from a time which Gaelic culture was in its ascendancy, or are strongly influenced by it.
If you want to feel that start of recognition, the uniquely beautiful sound that Tony MacMahon said has the impact of an iron spike entering your soul, have a listen to what are often ancient and gloriously complex songs and sounds, and marvel in the elaborate ornamentation and the singers who has such command of these songs that it often seems that both song and singer are in an intricate series of movements with each other.
Corn Uí Riada, named after the legendary composer and musician Séan Ó Riada, is the big prize of the weekend, and is only open to those who have proved their worth by winning other competitions at the Oireachtas in other years. Amongst those bouts are Comórtas na bhFear (the Men’s competitons) and Comórtas na mBan (the Women’s competition), which took place last night and on Thursday (see below).
You’d stand in the snow to hear this evocative, powerful singing. Sheasfá sa sneachta chun éisteacht leo.
Here’s last year’s Corn Uí Riada competition in full if you wanted to get a flavour of what you might hear tonight – or listen to the 2022 winner, the brilliant Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiarán, below, singing her second song – by the competition rules a lively one in the shortlist recall – Caisleán a’ tSléibhe.
Mar dheimhniú go mbriseann an dúchas, seo garneachtaí an laoch Darach Ó Catháin ag casadh go binn agus go hálainn le cheíle.
If you enjoy Corn Uí Riada, make it a key bucket list item to get to the Oireachtas soon. It’s the best promise to yourself that you can keep.