Lorcan "Larry" Otway's CD with Sorcha Dorcha, the name of which is Nil Sasta Ach Amadain (Only Idiots are Satisfied)
$15 US, available by Emailing me at InOBU@aol.com

Swifts' Modest Proposal.is a joyful celebration of the deal which brings MazzMlani Swift into the band. It is comprised of the jigs Leitrim Thrush and An Phis Fluich ( a very old Willy Clancy tune—from his father, the name of which cannot be said in English on the air ).

Engine 33: As we were finishing this CD, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 unfolded in our city. I wrote this song for the heroes of this horrific event. It focuses on the Firefighters, for the most part , of our local firehouse, who lost a quarter of their number. In that morning New York lost close to the same number of firefighters as were lost in the entire history of our fire department. The song is dedicated to all the Firefighters, Police Officers, Court Officers, and others who ran into danger so that others might come out again.

Yvette's Song: Words by Lorcan Otway, Tune traditional, is a true story, written about an Innu friend from Mani Utenam, Quebec, who has triumphed over attempts to destroy her culture and who now struggles to stop the destruction of her land by Hydro Electric dams and Mines.

Dick Turpin - Blarney Pilgrim :Notes on Dick Turpin from our friend Kevin McGrath of Harlow, England… ...here's an extract from the Gentleman's Magazine of the time, about the execution on April 7 1739 (taken from a book about highwaymen called Stand and Deliver by Patrick Pringle): The notorious Richard Turpin and John Stead, were executed at York for horse-stealing. Turpin behaved in an undaunted manner; as he mounted the ladder, feeling his right leg tremble, he stamped it down, and looking around him with an unconcerned air, he spoke a few words to the topsman, then threw himself off, and expired in five minutes. He declared himself to be the notorious highwayman Turpin, and confessed to a great number of robberies, and that he shot the man that came to apprehend him on Epping Forest, and King, his own companion, undesignedly, for which latter he was very sorry. He gave £3 10s to five men who were to follow the cart as mourners, with hatbands and gloves to them and several others. Jumping off the ladder was an unusual way to do it. Maybe he had some cunning plan. It made for a speedier death - but required courage. _________ Note from Lorcan… I have heard that the crowd then rushed the gallows and cut him down and that he was never pronounced dead, but was rumored to have lived out his life among Scottish Romanichales (Gypsies).

The Ballad of Richard Murray: Words Lorcan Otway, Tune Traditional. When I was a child in the 15th Street Quaker Meeting, Anna L. Curtis would tell us stories about her family. Her Grandmother was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. This is a song I wrote from a true story from the telling of Anna L. Curtis.

Amadou Diallo: Words by Lorcan Otway, Tune traditional, is about the racial blindness which led to the tragic killing of a fine young man in New York. Shortly after I wrote this song, Vice President Gore asked why a wallet in the hands of a White man in America looks like a wallet, while the same in the hands of a Black man in America looks like a gun. I hope that we may, by acknowledging the history of Africa and her people, end the process of racialization which makes Black people in this nation, so often invisible.

The Ballad of Judith Folger: Words Lorcan Otway, Tune Traditional. Another song from an Anna Curtis story. The story was told to Anna by her Grandmother, who in turn was told the story by her Grandmother, Judith Folger, who was the daughter of a Quaker Whaler during the Revolutionary war. It is a true story and I wrote the song as I think it is a song for these times.

Riddle of the Rum: I first heard this song of the 1798 Rebellion, in about 1977 from Dáithí Sproule who tells me that the words are from the book "Dhá Chéad de Cheoltaibh Uladh" and the melody was composed by his friend, Seán Ó hÉilí, from Derry. He no longer sings the verse about "extinguishing Luther's creed and George's generation -- which he says "does sound pretty anti-Protestant to me!" I however, am of the opinion that it is not so much anti Protestant, but comes from the French Revolutionary turn away from religion per se, as the United Men's Uprising was, in fact, Protestant led. I tend to view it as a Protestant, anti- Orange Order song.

The New Saint It was not without intended meaning that I set this song I wrote to a song from the Irish involvement in the Spanish Civil War. Tens of thousands of Rom ("Gypsies") were killed by fascists during the 1930's and 40's. Millions of Roma have been killed over 500 years of oppression and forced migration. At last the Catholic Church has recognized a Romany saint. They did not choose one of the many killed for their race, or defending others, but they chose a Gitano who supported Franco.

Tom of Bedlam… (Notes by on this song from Barry Finn…) "Bedlam , the popular name for St. Mary's Hospital in London for males, the woman's institution named after Mary Magdalene was called Maudlin, & it was a popular diversion to watch the antics of the poor inmates. …" A note from Lorcan... I first heard it from John Roberts and Tony Barrand. Most sources place the song as being older than 1610...

Election Day: Words Lorcan Otway, Tune Traditional. What I saw on September 11.

The Copper's Chanter: This set starts with the march, Song of the Chanter, and ends up with the march named for the chief of Police in Chicago, Chief O'Neil - who transcribed so many great jigs and reels back when...