Clare Sands, pictured above, with Brídín, are the perfect image of two souls in enraptured joy – the joy of being alive – Iontach Bheith Beo, also the title of her latest collaborative single.
For anyone following Clare’s latest project, each release has felt like a celebration, not just of music but also collaboration – her latest singles testifies to this wholeheartedly. The four-part series titled ‘Tírdreacha agus Fuaimdreacha’ (Landscapes and Soundscapes) is sponsored by the Arts Council of Ireland.
We have shared her previous two offerings: The first, ‘Carry My Song’, featured the talented Cork-born fearless feisty fiddler, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist performing on a windy clifftop alongside the equally dynamic Susan O’Neill. For the second, she more than delivered on a collaboration with two lions of Irish Folk music, Steve Cooney and Tommy Sands with ‘Abair Liom do Rúin (Tell Me Your Secrets)’, a “transcendent, traditional trance-like ode to Spring that pulsates and captivates the young and the old, pulls and pushes the brave and the bold.”
For her third, for which we again have the pleasure of premiering her video below, she teams up with long-time friend, composer, and musician Brídín. As noted in our review of her EP Ocean of Stars on which Clare played fiddle, Brídín comes from a long line of musicians stretching back four generations. On Clare’s new single, she plays harp, flute, percussion and provides backing vocals to Clare, who plays both guitar and viola.
They embarked on a journey following Sligo Greats (Yeats, Queen Maeve, Michael Coleman & Kevin Burke) along the shores of Enniscrone – inviting the ‘merry to sing, and the marry to dance.’ Over one week, the two forces of nature composed and recorded ‘Iontach Bheith Beo’ (Good to be Alive) whilst simultaneously converting a giant Boeing 747 plane for Brídín’s EP launch.
This one hammers out of the starting gate with the full percussive thrust of guitar strums and percussive claps before Brídín’s flute sets a delightful melodic groove…the merry love to sing…the merry love to dance….they sure do, and this one contains all the necessary ingredients to raise your spirits.
A driving, pulsating, celebration of life, for those that have gone before us, and those yet to come…how can you not love it! Rain ponchos in tow, the mesmerising video below was created by emerging visual artists and twin sisters Liadain Ní Bhraonáin and Kasia Kaminska. It is an ode to the ‘Irish Summer’ and all that it entails. Filmed on Enniscrone beach on a typical summers day in Ireland – rain, sun, sleet, sun, wild Atlantic winds, sun.
‘Iontach Bheith Beo’ (Good to be Alive) by Clare Sands, featuring Brídín, is out now (Friday 20th August 2021) via streaming services, including Spotify.
The fourth and final collaboration in the series will be with Liam O’Maonlaí and will be released in October.
Photo Credit: Kasia Kaminska