SNAKES ALIVE
St PATRICK'S NIGHT IN PARIS
Irish Association, 1988, IA 3301
This album was produced in a limited number by the Irish Association in Paris founded in 1984 by Irish and French people. As far as I know this is the only album ever issued by the association.
The eighties were a time when Irish music was well roouted in Paris thanks to pubs, musicians, dancers and teachers. This album was partly financed by three pubs including Tigh Johnny's which was the best place for Irish sessions at the time.
A concert was organized for Patrick's Day in a college called Lycée Autogéré were many concerts were held over the years.
French and Irish musicians were invited to perform; an Irish band based in Dublin came over, Killera which had a cassette out the year before. Strangely they don't have their names mentionned so I remember Maire Breathnach on fiddle and keyboard, Cian O'Sullivan on flutes, Frank Spiers (of Scottish origin) on vocals and percussion, ? Foley on bouzouki and maybe another flute player Cormac Breathnach. Niamh Parsons was the singer who is now well known in Ireland and beyond.The band didn't last long I think.
Another Irish band based in Paris the Boozy Groovers,was there too for some blues music.
On the French side we had three singers and guitar players : Catherine Drapier, Didier Matherat and Patrick Chauche; uilleann piper Marc Guilloux who died last year; fiddle player Olivier Darras who played with Irish concertina player Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and piano plyer Ann Molloy.
Jim Armstrong was there too as singer and guitar player. He was living in Paris with his wife Avril and now lives in Brittany.
This recording is live with the little usual trouble with the balancing between the instruments but we can feel the atmosphere of that night.
Tunes and songs are introduced briefly in English or French and all the lyrics are avalaible.
Snakes alive is a reference to St Patrick who is said to have chased all the snakes out of Ireland, snakes symbolizing paganism crushed by Christianity. The choice for that kind of title expresses the change of mind occuring in Irish society among younger people who rejected the power of the Catholic Church and all its misdeeds and scandals which were beginning to be brought to light.
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