Bit O'The Irish Blog Hop!

    Irish music has been a huge source of joy in my life, so it's no real surprise the main character in my first novel is a bard proficient in the harp, uilleann pipes, and bodhran. Some of the most pivotal scenes were written with specific pieces of music in my head as a soundtrack. If I had to pick my favorite instrument, it would be the uilleann pipes. They can weep, or they can play with such joy that you can't help but get up and dance! For a really wonderful sample of all that they can do, you should check out piper Eoin Dillon, who is also part of a fantastic, eclectic Irish band called Kila.

     The lament Telyn plays in my book was written with Bill Whelan's haunting music "Caoineadh Cu Chulainn" in mind, as played by the incomparable Davy Spillane. Have a tissue ready when you listen to this one. There's a couple of lovely videos on Youtube. Yes, it's from Riverdance, which is a guilty pleasure for me.

     My life would be less rich without the happiness Celtic music brings to me. There's an awful lot of "Shamrocky" stuff out there these days (I'm sorry, I don't like the Celtic Thunder or Celtic Women phenomena that seemed to spring up like mushrooms in the wake of Riverdance). But give me a pub band playing in the corner any day, and I'm a happy, happy girl!

To follow the links to the rest of the hop, please visit the lovely Aubrey Wynne's Wordpress page...

http://aubreywynneauthor.wordpress.com/