Following on from the success of the Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen projects, the new show from IMRAM (Irish Language Literature Festival) features the music of Van Morrison returning with the same ensemble of Liam Ó’Maonlaí,
David Blake, and Hilary Bow, with support from Limerick’s Brad Pitt Light Orchestra for their latest tour
by Eric FitzGerald
eric@limerickpost.ie
Bhuel, saroíche do ré-dhamhsa, a stóirín,
Is na réaltaí in airde id shúil’,
Oíche ana oiriúnach do phóigín
Agus neartaíonn na spéartha mo dhúil.
Ré-dhamhsa amháin eile, leatsa, a stóirín-ó
Ré-dhamsa amháin eile leatsa, a stoirín-ó
‘Moondance’ by Van Morrison translated by Cathal Póirtéir
Moondance: Van Morrison Project features Irish language versions of Morrison’s songs, translated by poets Gabriel Rosenstock (originally from Kilfinane in Co. Limerick and an uncle of Today FM’s Mario Rosenstock) and Cathal Póirtéir.
As with the previous Cohen project, Margaret Lonergan created stunning screen projections of the lyrics. These images blend and spring off the words of the songs and set the mood of the music.
Limerick Post talked to poet, broadcaster, translator and Van Morrison fan Cathal Póirtéir, who has been involved in this project to re-imagine Morrison’s music “as gaelige”. He spoke about the project, the musicians and the challenge of translating Morrison’s work.
The constant throughout these projects has been Hothouse Flowers frontman and multi lingual singer Liam Ó Maonlaí, explains Cathal Póirtéir.
“He is into the whole idea of it. He is big into the Irish language himself. He is able to sing the lyrics without any problem and he knows what he is saying and he knows what it is all about and he is also a high class musician himself.”
Moondance: Van Morrison Project takes music from the five decades of the music icon’s career, from pulsing rhythm and blues of Them’s ‘Gloria’ to the sweet, breezy folk rock of ‘Tupelo Honey’ to the ecstatic gospel of ‘Full Force Gale’.
Cathal says, “It was enjoyable and challenging trying to translate the material. You want the sense and the rhythms of the original song to carry over to the translated version. With a lot of Van Morrison’s material, it is as much in the delivery as it is in the poetry of the original.”
“When you are dealing with someone like Leonard Cohen you are dealing with an independently published poet before he became known as a songwriter, I would buy a book of Cohen’s lyrics and I would read them for the poetry. I don’t think many poetry readers would, apart from out and out fans, buy a book of Van Morrison’s lyrics.
The success of Moondance: The Van Morrison Project depended on the translations, how the band interpreted the versions and how Liam O’Maonlaí delivered it.
“Thankfully when we put it on stage originally, it worked a treat,” concludes Póirtéir.
Audiences so far have been a mix of avid fans of Van Morrison and those with some knowledge of the Irish language according to Cathal.
But the screen projections and the familiarity of the music makes The Van Morrison Project an immersing experience for all.
Moondance: Van Morrison Project plays at Lime Tree Theatre this Sunday January 23.
Booking at www.limetree.ie
