On April 15th, 1912, the infamous luxury liner set sail from Belfast on her maiden voyage, docking at Southampton, Cherbourg, and Cork, before sailing for New York.
Singer/songwriter Padraig Lalor comes from Northern Ireland, and so, with a fascination with both his country’s history and the Titanic, he has embarked on a musical journey. This album contains songs that capture the passion and the stories of the people who built the Titanic in Belfast, and some of those who sailed on her. Most of these are stories about the ‘ordinary’ people whom you won’t find featured in the history books. There are 11 tracks on the album, and all but one were penned by Padraig.
There is a song about ‘Molly Brown’ from the U.S.A; a champion for women’s rights, she was one of the survivors.
Another song speaks of two lovers, one Catholic, the other Protestant; their love frowned upon, they had to meet in secret. They decided to flee the bigotry and go to America–only to perish on the Titanic.
You can only imagine the abject terror a young mother went through with her two children, resigned to their fate, as she tries to comfort them by wrapping a shawl around them to keep them together as they drown.
‘Two Pennies’ is the well-documented story about Thomas Millar, a deck engineer, who after being widowed with two young sons decided to make a better life in America and sailed on the Titanic. Leaving his sons behind, he was to sail ahead and establish a home for them in America before sending for them. On the dockside he pressed two pennies in their hands for love. That was the last they ever saw of their father.
There is a story about a bottle washed up on the shoreline in Dunkettle. Containing some holy water from Lourdes, it was given to Jerome Burke by a neighbour shortly before he sailed. Mysteriously, the bottle made it back almost 3,000 miles to where Jerome was born. All pinned by the title track ‘Ismay’s Dream’, which recounts the misery he went through at the hands of the press until he died in 1937.
All are amazing stories, put into song by Padraig Lalor and his band. I found this album and its content very moving. I think you will too.
The album comes very nicely presented with song notes. The band performs well. Danny KilBride: acoustic guitars, bass guitar, & piano. Huw Rees: drums & percussion. Piotr Jordan: violin & viola. Gill O’Shea: whistles & accordion. Lowri Evans: vocals. With Padraig taking the lead vocals, he gives his all with a heartfelt, passionate performance on each song.
April 15th 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic…
(Self-release, 2011)
Visit here for more information on Padraig Lalor.
Hi can you put the com in padraiglalor web link on the review thanks
Thanks for catching that mistake. I’ve fixed it.