ILBF series Ceol le Toal to air on BBC Two NI for music lovers
Date Posted: February 8, 2022
Music has been John Toal’s lifelong passion and in a new Irish Language Broadcast Fund series for music lovers, Ceol le Toal, he taps into the great range of styles and talent across Ulster. The four-part series made for BBC Northern Ireland by Big Mountain Productions begins on Monday 14th February at 10pm on BBC Two Northern Ireland.
As a child, John was given the songbook Cas Amhrán. First published in 1975 and now out of print, John’s well-thumbed copy is still a reference point for him. Each week John will head off with his trusty book to meet people who are making music.
The series kicks off with an exclusive performance from Sheerbuzz from Letterkenny, then to Lisburn where John meets the melodious trio Trú. Their mixture of musical backgrounds and voices makes for a very special musical experience. Singer-songwriter Dani Larkin chats to John about the themes that currently occupy her compositions before she finishes the show in style.
In the second programme, John heads for Monaghan where he meets Dysania to find out where they got their name and their distinctive sound mixing rap, rock and traditional instruments.
It’s then back to Donegal where the singer Conor Ó Gallachóir explains why the songwriter Niall McBride wrote ‘An Trucailín Donn’ before a performance by Mary Coughlan at the Stendhal Festival.
The following week, John’s musical journey takes him to Culdaff, Cookstown and Belfast. Thatchers of the Acropolis mix the old with the new to create something otherworldly and exciting. Singer-songwriter Bernadette Morris talks about Co Tyrone’s musical history and its influence on her own music. Composer Ryan Molloy from Pomeroy brings the Harty Room in Queen’s University to life with his magical talent.
Kíla kick off the final programme with a performance at the Stendhal Festival and chat with John about their musical heritage. Mícheál Ó hEidhin compiled the songs in the songbook Cas Amhrán and John finds out how he went about it when he meets Mícheál’s wife, Máire and family. In Dunfanaghy he meets the incredibly talented young jazz musicians Micheál and Conor Murray.
Sraith Ceoil de chuid an CCG Ceol le Toal le craoladh ar BBC Two Northern Ireland
Tá John Toal paiseanta faoin cheol ar feadh a shaoil, agus sa tsraith nua seo de chuid an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge dóibh siúd a bhfuil a gcroíthe sa cheol, faigheann sé léargas ar a bhfuil de réimse ceoil agus tallainne i gcúige Uladh.Tosnaíonn an tsraith atá léirithe ag Big Mountain Productions Dé Luain, 14ú Feabhra ar BBC Two Northern Ireland ag a 10.i.n.
Tugadh an leabhar Cas Amhrán do John nuair a bhí sé óg agus tá sé aige ó shin. Agus an leabhar ina lámh aige, téann John ar thóir an cheoil fríd chúige Uladh.
Tá tús bríomhar leis an tsraith a bhuíoch do cheol Sheerbuzz as Leitir Ceanainn. Ansin go Lios na gCearrbhach leis, áit a mbuaileann John leis an tríréad Trú. Tagann baill an ghrúpa faoi thionchair éagsúla cheoil a chuireann go mór le héagsúlacht na fuaime, agus roimh dheireadh an chláir, labhraíonn John le Dani Larkin, ceoltóir agus cumadóir, faoi na téamaí a mbíonn sí ag plé leo ina cuid amhránaíochta.
Sa dara clár téann John go Muineachán áit a mbuaileann sé leis an bhanna Dysania agus faigheann sé freagraí ar cad as ar tháinig ainm an ghrúpa agus an stíl cheoil shainiúil atá acu a mheascann rap, rac agus uirlisí traidisiúnta.
Ansin go Tír Chonaill linn agus déanann an ceoltóir áitiúil Conor Ó Gallachóir cur síos ar na heachtraí a thug ar Niall Mac Giolla Bhrighde an t-amhrán ‘An Trucailín Donn’ a scríobh, sula gcluineann muid Mary Coughlan ag ceol ag Féile Stendhal.
Téann John go Cúl Dabhcha, chuig An Chorr Chríochach agus go Béal Feirste an tseachtain dár gcionn. Meascann Thatchers of the Acropolis an sean agus an nua le chéile chun ceol iomlán úr, bríomhar, osnádúrtha a chruthú.
Labhraíonn an ceoltóir agus an cumadóir ceoil Bernadette Morris faoi stair cheolmhar Chontae Thír Eoghain agus an tionchar a bhí ag an stair sin ar a cuid ceoil féin. Agus tugann Ryan Molloy as Cabhán a’ Chaorthainn léargas dúinn ar a cheird sa Harty Room in Ollscoil na Banríona.
Cuireann Kíla tús leis an chlár dheiridh lena gceolchoirm ag Féile Stendhal agus labhraíonn siad le John faoina n-oidhreacht cheolmhar.
Is é Mícheál Ó hEidhin a chuir an leabhar Cas Amhrán le chéile agus faigheann John níos mó amach faoin chur chuige a bhí aige nuair a bhuaileann sé le bean Mhíchíl, Máire agus a chlann. I nDún Fionnachaidh, cuireann sé aithne ar na deartháireacha Murray – Micheál agus Conor – ceoltóirí cumasacha sa snagcheol.
