who is Mairead McConnell?

Subject: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Kim C
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:44 AM

Greetings, all. On last Saturday's Thistle & Shamrock I heard a song by Mairead McConnell and the Voice Squad. Now, I am a big fan of the Voice Squad and have both their CDs that are available in the States. But I searched on the Internet for Mairead McConnell with absolutely no luck at all. Granted, I could be spelling it wrong. Does anyone have a clue? Thanks! ---------- Kim

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Peg
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:47 AM

Kim I think you must mean Mairead NiDhomnail...she and her sister Catriona are two of the finest Irish singers around!

Mairead's album No Dowry is fabulous...

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:49 AM

Could that have been Mairéad Ní Dhomhnaill (O'Donnell, in English)

Regards

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:50 AM

Snap!

Regards

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:59 AM

Incidentally, Kim: the Voice Squad no longer sing regularly together. Phil Callery now fronts his own band and does some harmony numbers with his daughters. Their first CD came out some time ago: "From the Edge of Memory", if memory serves.... It's great.

Regards

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Kim C
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 11:04 AM

well, I wondered about the spelling - but she very clearly said McConnell. I will check it out.

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Peg
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 12:58 PM

hmm, I thought it was Triona who actually sang with the Voice Squqd; maybe they both did?

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Kim C
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 01:11 PM

According to Fiona Richie, the song I heard was by Mairead McConnell and the Voice Squad. I checked out Mairead NiDhomnaill and could not find anything that indicated that this particular Mairead had recorded anything with the Voice Squad. If someone can tell me conclusively otherwise I would greatly appreciate it. I also have a message in to Thistle & Shamrock to see if they can resolve this mystery for me as I would really like to have this record.

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 06:45 PM

Kim

Any details on the song itself? I have a vague feeling that Mairead Ni Dh. and the Voice Squad may have a track on a compilation somewhere.

Regards

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 08:15 PM

I've only ever seen the spelling MAURA McConnell. Didn't she sing with De Dannan as well at some point?

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Alice
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 08:26 PM

I thought that was Maura O'Connell with De Dannan. This is getting very confusing.

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 10:05 PM

I didn't know that the Voice Squad had CD's available in the States. I've got them singing with Níamh Parsons on one track on Arcady's "Many Happy Returns" (a brilliant rendition of The Rambling Irishman) but didn't know they had other stuff available.

I would concur with it being Maura McConnell. It's entirely possible that they're two different singers, but Mairéad doesn't ring a bell.

Rich

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 10:39 AM

It's not Maura McConnell. I know who she is. She lives around Nashville, or at least she used to. It was definitely NOT her voice.

I don't have any details on the song ----- we were driving in the car and talking over it for the most part until I said, hey, who's that?!?! I wrote it down right away so I wouldn't forget. Fiona has played this before and I swear on the grave of Elvis she Very Clearly said Mairead McConnell. Is there another less Anglicized way to spell this?

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 11:27 AM

Okay, I think I've found it: Mairead Ni Dhomhnaill and the Voice Squad on John Renbourn's Traveller's Prayer album, the Wexford Lullaby. Who has this record and can confirm this for me? The sound samples I've found don't play for but 30 seconds.

Subject: RE: who is Mairead McConnell?
From: Peg
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 11:57 AM

Kim I have heard this recording numerous times on A Celtic Sojourn with Brian O'Donovan. This would seem to be the answer...

Fiona Ritchie is not exactly know for her clarity of diction, IMHO. Her accent has always sounded like an odd amalgam of Cockney, Irish and Scottish to me, almost fake, if you will...I have thought this for years...so I would not be too concerned if she mispronounced this name...

Mairead Ni Dhomnaill has also performed with the Donal Lunny Band (not sure if there is a recording though).

Maura O'Connell; that is the correct name...