Many Happy Returns

Arcady are a great lively group. They are:

Johnny McDonagh: Bones, Bodhran, Triangle
Nicholas Quemener: Guitars, Flute, Whistle, Vocals
Patsy Broderick: Piano, Keyboards
Conor Keane: Accordion
Brendan Larrisey: Fiddle
Niamh Parsons: Vocals

Joining them as guests on the CD are:

- The Voice Squad (Phil Callery, Fran McPhail, Gerry Cullen)
- Liam O’Maonlai: Organ, Piano, Voices, Harmonium, Digeridoo
- Brendan Power: Harmonica
- Neil Martin: Cello
- Paul O’Driscoll: Bass
- Mike McGoldrick: Flute

The idea of “Many Happy Returns” was to produce an album of well-known tunes and songs which never seem to get old. And indeed they were selected well, and played even better. I’m a big fan of Conor Keane’s box playing and he has a great driving rhythm behind the group. The songs are lovely too and Niamh Parsons is a nice singer.

The album was released on the Shanachie Label (79095) in 1995.

Is this simply the Kilfenora Jig renamed in plural, or is this a set of multiple jigs?

Multiple, Freso - it’s a 5-part jig and a 2-part jig - both linked above now.

Closing track on “Youtube” :
https://youtu.be/FhPiIeeJMjk

play video

Looking at our Arcady CD Many Happy Returns liner notes we noticed that we don’t have the same order as what Fergal posted many years ago, although we have the same source (Shanachie 79095). Some of the songs are in the same positions but none of the tune sets line up.

If it is appropriate, and if other people agree that the original listing is wrong, I’d be happy to edit the corrected order in. Every song and tune in Fergal’s version is on the CD that we have, and the CD plays in the order that our liner notes display.

There are 2 versions of the CD. Fergal - who posted the recording - has made no comment on which of the 2 versions he has posted here. The CD was released in Ireland on the Dolphin label, most likely before being licenced to Shanachie. I think what’s posted above is from the older Irish version, so my opinion would be leave well alone. As a compromise, you could list the Shanachie track order here below this, for the sake of completeness.

To be absolutely pedantic, the original CD/cassette was released on the Dara label. The Shanachie version’s track list can be found here - https://www.discogs.com/Arcady-Many-Happy-Returns/release/5373062.

Quite happy to be corrected GW - Dara label it was, indeed.

Thanks, GW, with that link you posted, no need to confuse things here. Thanks to you also, Kenny.