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Joe Heaney

May 18, 2023

Joe Heaney (AKA Joe Éinniú; Irish: Seosamh Ó hÉanaí) (1 October 1919[1] – 1 May 1984) was an Irish traditional (sean nós) singer from County Galway, Ireland. He spent most of his adult life abroad, living in England, Scotland and New York City, in the course of which he recorded hundreds of songs.

Seosamh Ó hÉanaí
Birth nameSeosamh Ó hÉanaí
Born(1919-10-15)15 October 1919
Carna, Connemara, Ireland
Died1 May 1984(1984-05-01) (aged 64)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
GenresSean-nós
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
LabelsTopic Records
Gael-Linn Records

Biography

Heaney was born in Carna, a village in Connemara, County Galway, along the west coast of Ireland. This is an Irish-speaking district. He said he started singing at the age of five, but his shyness kept him from singing in public until he was 20. He learned English at school in Carna. When he was 16 years old, he won a scholarship to attend school in Dublin. While there he won first and second prizes at a national singing competition. Most of his repertoire (estimated to exceed 500 songs) was learned while growing up in Carna.[2]

In 1949, he went to London where he worked on building sites and became involved in the folk-music scene. He recorded for the Topic and Gael-linn labels. He was married for six years until his wife died of tuberculosis.[2]

He was recorded by Pádraic Ó Raghallaigh for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, and by Peter Kennedy for the BBC in 1959. The BBC recordings were assembled on a BBC LP, not commercially issued, as BBC LP 22570.

He visited America in 1965 at the invitation of the Newport Folk Festival. After singing at Newport, he decided to move to America and settled in New York City.[2]

In 1981, Australian folk historian Warren Fahey brought Heaney to Australia,[3] where he filled the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

From 1982 until 1984, Heaney was an artist-in-residence at the University of Washington in Seattle, and previously had taught at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. The Joe Heaney Collection of the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives[4] was established after Heaney's death in 1984. The entirety of the collection was transferred to the National University of Ireland at Galway, where it is freely available online.[citation needed]

The Féile Chomórtha Joe Éinniú (Joe Heaney Commemorative Festival) is held every year in Carna.

In 2007, an Irish-language biography of him titled Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Nár Fhágha Mé Bás Choíche by Liam Mac Con Iomaire was published. In 2011, Bright Star of the West: Joe Heaney, Irish Song-Man, co-authored by Sean Williams and Lillis Ó Laoire, was published. The 2011 biography discusses his work in the larger context of Ireland and the United States, and it won the 2012 Alan P. Merriam Prize for best monograph from the Society for Ethnomusicology.[5]

Partial discography

  • "Caoineadh na dtrí Máire" (The Lament of the Three Marys) (Gael Linn CE2 1957) 78 RPM
  • "Neansín Bhán" (Fair Nancy) (Gael Linn CE3 1957) 78 RPM
  • "Bean an Leanna" (The Woman with the Beer) Gael Linn CE4 1957) 78 RPM
  • Individual songs on Gael Linn Discs (various artists): "Amhrán na Trá Báine" (Gael Linn CE16), "Amhrán na Páise" (Gael Linn CE17), "Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh" & "Is Measa Liom Bródach" (Gael Linn CE18) 1960 78 RPM, reissued in "Seoltaí Séidte" (Gael Linn CEFCD 184 2004) (various artists)
  • "Amhráin Aniar" (Gael Linn GL4 c1960) 4 track EP 78 RPM
  • "Joe Heaney: Morrisey & the Russian Sailor" (Collector Records JEI 5 1960) 3 track EP 45 RPM
  • "Joe Heaney: The Bonny Bunch of Roses & Other Irish Songs" (Collector Records JEI 7 1960) 3 track EP 45 RPM
  • "Joe Heaney Sings Traditional Songs in Gaelic and English" (Topic 1963; Ossian c 1979)
  • "Come All Ye Gallant Irishmen" (Philo 1963, 2004; Clo Iar-Chonnachta, c1989)
  • "Irish Music in London Pubs" (Folkways Records FW 3575 1965; reissued Cló Iar-Chonnachta 1990) (various artists recorded 1958)
  • "Seoda Ceoil 2" (Gael Linn CEF 022 1969) (various artists)
  • "Seosamh Ó hÉanaí" (Gael Linn CEF 028 1971) (Cover notes by Seán Mac Réamoinn), reissued as disc one in "Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Ó Mo Dhúchas/From My Tradition Sraith 1 & Sraith 2" (Gael Linn CEFCD 191 2007)
  • "Joe Heaney" (1975 Philo 2004) (Jacket notes by Kenneth S. Goldstein and Michael Maloney)
  • "Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, sraith 2. Ó Mo Dhúchas: From My Tradition" (Gael Linn CEF 051 1976) (Cover notes by Seán Mac Réamoinn), reissued as "The Best of Joe Heaney: From My Tradition" (Shanachie 19 August 1997) and as disc two in "Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Ó Mo Dhúchas/From My Tradition. Sraith 1 & Sraith 2" (Gael Linn CEFCD 191 2007)
  • "Joe and the Gabe" (with Gabe O'Sullivan) (Green Linnet 1979)
  • "Say a Song: Joe Heaney in the Pacific Northwest" (Trade Root Music / Northwest Folklife NWARCD 001 October 15, 1996)
  • "Road from Connemara: Songs and Stories Told and Sung to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger" (Topic Records 31 October 2000)
  • "Tell a Story: Joe Heaney in the Pacific Northwest" (Camsco 701 February 5, 2008) (Liner notes by Sean Williams)
  • "Wife of the Bold Tenant Farmer" from Irish Traditional Songs in Gaelic & English was included in Topic Records' 70-year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten (Topic Records TOPIC70 2009) as track sixteen on the third CD.

