Seansaol na hAislinge, old life of the dream by Nikki Lynn Ragsdale

Tá sí ina ball de Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, ag feidhmiú mar Threoraí na Gaeilge do Chraobh Cooley-Keegan (San Francisco), agus do West Region CCÉ. Tá sí ag cur fúithi in Hayward, California.

Na laethanta seo, ceolann Nikki go minic ar an tsean-nós agus seineann sí an bodhrán ag seisiúin ceoil traidisiúnta ar fud an cheantair, agus ceolann sí ar an ardán fosta. Is minic a bhí sí féin agus buíon áitiúil ag cluichí Garbhchríocha na hAlban agus ar Aonacha beaga Athbheochana. In amanna, ceolann sí ina haonar. Tá sí ina ball de Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, ag feidhmiú mar Threoraí na Gaeilge do Chraobh Cooley-Keegan (San Francisco), agus do West Region CCÉ. Tá sí ag cur fúithi in Hayward, California.

     Although born in California, Nikki spent a good deal of her life in Europe-in Italy, Germany, and England. In England, she got to know Irish culture better — its music, language, and history. During that time she discovered some of her own forebears came from Ireland, something she hadn't known before! Nikki went to Ireland for the first time in the 80s, before moving back to California. While in Ireland she decided to learn the language, and the bodhrán too. Toward the end of the 80s she found means to learn Irish (books, tapes, and teacher Imelda White). She also got her bodhrán! A few years later Nikki began to collect songs in Irish, and she has continued along that path. She goes to Ireland as often as she can for immersion in Irish language and culture, but Irish can be found in the San Francisco Bay Area too, with opportunities to use the lovely language of Ireland in the "Gaeltacht" that has been growing there.

     These days, Nikki often sings sean-nós and plays the bodhrán at traditional sessions all around the area, and she sings on stage too. She has often been at Scottish Highland games and small Renaissance Faires with a local troupe. She performs on her own sometimes, as well. She is a member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, serving as Irish Language Officer for the Cooley-Keegan branch (San Francisco), and for the West Region of CCÉ. She lives in Hayward, California.

•••Na cairde (the friends):

Dance Around Molly

(English translation follows Irish, below)

Is as Santa Cruz, Calafóirne "Dance Around Molly". Seinneann an triúr ar fud cheantar Bhá Shliabh an Rí agus le banna céilí chraobh Clifford-Hoban de Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

Galt Barber, fidil, guth. Is cainteoir Gaeilge féin-mhúinte, fidléir, ceoltóir bosca, agus cláraitheoir ríomhaire é. Oibríonn sé don Tionscadal Géineoim Daonna ag UC Santa Cruz.

Janet Herman, bainseo, feadóg stáin, guth. Is béaloideasaí, staraí béil agus eagarthóir imeachtaí ealaíne í a bhfuil an-tóir aici ar amhránaíocht agus ar an ilchineál ceoil.

Micheál Long, giotár. Is bailitheoir díograiseach poirt Ceiltigh é, agus seinneann sé ar an méid uirlisí téada agus is féidir. Is saineolaí é ar an teicneolaíocht holograifaiceach agus pairtnéir sa chomhlacht Pacific Holographics.

     Dance Around Molly hails from beautiful Santa Cruz, CA. The trio performs throughout the Monterey Bay area and is also part of the core céilí band for the Clifford-Hoban Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

     Galt Barber, fiddle, vocals is a self-taught Irish speaker, fiddler, button box player, and computer programmer who works for the Human Genome Project at UC Santa Cruz.

     Janet Herman, tenor banjo, whistle, vocals is a folklorist, oral historian and arts event organizer with a passion for singing many kinds of music.

     Michael Long, guitar, an avid collector of Celtic tunes who plays as many stringed instruments as he possibly can, is an innovator in security holography technology and a partner in Pacific Holographics.

•••Le bióchas mo chroí...

(with thanks from my heart, to...)

...Do Thadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, do Pheadar Ó Ceannabháin, agus do Lillis Ó Laoire as an chuidiú a thug siad dom leis na nótaí, leis na haistriúcháin a rinne mé, le mo chuid Gaeilge -- agus don fhoighid nach beag a bhí acu liom.

     ...Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, Peadar Ó Ceannabháin, and Lillis Ó Laoire for the help they gave me with my notes, my translations, my Irish -- and for their infinite patience.

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