Éist - Songs of Their Native Language

In the broad arena, the Irish language has rarely been given the credit it deserves. Reasons abound for this state of affairs - a cack-handed policy regarding its teaching since the State's foundations, the cosy 'club' atmosphere of some of those who use it, alluded to by Liam O'Maonlai in a recent interview in this magazine, and the 'what use is it' brigade shouting from the rooftops.

As a counterbalance, there are bands like Altan, Clannad and Kila who make their living by using it as both their first language, and the means by which they communicate with their public. Add to this both the body of work created by writers like Rosenstock, Ní Dhómhnaill, Davitt and O Muirthile and the strength of the Gaelscoil movement, and it is evident that our native tongue is in relatively rude health. As to its beauty, to me that's always been given; like other languages which have survived colonial attack, it is a thing of majesty and strength - for evidence look no further than this album.

Fourteen tracks - eight of them new recordings - are the strongest testimony to our ability to express ourselves in a language other than English. Still want proof? Listen to Mary Black and Seamus Begley with 'Bruach na Carraige Baine', Maura O'Connell with Aisling Ghear on an imaginative recasting of Jimmy MacCarthy's 'Mystic Lipstick', or the muscular tones of Paul Brady's version of 'Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair'.

That's just a microcism of what's on offer here, without reference to the majestic title track or 'An Cailín Gaelach' by Maighréad Ní Dhómhnaill.Take a look too at those who have been left on the sidelines, presumably for reasons of space - Áine Ní Cheallaigh, Kila, Liam O'Maonlaí, Triona Ní Dhómhnaill, to name but a few, and you begin to realise that there exists a far deeper well than at first considered.

We are a confident, young, articulate nation, whose view of ourselves is not conditioned by the shibboleths of old. This music matches that mood - at once thoughtful, outgoing, assued and at peace with itself, and looking to a wider world than the Caighdeán Oifigiúl would have once provided for.

As relevant to Tokyo as Tubbercurry, this - all of it - is timeless stuff which deserves to find the widest mark. Listen all of you, and listen well. You won't be sorry.