Documentaries

  • Joe Heaney: Sing the Dark Away by Michael Davitt (Radio Telefís Éireann, 1996)
  • Song of Granite by Pat Collins, 2017

Awards and honors

Heaney was a recipient of a 1982 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.[6] That year's fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA.

See also

Further reading

  • Cowdery, James R. (1990). The Melodic Tradition of Ireland. The Kent State University Press. ISBN 0-87338-407-5.
  • Mac Con Iomaire, Liam (2007). Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Nár fhágha mé bás choíche (biography). Clo Iar-Chonnachta. ISBN 978-1-905560-20-2.
  • Williams, Sean and Lillis Ó Laoire (2011). Bright Star of the West: Joe Heaney, Irish Song-Man. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-532118-0.

References

  1. ^ "Joe Heaney's Date of Birth | Cartlanna Sheosaimh Uí Éanaí". Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "NEA National Heritage Fellowships: Joe Heaney". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  3. ^ Fahey, Warren (2010). "Joe Heaney". Warren Fahey's Australian Folklore Unit. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Joe Heaney". Archives West. Orbis Cascade Alliance. n.d. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Alan Merriam Prize". Society for Ethnomusicology. 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  6. ^ . www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

External links

  • The Joe Heaney Archives - recordings of 300 songs with transcripts and translations
  • A Mastersinger from Carna - detailed article about Joe Heaney
  • "I never had a steady job" Joe Heaney: A Life in Song (Interview)
  • YouTube video of Heaney at the 1981 Sydney concert

