“Aniar – Voices and Verse from the Edge of the World” is a unique collaboration between writer and producer Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, composer and producer John Ryan and visual artist Ceara Conway. It presents a selection of traditional verse, incantation and wisdom from the Connemara oral folk tradition in the form of a lavishly produced CD, featuring the voices of three established Connemara actors. John Ryan creates filmic soundtracks in traditional Irish and contemporary idiom to accompany the verse. Connemara visual artist Ceara Conway makes photographs to illuminate each piece of verse and Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin provides verse translations and bilingual notes that place each piece in its social and cultural context. Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin - About the artist Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin is a songwriter and producer working prominently in the Irish (Gaelic) language. He lives and works in Connemara on Ireland’s Atlantic Coast, in one of the most vibrant Irish-speaking communities in Ireland. He has released four studio albums of original material – Solas Gorm/Blue Light (Gael Linn 1988), Raifteirí san Underground/Raftery in the Underground (CIC 1993); two collections for children – Bliain na nAmhrán/The Year of Song (Futa Fata 1997) and Ceol na Mara (Futa Fata 2004). A compilation, Imíonn an tAm/Time Moves On was released in 2004. In collaboration with the composer and producer John Ryan, he has created two CD/books of traditional spoken-word material: the best-selling Gugalaí Gug! (Futa Fata 2005), a collection of traditional rhymes and songs from Connemara, and Aniar – Voices and Verse from the Edge of the World (Futa Fata 2007), a bilingual collection for adults of traditional Connemara verse, wisdom and incantation. Tadhg has also worked extensively in television in Ireland, presenting the Irish Film and Television Academy)award-winning Arts series for RTÉ television “Cúrsaí Ealaíne” (2005) and co-creating and writing the IFTA-award winning teen comedy drama “Aifric” (2007). In 2007, in recognition of his contribution to Irish cultural life, he was inaugurated as honorary Uachtarán (President) of the annual Oireachtas na Gaeilge festival. Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin’s other recordings available here at CD Baby: Bliain na nAmhrán (the year of song); Imíonn an tAm (time passes), Ceol na Mara (songs of the ocean); Gugalaí Gug (cluckety cluck)