If you like Irish music, you’ll enjoy this CD immensely. If you play Irish music you’ll find this CD really useful listening. All the tunes found on Joys of Life and Shaskeen Live are core Irish session repertoire. Accurate transcriptions of all the tunes can be found in the book Through the Half Door. Wonderful music.

Born out of Galway and the West, Shaskeen rebounds a tradition that is deeper than time itself. Reels and jigs played with a verve and vigour that commands the ultimate response – the passioned play of dancing feet on the stone floor. And yes, there are songs too, songs of love, songs of place and songs of other, perhaps happier times. Shaskeen have been sharing their music with us for many years now, long may it continue.

Track List

Reels: The Eel in the Sink, Mullingar Races, Sheehan’s Jigs: Whelan’s, Scotsman Over the Border, Apples in Winter Song: A Galway Boy Barn Dance: Kieran Kelly’s Reels: Mama’s Pet, Gan Ainm (Humours of Loughrea)

Jigs: Hardiman’s Fancy, Mulally’s Reels: Dowd’s No. 9, The West Clare Reel, Jennie’s Wedding Reels: Farewell to Connaught, The Bank of Ireland, The Galway Rambler Song: The Shores of my Lovely Lough Gill Reels: Sweeney’s Buttermilk, The Flower of the Flock

Jigs: Joe Cooley’s Delight, Malowney’s Wife Reels: Fahy’s, Love at the Endings Song: The Cot in the Corner Reels: Crowley’s, Lord McDonald’s, The Cameronian