Imíonn an tAm (Time Passes), Rogha Amhrán - Selected Songs Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin hails from Aghamore, Co. Mayo, in the west of Ireland. Born in 1961, he has been writing songs since he first picked up the guitar, at the age of sixteen. A primary school teacher by profession, he spent thirteen years as a TV and radio presenter with RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcast network. He worked in a wide range of programmes while in RTÉ, including children’s programming, and music and arts shows. He has been heavily involved in two major broadcast series for learning the Irish language – “Cogar”, a radio series dating from the late eighties which he co-presented and the most recent production, “Turas Teanga”, launched in January, 2004, for which he was TV script writer. All this time, Tadhg maintained a parallel existence as a singer/songwriter. His first collection of original songs “Solas Gorm’’ (Blue Light) was released in 1988. This classic recording comprised a lively and eclectic collection of songs in Irish (Gaelic), full of humour and innovation, including rollicking good blues numbers, doo-wap, down-home country style, and mellow love songs, matched by a strong humorous streak that has been compared to the satirical style of the great Myles na Gopaleen who penned An Béal Bocht/The Poor Mouth. There are also guest performances from some of Ireland’s top musicians including ex-Moving Hearts saxophonist, Keith Donald. “Solas Gorm” was jointly produced by legendary Irish songwriter Sonny Condell and songwriter turned film-maker Philip King, who in recent years has had much success internationally with numerous TV documentaries on aspects of Irish music, including Bringing it All Back Home. “Raifteirí san Underground” followed in 1993 (Raifteirí in the Underground – imagine the exiled, blind poet Raifteirí, marooned in today's London and busking for coins at Elephant & Castle station, or elsewhere in the London Underground). This is a musical tour through the singer’s native County Mayo, past and present, evoking the spirits of the Gaelic poets of the past in an imaginative, exciting, contemporary style. Pathos and humour are mixed to deliver a potent and original brew of lyrical and musical ideas. Guest musicians include guitarist Steve Cooney, Máire Breathnach on fiddle and viola, and top Irish singer-songwriter Eleanor McEvoy, who performs an unusual bilingual duet with Tadhg (Bithbhuan/Rolling Home). Production is by Garvan Gallagher, well known for his work with such artists as Mary Black and Luka Bloom. Four years later, in 1997, Tadhg embarked on a new musical adventure when he released his first collection for children, “Bliain na nAmhrán” (The Year of Song) on his own Futa Fata label. This record was issued under the pen name “Futa Fata Féasóg”. It’s a fun-filled look at the four seasons, through the eyes of dancing lambs, migrating swallows, insomniac squirrels, and baby reindeer who dream of pulling Santa’s sleigh through the sky. Today, this album is recommended by Ireland’s Department of Education, as material of excellence for the teaching of both music and the Irish language. ( “Bliain na nAmhrán” is also available here at CDBaby, as well as Tadhg’s later recordings for children – and former childrean: “Ceol na Mara” and “Gugalaí Gug”.) This current offering, “Imíonn an tAm” (Time Passes), released in March 2004, draws mainly from “Solas Gorm” and “Raifteirí san Underground”. It provides the opportunity to experience many of the classics that were on the two ealier recordings, now out of print. “Imíonn an tAm” contains many of the best loved songs from those CDs, plus one song drawn from “Bliain na nAmhrán” (the title track, Imíonn an tAm). Over the years a range of songs from Tadhg’s albums have been chosen for study on the curricula of Irish primary, post-primary and third-level literature and music courses — a highly unusual accolade for a songwriter. Many of his songs are now considered classics of contemporary Irish songwriting. Futa Fata is a small independent record company and publishing house set up in 1997 to bring the music of bilingual songwriter Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin to the world. In the last few years, the label has developed its agenda, and it now promotes both contemporary and traditional songwriting from Ireland, specializing in material written in the Irish (Gaelic) language. Within this range of interest there are now two strands to Futa Fata’s work, namely: material aimed at grown-ups and productions created for children (though many former children also find these releases of great interest and value). Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin’s recordings available here at CD Baby: Bliain na nAmhrán (the year of song); Imíonn an tAm (time passes), Ceol na Mara (songs of the ocean); Gugalaí Gug (cluckety cluck)