Some good news from Claddagh Records.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/claddagh-records-relaunched-after-deal-with-universal-music-ireland-1.4561959
It is a strange piece, I suspect some poor editing. Obviously a press release to publicise the launch of the new webshop. But the deal with Universal isn’t new, that was announced by the end of summer last year but above all they make it sound like they spoke to Garech Browne, which makes reading odd.
File photo, why not a file quote? Or did they use a ouija board?
Par for the course these days, wherever you look. I think the contemporary rationale among the keepers of journalistic letters is that the reader is responsible for putting two and two together, and allowances should be made, for the editor’s sandwich will have been more important.
The article also fails to supply a working link to the website, which seems to miss the point of the article.
Loads of classic recordings and the 2 for €12 offer is pretty good.
Wait, don’t shoot! I’m just the messenger. 
But it’s good to know that ya’ll are more in-the-know than I. I came across the article on Irish Central, whose journalistic quality can really be hit or miss (mostly miss). As a ‘legit’ newspaper, guess I expected the Irish Times to be more trustworthy. In any case, I’m glad to find out about Claddagh’s current status. Maybe I’ll find some of the cds I see for sale on Amazon for outrageous prices (used).
Good catch, Peter.
Are we all so certain that it’s good news that such an important (in our world) recording and producing company has succumbed to the worldwide corporate behemoth of the Universal Music Group?
I think that you can tell that I don’t. The whole thing feels more like a bit of predatory asset stripping by a monopolist.
Well, Claddagh was essentially bust and there was no money going to be put into it after Garech Browne’s death. AS the original announcement had it, the the deal with Universal is a licensing deal, not a sell off. Money has gone in to organise and remaster the archive, a lot of classics are made available again and at reasonable prices too. Like it or loath it.
Okay…I went on to the Claddagh site to order a cd (Emer Mayock’s Merry Bits Of Timber) just now and at checkout, shipping was calculated at €16.50, more than the price of the cd (€12.95) itself! 
Now, over the past month or so, I’ve ordered Tunes from the Goodman Collection and More Tunes from the Goodman Collection, which coming from Dublin (directly from Mick O’Brien), shipping costs were €3.00, so I know shipping from Ireland can be done a lot cheaper. Maybe this is a sign that the ‘deal’ with Universal isn’t so customer-friendly after all.
It’s a bit like ordering from the US or UK. I have long since given up on the US for charging silly money for international post. The UK has gone that way too recently and I have given up on ordering anything from there too, especially with duties due since Brexit.
That said, I posted a few CDs to the US last year or so, it cost me €2.50. So Claddagh seems to be charging silly money. Maybe try Custy’s?
Good suggestion, but no luck there either, nor at Ossian US. It’s her first recording (1996) so isn’t readily available. Someone on Amazon is selling a used copy for $29.95 (about €24.50) + shipping, even more than Claddagh. No doubt about it, I’m living on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Emer’s website is being redone, so maybe I’ll check back there when it’s up and running.
No harm in sending Custy’s an email, they may be able to order it for you.
I may go in when I am in Ennis, have a look now they’re open again.
I just made a “dummy” order - E9.50 to post 1 CD [ cost E12.95 ] to the UK. Screw that. I send CDs the other way to Ireland for under £5.00 sterling.
Postage seems to have become the cash cow for a lot of online businesses. You see it on ebay and a lot of other places too. Too often I find I want to buy something cheap, say a few euro, and they try hitting you with a ridiculous amount for P&P., often several times more than the cost of the item you’re trying to buy. As you say, screw that. 
I have been exploring alternative supply routes again, mostly for non musical stuff, with some success. Even Chinese merchants now seem to be able to deliver stuff to the West of Ireland in about the same time as it takes to get things from the UK and at a fraction of the cost.
Earlier today, between twelve and one, the Brendan O’Connor show on RTE had an item about Claddagh, Gareth Browne and the plans for the future. It’s posssibly/probably somewhere online on RTE.ie, if you’re into that sort of thing.