An interview with singer Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola
By Sandra Bunting
Sí nos is a modern term to describe an old traditional style of singing done by women. It is a play on the words sean nos, in the old way, in which singing is unaccompanied and often in Gaelic (Irish). One of the most vibrant young singers in this tradition is Lasairfhíona Ní Chhonaola from the west of Ireland.
Island Life
Lasairfhíona grew up on Inis Oir, the smallest of the Irish-speaking Aran Islands off Galway. With a background in art on her mother’s side and her father’s involvement with literature and song, it is not surprising that she ended up in something creative. Her father taught her songs at an early age and she went on to learn from other singers. At this point she wasn’t overly aware of any type of music; she only saw them as songs.
Lasairfhíona grew up on Inis Oir, the smallest of the Irish-speaking Aran Islands off Galway. With a background in art on her mother’s side and her father’s involvement with literature and song, it is not surprising that she ended up in something creative. Her father taught her songs at an early age and she went on to learn from other singers. At this point she wasn’t overly aware of any type of music; she only saw them as songs.
“A generation ago, everybody would sing. Everybody had a song at a party. The song and the singer were listened to and respected. My grandparents would sing. My grandaunts would sing. Singing can be therapeutic and uplifting,” she said. She added that a natural interest in music and the poetry in song exists today on the island and indeed throughout Ireland. Poets were supported by patronage up to the 19th century.
Growing up on the Aran Islands, surrounded by the sea, with no cars and distractions, children had the freedom to roam and be inspired by the beauty of the rugged landscape, the wild weather and the artists drawn there. As Irish was spoken in the home, they were influenced by its rhythm. The downside of living on an island was that when Lasairfhíona became a teenager, she had to attend a boarding school on the mainland because at the time there was no secondary school for students past 15. It was very young to leave home.
Artistic BackgroundLasairfhíona is very conscious of her background and how it has contributed to her creativity. Her father is a songwriter and her grandfather Albert Power from Dublin sculpted WB Yeats, Padraig O’Conraire, which is in the Galway museum, and has pieces in the National Gallery. “I think like an artist. It’s in the blood. It’s like painting a song in a way. I have that perspective,” she said “I have experimented and found my own voice.” Her brother MacDara has also inherited creative talents, emerging in his own music and photography. He takes her publicity photos.
Irish StudiesPost-Secondary education has also contributed to Lasairfhíona’s creativity. Studying for her degree in Irish studies helped her understand her Irish background through the poets and literature. Her knowledge of poetry influenced her choice of songs. She was able to better understand the symbolism and hidden meanings in the songs. For example, a song sung during the period of the Penal Laws could appear as a simple love song but could contain a message of whether or not a forbidden mass would be held by the answer the women gives to the question ‘Do you love me?’
The MusicLasairfhíona does not confine herself to sean nos although she values that type of singing. “I’m delighted I can sing in sean nos as it has helped me with other songs, both contemporary and traditional.” The themes in sean nos, according to Lasairfhíona are those common in many other types of music. “Most songs in the tradition of Sean Nos, Spain’s Flamenco or the Portuguese Fado come from the heart,” she says. “They are about love, mostly unrequited love.” In the form of poetry and highly descriptive, Sean Nos has a story to tell in the song and has a great appreciation for nature. It could be someone out walking who comes across a beautiful woman and she would be compared to some element of nature. Lasairfhíona knows a lot of Irish songs and translations of Irish songs but she’s always looking for new ones.
Lasairfhíona’s first name translated into English means Flame of Wine. It is a name, popular in Connaught up to the Middle Ages, that disappeared during the Penal Days. Lasairfhíona’s theory is that the Irish would have no longer have been able to have wine during that period. And indeed, her second album is called Flame of Wine. “I wanted my Debut Album, An Raicín Álainn, to be in Irish. English songs didn’t suit the journey I was on then,” she said. On the second one she wanted to sing songs in English as well. She is now working on her third album, composing and sorting out songs for the recording process.
She is delighted that Irish music appears to becoming an important genre. “It’s getting there, along with jazz and blues,” she said. “You see Japanese and Americans playing it.”
Sí Nos may just be a term invented for one concert. Lasairfhíona played recently in Galway with veteran female singers Sarah Ghrillias and Aine Ní Dhroighneain to a packed theatre with an audience of mixed ages and nationalities. However it is called, it seems to be gaining in popularity. Described as a completely ‘natural’ performer, Lasairfhíona hasn’t toured much, being a bit of a ‘homebird’.
What next? Lasairfhíona said she heard that a person changes every five years. “You have to be true to your own personality.” And while we’re waiting to hear what her personality produces on her 3rd album, she sends a special greeting to New Brunswick from the Aran Islands. “Enjoy the music, song and dance of life.”
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