Towards the end of last year, the fearless, feisty Cork fiddler, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Clare Sands delivered the final of four-part music/film series which found her collaborating with Liam Ó Maonlaí, Brídín, Steve Cooney and Tommy Sands and Susan O’Neill.
On International Women’s Day, Clare Sands shifts things to a far grander scale as she’s joined by 100 women on four beaches in the four corners of Ireland, celebrating sisterhood in all its colours. Men fled as women marched, danced, sang, howled and embraced the Dublin, Connemara, Belfast and Cork sands and tides.
‘Awe na Mná (Praise the Women)’ is the powerful, energetic, and fierce new single from Sands and is a celebration of women through the ages. Paying homage to the likes of Gráinne Mhaol, Countess Markievicz, Queen Maeve, Maggie Barry and modern-day Irish women the Debenhams Workers, Awe Na Mná (Praise the Women) is a battle cry, a fervent call, a rebel yell, and a passionate proclamation to sing and dance in awe of mná.
Speaking of the song, Clare says “The gatherings of women all over the country were joyful, empowering and fierce – and I could think of no better time to release Awe na Mná (Praise the Women) than International Women’s Day. I wrote the song on Inisheer and while I was there, I was struck by how resilient, fearless, and strong the women were. This song reflects on the past, embraces the present & strives towards a brighter future for women in Ireland and all over the world.”
Never before was woman power more obvious than throughout the creation and launch of the trance-like tribal video, created by twin sisters Liadain Ní Bhraonáin & Kasia Kaminska alongside an all-female crew, filmed in four locations throughout the summer of 2021.
Public calls were made to gather women from all walks of life, to join in the celebration of our resilience, strength and fearlessness – at a time when we need it most….
Lyrics to Awe Na Mná (Praise the Women)
Gráinne Mhaol storms over the seas
Refusing to bend the knee
Queen Maeve chargin’ over the hill
For that bull she’ll kill
Marcievicz by my side
Ireland till I die
Maggy Barry the lads trying to marry
She don’t need a hoe cause she got a banjo
Éist liom
Our day will come
Ooooh
Chorus:
We will sing
Awe na mná
Can é linn
Awe na mná
We will sing
Awe na mná
Can é linn
Awe na mná
Blind men lead wars
A woman’s heart at the core
Helen the hidden dagger
In man’s love of power
The Debenham workers strike
They out fighting for their rights
Politicians hide
From the women from the northside
Éist liom
Our day will come
Ooooh
Chorus x 1
Awe na mná ….
Chorus x 1
We will
Bígí linn
We will sing
Bígí linn
Awe na mná…
Written/Performed/Produced by Clare Sands
Band –
Aisling Urwin – Harp & Vocals
Susan O’Neill – Trumpet
Tiarna & Lainey Sands – Vocals
Caimin Gilmore – Double Bass
Davie Ryan – Percussion
Filmed & Edited by Liadain Ní Bhraonáin & Kasia Kaminska
Recorded/Mixed by Brian Casey (Wavefield Studios)
Mastered by Seán Mac Erlaine
Website: https://claresands.com/