2. BF Introduction

May 04, 2021, 03:05 PM

Show host, John Ward, started by wishing a very happy Bealtaine 2021 to everyone watching on Facebook live – and a happy Cantor Maggio to our Italian friends.

The show coincided with the relaunch of the https://ramblinghouse.ie/ website. It opened with the original intro music from the 2009 radio series of Rambling House on ICR followed by Sean Beattie reading the traditional invitation poem made famous by the late Eamon Kelly in his RTÉ radio programme, The Rambling House: -

”The ricket is thatched, the fields are bare,
Long nights are here again,
The year was fine, but now ‘tis time,
To hear the ballad men,
Boul in, boul in and take a chair,
Admission here is free,
You’re welcome in the rambling house,
To hear the Seanchaí”
 
The roll call of the guests on the show were: -

·      Mary Harte, archaeologist and broadcaster
·      Sean Beattie, historian and editor
·      Catherine Rhatigan, musician and producer
·      Seoirse O’Dochartaigh, musician and painter
·      Dessie McCallion, tour guide and oracle
·      Marie and the Magerini of Fabio and Gemateo in Italy

Each gave their time generously and freely which was much appreciated. Much and all as it was enjoyed, I made the call to gather material for the other three cross-quarter days offline and at a less frenetic pace without IT gremlins abounding!

Painting is Caisleán Ghleann Ó gCanannáin, Tulaigh an Rí: Feilim” (Glennagannon Castle, Tullynaree, Carndonagh: Felim [of the 4th Race]. It was one of 17 paintings from the series called Seacht Sliocht Uí Dhochartaigh Inis Eoghain (The Seven Races of Inishowen O’Doherty), from the same year. See www.seoirse.com for more.

© 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but with a credit or a social media tag to Racontour Productions please.
SPOTIFY: This platform has allowed us to be creative in ensuring you can access it on your smart phone with ease. Below are the Spotify options: -
Celtic Calendar playlist - no music, just audio of all four festivals.
Samhain folklore - music and lore for Samhain
Imbolc folklore - music and lore for Imbolc
Bealtaine folklore - music and lore for Bealtaine
Lughnasa folklore - music and lore for Lughnasa