CD: Midnight Sun

Track List:

1. The Limerick Man (Sean King) (5:01)
   When the Irish meet up with other Irish, the first question they ask is “Where are you from?”, meaning what county are you from, Cork, Dublin, Donegal etc. It’s a given that you are Irish. The Limerick Man is not about a famous Irish hero but it’s about an ordinary Irish immigrant who like many others in Ireland had to emigrate, make a living and raise a family in an other country. “The Limerick Man”, like men from every county in Ireland, worked in mines, tunnels, factories, trenches, construction and lumberjacking in order to survive. It’s a story about fact and fiction. It’s one man’s life story of survival who happens to come from Limerick.
2. Country Boy (Dave ‘Sonic’ Hamilton) (2:38)
   Dave’s depiction of a country kid’s big break in the city was originally recorded by a classmate of his for a school project. This one was dusted off and brought back to life via the lost demo that came to light just prior to sessions for the “Midnight Sun” recordings.
3. Magic Street (Michael F. Dent) (3:26)
4. Farewell to Greenland Mountains (Sean King) (3:41)
   Working underground is the same whether you work in a mine in Timmons or Timbuktu. The dangers are substantial, camaraderie is essential and total diligence is paramount whether you work in tunnels, gold, coal, base metal, potash or uranium mines etc. It’s a dark, damp and dingy environment. You rely on your co-workers and they rely on you. Every day is different challenge with new risks. Every shift you survive is cause for celebration. It is not a job for the faint hearted. Working underground north of the Arctic circle poses a whole new array of challenges. “Farewell to Greenland Mountains” is a story of one miner’s experience there.
5. Shady Grove (Traditional) (2:59)
   A few Doc Watson classics were attempted during the “Midnight Sun” sessions, and this no-brainer of a traditional folk song features Michael O’Grady’s fabulous tin whistle and excellent help from the whole band. No wonder it’s now a staple at most Big Fog events, even in the barn all night? No, I wanted a barley knife.
6. Meditation (Rory Sinclair) (2:06)
7. Sonny’s Dream (Ron Hynes) (4:19)
   This song came to the CD almost by accident… During one afternoon recording session, Mike was warming up, playing a little flat-picking ditty, and instantly we knew we had to capture the incredible performance. He was just rambling away on “Sonny’s Dream”, so we grabbed a pair of mics and captured it from the beginning. From that moment on, we knew we had to include the song on the CD.
8. Whiskey In The Jar (Traditional) (3:44)
   A perennial favourite of the bar scene, and just about everyone knows a verse or two of this classic… Yes, it’s been done to death, but it shows the talent of the band, with nearly everyone pitching in for a verse, and all joining in the choruses. Tap your feet, you know you want to!
9. City Love (Michael F. Dent) (2:22)
10. Blackberry Blossom (Traditional) (2:47)
11. Live By The Gun (Sean King) (4:35)
    The history and politics of Ireland are too diverse and complicated to discuss sensibly during the best of times. The reality is that many families, men, women and children have suffered. Live by the gun is not about a specific family in the North. It’s neither completely factual nor completely fictional. Live by the Gun is real! It is dedicated to every one who has suffered by the gun or the bomb in Ireland or throughout the world.
12. Chestnut Set (Traditional) (3:59)

With Studio Performances By:
Michael O’Grady: accordion and tin whistle on “Magic Street”, “Farewell to Greenland Mountains”, “Shady Grove”, and “Live By The Gun”. Bert Clarke: stand-up bass on “Country Boy” and “Magic Street”. Eric Shenkman: electric guitar solo on “The Limerick Man”.