Language of the Gaels by Jennifer Licko & Alan Chapman

Their huge popularity was due mainly to their sense of humor (craic), Phonsie's ballad singing and Alan's versatility on the bass, acoustic guitar, banjo and whistles. Alan then moved to the US where he played the Irish pubs and festivals throughout Florida. After many years in Floria, Alan returned to Donegal where he and Jennifer played music together for two years. He is currently living in Ireland and playing music throughout the pubs in Donegal.

JEN'S BIO

Biography:

Jennifer shelton Licko is a Celtic singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player, and a premier Highland Dancer. Coming from North Carolina, by way of Florida, New York, Scotland, and Ireland; she’s a proud reflection of North Carolina's Scottish & Irish heritage.

Jennifer Shelton’s studies as a Scottish dancer (Jo Moore-Kalat school of Scottish dance), Gaelic singer (University of Edinburgh), music educator (from East Carolina University) and her experiences living in Ireland & Scotland, have shaped her into a performing artist for the Celtic culture in NC.

However, Jennifer Shelton has toured throughout the world with her music along side of performers such as Award winning Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, Jimmy Carton, Rickey Godfrey and Brendan Grace.

Daughter of a Music teacher and niece of a Scottish Highland Dance teacher, Jennifer Shelton received training in both music and dance from a young age. Upon graduating with a music degree from East Carolina University, Jennifer Shelton traveled to Scotland to study abroad on a Rotary International and a St. Andrews society of NC scholarship . She continued to spend summers in Scotland studying Gaelic music and Dance with singers such as Mairi Mac Innes, Ishbel MacAskill and Roddy Campbell. She then moved to Ireland where she lived in Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim performing at pubs all over Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrim. The years she spend playing music with Irish musicians (and for Irish audiences) brought her to a deeper understanding of the Irish ballads. Her passion and love for Ireland, the hardship it has endured as a country, and the sense of humor the Irish have kept through it all, is evident in Jennifer Shelton's performances.

Currently, Jennifer Shelton is based out of Eastern North Carolina where she performs Celtic folk music & dance for children in Elementary schools, concerts, festivals, and pubs all over the state to celebrate North Carolina's Scottish & Irish heritage.

Canan nan gaidheal - Language of the Gael

It wasn't the snow of the frost from the north

It wasn't the cold snap from the east

It wasn't the rain or gale from the west

But the disease which has blanched from the south

The blossom, foliage, stem and roots

Of the language of my race and people.

Chorus:

Come along and join us in the west

So that we will hear the language of the gael

Come along and join us in the west

So that we will hear the language eof the gael

Fetch down the golden chandeliers,

And set the white was candles in them

Light them up in the chamber of sorrow

The wake house of the old Gaelic language

That's what the enemy said a long time ago

But the Gaelic language still lives

Although she has retreated from the glens,

Though one hears her so seldom now

From the Mackay far in the north

Down to Drumochter of the cattle

But even so, we need to have the sword and shield

In our fists in the Western Isles.

Puirt A Beaul

Mouth music

I would go smartly march

I would go smartly smartly smartly

I would go smartly and get myself ready

I would go smartly to go and see Isabel.

I would put on my best trousers and get myself ready

Julia Julia she's my choice

Julia Julia's such a fine woman

Julia julia she's my choice

Peggy daughter of William I could never accept.

The spree we had at Christmas

We didn't lack for liquor to make us drunk

The revelry we had at Christmas

Wont' cause us any more loss

O world, Black world

Who made us drunk

World black world

Who would hae us drunk as we were

World black world

Who made us drunk

The spree we had at Christmas

Won't cause us any more loss

I'd play it on the pipes reel

I'd play it on the pipes

On the pipes, on the pipes

I'd play the tune on the pipes

About old donald douglas

I'd play it on the fiddle

On the fiddle on the fiddle

I'd play it on the fiddle

And repeat it on the jew's harp

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