Archive: IMBOLC 2020

The West Ocean String Quartet marks its twentieth anniversary in 2019 with an innovative series of concerts celebrating the traditional music of Ireland’s Atlantic coast, echoing the quartet’s title. The material has been curated from the broad musical spectrum of this region – from the swinging barn dances of West Donegal down to the grand song-airs and rousing polkas of Kerry. The music has been arranged by the quartet’s cellist Neil Martin, sharing the quartet’s interpretation of this regional music with both a global audience and the traditional community and to initially perform the music within the coastal communities and islands that inspired it.

There can be few regions in the world which provide more fertile ground for traditional music - from the northern shores of Inishowen and West Donegal all the way down through the coastal counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Cork - the music of this Atlantic region is powerful, compelling and hugely varied. It is infused with an indefinable common element; at its core is a rich tapestry of musical styles, moods and accents.

Since it took its first tentative steps in 1999, WOSQ has received world-wide acclaim. Its founding members, Séamus McGuire (violin) and Neil Martin (cello) were later joined by Niamh Crowley (violin) and Ken Rice (viola).

Bhí an West Ocean String Quartet ag ceiliúradh fiche bliain ar an fhód sa bhliain 2019 le sraith nuálach ceolchoirmeacha ag comóradh cheol traidisiúnta chósta Atlantach na hÉireann, a spreag ainm an cheathairéid ar an chéad dul síos. Tógadh an ceol ón réimse leathan atá le cluinstin ar fud an chósta seo – ó rincí corraitheacha sciobóil Iarthar Thír Chonaill go dtí amhráin iontacha agus polcaí spreagúla Chiarraí. Dordveidhleadóir an cheathairéid, Neil Martin, a chuir an ceol in eagar chun tuiscint an cheathairéid ar cheol an chósta seo a roinnt le pobal domhanda agus le pobal an cheoil thraidisiúnta, agus chun é a sheinm os comhair phobail an chósta iad féin a spreag an ceol ar an chéad dul síos.

Níl mórán ceantar eile ar domhan atá inchurtha le cósta Atlantach na hÉireann ó thaobh an cheoil thraidisiúnta de – ó chósta thuaidh Inis Eoghain agus Iarthar Thír Chonaill síos trí Shligeach, Liatroim, Maigh Eo, Gaillimh, An Clár, Luimneach, Ciarraí agus Corcaigh – tá ceol an cheantair Atlantaigh seo iontach cumhachtach, spéisiúil agus ilchineálach. Tá bua ar leith nach bhfuil inmhínithe ann; tá gréasán casta stíleanna, mothúchán agus agus béimeanna ceoil ann.

Tá clú agus cáil idirnáisiúnta bainte amach ag an WOSQ ó cuireadh tús leis den chéad uair sa bhliain 1999. Tháinig Niamh Crowley (veidhlín) agus Ken Rice (vióla) ar bord leis na bunaitheoirí Séamus McGuire (veidhlín) agus Neil Martin (dordveidhil) i ndiaidh tamaill.