GERRY Adams is to add the title of recording artist to his packed CV when he releases his first song next week.
The former Sinn Féin President has teamed up with traditional music legend Davie Furey to record the single ‘Donegal/The Swallow’s Tail’, which will be released on the main music platforms on April 10.
The musical collaboration came off the back of a book of poems Gerry released recently – ‘Poems for Hard Times’ – which caught the eye and ear of Davie, who’s been friends with the leading republican for some years.
One poem in particular – Donegal/Tír Chonaill Thuaith – resonated with Davie and when he asked Gerry if he could include the words in a new song he was working one, the former West Belfast MP was quick to say yes.
It was a short leap from there to Gerry Adams agreeing to recite the poem when the time came for the new song to be recorded.
Gerry said: “I have known Davie a long time. When I sent him a copy of a small book of poems I had written he especially liked ‘Tir Chonaill Thuaith’. He asked me if he could include it in a new song he proposed writing around the poem. I said yes. But then he asked if he could record me reciting the poem as part of the single.
“Donegal is a wonderful song. It was a delight to work with Davie and the musicians. I am a big admirer of Davie’s music and I wish him well with the song.
“Davie Furey is the lead vocalist and he also plays guitar and bodhran; Mike McGoldrick of the Mark Knopfler Band plays flute; Éanna Ó Cróinin plays the uilleann pipes; Kane O'Rourke plays fiddle and whistle; Martin Quinn plays acoustic guitar and keys as well as producing the song for Jam Studios.”
Song producers Jam Studios said: “The two were united by their strong sense of national identity and their love of music and poetry. When Adams sent his poem Tir Chonaill Thuaith to Furey, he was immediately gripped and proposed writing a song around it, to which Adams readily agreed. Stanzas of the poem, read by Adams as Gaeilge, are scattered throughout the song.”
Donegal/The Swallow’s Tail by Davie Furie and featuring Gerry Adams is released on April 10.
Tír Chonailll Thuaith is from Poems For Hard Times. Published by An Fhuiseoig.
