President Michael D. Higgins releases new single 'My Mother Married my Father in Mount Melleray in 1937'

President Michael D. Higgins has released 'My Mother Married my Father in Mount Melleray in 1937', the second track ahead of his spoken word collection, Against All Certainty, out on Friday, September 5.

'My Mother Married my Father in Mount Melleray in 1937' (along with all 10 tracks on the upcoming album) was written by President Higgins and composed by Myles O’Reilly.

“A hundred years ago, my father was spending some time in Hut Number 3 between February 1923 and December 1923", said President Higgins, introducing the poem.

"His brother in the national army, was serving in Galway. But I sometimes think back, of my father's life, which was interrupted so badly by the civil war and the exclusion of those, who were incarcerated in the current elsewhere from full participation or any prospects, in life."

"I wanted the score to acknowledge love, said O’Reilly. "After a few deep listens to Michael D. reading the poem, a tender frailty emerged in his voice that guided me."

Using sounds from a broken piano and violin, the track "succeeds at accentuating the love story within the poem, the coming together of his parents, while also supporting the emotion in President Higgins’ voice, that delicate tenderness in his breath between words," said O’Reilly

On the release date of the spoken word album, the National Concert Hall is set to host Against All Certainty: A Celebration of Michael D. Higgins.

The event will feature a performance by President Higgins and the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland. Additionally, it will host a variety of other Irish artists including Mary Coughlan and God Knows.

President Higgins has previously released four poetry collections The Betrayal, The Season of Fire, An Arid Season and New and Selected Poems, however, Against All Certainty will be the first vocal presentation of President Higgins' work.

The album will be available in CD and Vinyl formats and can be pre-ordered here.

Listen to 'My Mother Married my Father in Mount Melleray in 1937' below.