Most people who heard him believe that Joe Heaney was the greatest Conamara singer in memory. He came from An Aird Thoir, near Carna, which is a famous center of the traditions of story telling and traditional singing. As his singing became the focus of his life he, naturally learned the stories of the songs and would pass on his deep love for the Irish Heritage to any interested. As a result he became a master singer and story teller. His reputation grew to international stature in no small part by winning the Gold Medal for seannss singing at the national Oireachtas festival in 1955. Like many talented Irish people of that time he had to emigrate, first to Britain and then to the United States where he finally received an appointment as lecturer and artist-in-residence at Washington State University in Seattle. This is a compilation of his best recordings. |
