TADHG MAC DHONNAGÁIN (Mother Redcaps, Dublin)

TADHG MAC DHONNAGÁIN’S songs tell stories, paint pictures and evoke long-forgotten memories in a strangely compelling melodic style. Appearing tonight with English-born keyboard player, Anth Kaley (Mac Dhonnagáin joked that they considered calling themselves D’Unpronouncables!), he performed songs mainly from his most recent album Raifteirí San Underground.

The fact that he sings in both Irish and English, occasionally mixing the two languages into the same song, allows him more poetic license than most songwriters would dare attempt. And it works too – most of the time.

Opening with ‘John And Mary’s Photo Album’, a poignant picture-journey of a family’s downfall through the decades, he continued with ‘Dara’, a charmingly affectionate homage to his three year old niece. ‘Tintreach Agus Toirnach’, which translates as thunder and lightning, tells the hilarious but true story of spending all day under the stairs with his mother saying the rosary during a raging storm.

Mac Dhonnagáin’s light-fingered guitar playing style is effective but the electric piano and synth embellishments helped to flesh out the songs which can be deceptively complex in their arrangements.

Other highlights included his version of Clannad’s ‘Mo Mháire’, the old Mayo drinking song ‘Preab San Ól’ and Mac Dhonnagáin’s irreverent nod to the Marian shrine at Knock, ‘The Holy Virgins Statue’. For the encore, the pair were joined on-stage by two suitably animated female backing singers for a rousing ‘Raifteirí San Underground’ bringing the performance to a fitting close.

An enjoyable and surprisingly humour-filled evening.

• Colm O’Hare