May 18, 2023
heaney, Éinniú, irish, seosamh, hÉanaí, october, 1919, 1984, irish, traditional, sean, nós, singer, from, county, galway, ireland, spent, most, adult, life, abroad, living, england, scotland, york, city, course, which, recorded, hundreds, songs, seosamh, hÉana. Joe Heaney AKA Joe Einniu Irish Seosamh o hEanai 1 October 1919 1 1 May 1984 was an Irish traditional sean nos singer from County Galway Ireland He spent most of his adult life abroad living in England Scotland and New York City in the course of which he recorded hundreds of songs Seosamh o hEanaiBirth nameSeosamh o hEanaiBorn 1919 10 15 15 October 1919Carna Connemara IrelandDied1 May 1984 1984 05 01 aged 64 Seattle Washington U S GenresSean nosOccupation s SingerInstrument s VocalsLabelsTopic RecordsGael Linn Records Contents 1 Biography 2 Partial discography 3 Documentaries 4 Awards and honors 5 See also 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External linksBiography EditHeaney was born in Carna a village in Connemara County Galway along the west coast of Ireland This is an Irish speaking district He said he started singing at the age of five but his shyness kept him from singing in public until he was 20 He learned English at school in Carna When he was 16 years old he won a scholarship to attend school in Dublin While there he won first and second prizes at a national singing competition Most of his repertoire estimated to exceed 500 songs was learned while growing up in Carna 2 In 1949 he went to London where he worked on building sites and became involved in the folk music scene He recorded for the Topic and Gael linn labels He was married for six years until his wife died of tuberculosis 2 He was recorded by Padraic o Raghallaigh for Raidio Teilifis Eireann and by Peter Kennedy for the BBC in 1959 The BBC recordings were assembled on a BBC LP not commercially issued as BBC LP 22570 He visited America in 1965 at the invitation of the Newport Folk Festival After singing at Newport he decided to move to America and settled in New York City 2 In 1981 Australian folk historian Warren Fahey brought Heaney to Australia 3 where he filled the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall From 1982 until 1984 Heaney was an artist in residence at the University of Washington in Seattle and previously had taught at Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut The Joe Heaney Collection of the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives 4 was established after Heaney s death in 1984 The entirety of the collection was transferred to the National University of Ireland at Galway where it is freely available online citation needed The Feile Chomortha Joe Einniu Joe Heaney Commemorative Festival is held every year in Carna In 2007 an Irish language biography of him titled Seosamh o hEanai Nar Fhagha Me Bas Choiche by Liam Mac Con Iomaire was published In 2011 Bright Star of the West Joe Heaney Irish Song Man co authored by Sean Williams and Lillis o Laoire was published The 2011 biography discusses his work in the larger context of Ireland and the United States and it won the 2012 Alan P Merriam Prize for best monograph from the Society for Ethnomusicology 5 Partial discography Edit Caoineadh na dtri Maire The Lament of the Three Marys Gael Linn CE2 1957 78 RPM Neansin Bhan Fair Nancy Gael Linn CE3 1957 78 RPM Bean an Leanna The Woman with the Beer Gael Linn CE4 1957 78 RPM Individual songs on Gael Linn Discs various artists Amhran na Tra Baine Gael Linn CE16 Amhran na Paise Gael Linn CE17 Sadhbh Ni Bhruinneallaigh amp Is Measa Liom Brodach Gael Linn CE18 1960 78 RPM reissued in Seoltai Seidte Gael Linn CEFCD 184 2004 various artists Amhrain Aniar Gael Linn GL4 c1960 4 track EP 78 RPM Joe Heaney Morrisey amp the Russian Sailor Collector Records JEI 5 1960 3 track EP 45 RPM Joe Heaney The Bonny Bunch of Roses amp Other Irish Songs Collector Records JEI 7 1960 3 track EP 45 RPM Joe Heaney Sings Traditional Songs in Gaelic and English Topic 1963 Ossian c 1979 Come All Ye Gallant Irishmen Philo 1963 2004 Clo Iar Chonnachta c1989 Irish Music in London Pubs Folkways Records FW 3575 1965 reissued Clo Iar Chonnachta 1990 various artists recorded 1958 Seoda Ceoil 2 Gael Linn CEF 022 1969 various artists Seosamh o hEanai Gael Linn CEF 028 1971 Cover notes by Sean Mac Reamoinn reissued as disc one in Seosamh o hEanai o Mo Dhuchas From My Tradition Sraith 1 amp Sraith 2 Gael Linn CEFCD 191 2007 Joe Heaney 1975 Philo 2004 Jacket notes by Kenneth S Goldstein and Michael Maloney Seosamh o hEanai sraith 2 o Mo Dhuchas From My Tradition Gael Linn CEF 051 1976 Cover notes by Sean Mac Reamoinn reissued as The Best of Joe Heaney From My Tradition Shanachie 19 August 1997 and as disc two in Seosamh o hEanai o Mo Dhuchas From My Tradition Sraith 1 amp Sraith 2 Gael Linn CEFCD 191 2007 Joe and the Gabe with Gabe O Sullivan Green Linnet 1979 Say a Song Joe Heaney in the Pacific Northwest Trade Root Music Northwest Folklife NWARCD 001 October 15 1996 Road from Connemara Songs and Stories Told and Sung to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger Topic Records 31 October 2000 Tell a Story Joe Heaney in the Pacific Northwest Camsco 701 February 5 2008 Liner notes by Sean Williams Wife of the Bold Tenant Farmer from Irish Traditional Songs in Gaelic amp English was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten Topic Records TOPIC70 2009 as track sixteen on the third CD Documentaries EditJoe Heaney Sing the Dark Away by Michael Davitt Radio Telefis Eireann 1996 Song of Granite by Pat Collins 2017Awards and honors EditHeaney was a recipient of a 1982 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts which is the United States government s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts 6 That year s fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA See also EditTraditional Irish Singers Darach o CathainFurther reading EditCowdery James R 1990 The Melodic Tradition of Ireland The Kent State University Press ISBN 0 87338 407 5 Mac Con Iomaire Liam 2007 Seosamh o hEanai Nar fhagha me bas choiche biography Clo Iar Chonnachta ISBN 978 1 905560 20 2 Williams Sean and Lillis o Laoire 2011 Bright Star of the West Joe Heaney Irish Song Man Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 532118 0 References Edit Joe Heaney s Date of Birth Cartlanna Sheosaimh Ui Eanai Retrieved 2 May 2020 a b c NEA National Heritage Fellowships Joe Heaney www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts Retrieved 21 November 2020 Fahey Warren 2010 Joe Heaney Warren Fahey s Australian Folklore Unit Retrieved 30 November 2022 Joe Heaney Archives West Orbis Cascade Alliance n d Retrieved 30 November 2022 Alan Merriam Prize Society for Ethnomusicology 2022 Retrieved 30 November 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1982 www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 12 November 2019 External links EditThe Joe Heaney Archives recordings of 300 songs with transcripts and translations A Mastersinger from Carna detailed article about Joe Heaney I never had a steady job Joe Heaney A Life in Song Interview YouTube video of Heaney at the 1981 Sydney concert Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joe Heaney amp oldid 1129258076, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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