Some time ago I watched Sinead O’Connor’s documentary The Song of Heart’s Desire, about her making of Sean Nos Nua, which she released a few years ago. In the documentary there were a couple of Irish Sean Nos Singers. One of them was a middle-aged or older white lady with blonde hair who sang the “Oro Se…” song (I can never spell it, please forgive me). I can’t remember her name, if it was given. I’m wondering if anybody knows who she was. So far I haven’t been able to find information about her.
I’m not familiar with it, but from what I see on the web, the documentary you refer to is available on DVD, called Sinead O’Connor: Goodnight, Thank You, You’ve Been A Lovely Audience. You might want to rent and see if it is what you are looking for.
djm
Would it be Rona Lightfoot? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctaMm37-Ud4
No, but she is awesome. Thank you so much.
Good to hear dance tune sung in an authentic source tradition.
The vocal informs all folk music.
Evidence is mounding.
She seems to be describing Puirt A Beul:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puirt_a_beul
What have I been thinking! It’s probably Niamh Parsons.
The first tune she does is Puirt but the second is canntaireachd. Puirt a beul is a song to a tune like Irish diddly but Canntaireachd is specific words for pipe embelishments. Rona is a piper and so learned a true form of canntaireachd.
No, it wasn’t her. The woman had grey or white hair and sang the “Oro Se Do Bhaile” song (spelled right, though). Sinead sings it on one of her CDs, but this woman’s was unaccompanied and truly magnificent.
There are a number of people who might fit your description. I am thinking of Seosaimhin Ní Beagley (sister to Séamus Beagley), but I can’t find a picture of her on the web for verification.
djm
This reply is over a year late, but I thought I would update people that the woman’s name is/was Treasa Ni Mhiollain.