Amhráin m’Athar/ My Father’s Song

At age 77, Limerick man Martin Burke has taken some time to get round to making his debut album, but the result is well worth the wait. Burke has also composed a number of choice original songs, three of which appear here: ‘The Clogher Road’, written in honour of his wife’s parents and homeplace of Quilty, Co. Clare, and sung a cappella with rich harmonies from his sons Rónán and Torlogh; the melancholy ‘Plassey’s Pleasant Shore’; and ‘Lough Derg’, a jolly account of a sailing trip. Rónán Burke was responsible for the admirable production and plays guitar, tenor banjo, five-string banjo, mandolin, bouzouki and melodeon on the CD, as well as contributing a fine vocal on 'Beinnsin Luachra'.