SMALL MIRACLES

SONGS FROM MY FATHER

As children growing up, these were a few of the songs we learned around the table, late at night. Celebrations would find Uncle Ed taking movies with a giant camera, Dad and Uncle Rich rough-housing with the boys, jokes and laughter, children running, babies crying and general mayhem until someone would say “Give us a song…” and we’d gather around the table and listen to the likes Father Pathe, CSSR, Jim Cavanaugh, Dad, Aunt Janie, Patsy Sheahan or one of the children who had a song; the non-singers like Uncle John or Gene Connolly would have a story or a recitation to share. We would go to picnics, parties, fish fries, pizza parlors and saloons; anywhere we were, there was singing.

It was no surprise to meet the Kerry and Connemara cousins and find the same scene! The McKennas, Knightlys, Sheehans and Corcorans in Kerry, then out to Connemara to meet Sullivans, Walshs, McDonaghs and Connollys!

It was magic…

Music was our bridge, stretching across ocean and generation, from Chicago to Calsalia and Loughconeera, Beverly to Boolteens and Ballyard, between firemen and farmers, friends and families, cousins and coworkers; the songs and stories bridged every gap.

As one by one my parents’ generation slips away, and the sad losses in my own generation begin, I hope to capture a sweet little slice of how we celebrated our life with song.

1.  Mush Mush (from "The Quiet Man")
2. Isle of Innisfree (from "The Quiet Man")
3. Paddy McGinty
4. Croppy Boy
5. New York Girls
6. Immigrant Eyes
7. Clarence McFadden
8. Shanagolden
9. Old Maid
10. Banna Strand
11. Old Bog Road
12. Some Boys
13. I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen
14. Dennis O'Brien
15. Danny Boy

I ARISE TODAY

So many people have helped me on this project; Victor Sanders, recording engineer extraordinaire; Laura Kutscher-Dankler, pianist with a heart; Jimmy Moore, guitar, whistles, bass, banjo, songwriter, arranger and shaman; Dennis Cahill, guitar, mandolin and technical advisor; Sean Clelland, violin and baritone violin; Steven Houser, cello and cello sextet; John Williams, concertina, accordian, whistles & flute; Thomas Yang and Chicago Musical Connection; Jeri-lou Zyke violin and Liz Holtzman viola; Kathy Cowan, Laura Higgins, Old St. Patrick's Choir Members: Aubrey Tokarz, Ellen Fearon, Maura Stefanik, Terry Coogan, John Gubbins, Rich Havansek; John Kirchner, Joe Tokarz, and Russ Wunderlich under the direction of Bill Fraher for background vocals; Urszula Lukaszuk's beautiful graphic design and Daniel Kelly's website design of www.CatherinOConnell.com.

Thanks to Tom Kelly, John and Mary Madden, Dolores Connolly, Dan Casey, Catherine Sheridan, Jack Hanlon, Mary Ellen Nelligan, Jay Kozie, Melanie Peterson, Jack Gray and Richard Dreihaus for their generosity; Fathers Jack Wall, John Cusick, Tom Hurley, Paul Novak, and Angel Sierra, all the staff, Bill Fraher and the choir at Old St. Patrick's, Mary Prete who started me in this business, Jim Corboy, who jumped in at the eleventh hour and made so many things happen and all my friends who've given me the nudge I needed to complete this project.

My boys; Neil, Brendan and Gavin, sainted mother, sisters, brothers, in-laws, out-laws, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins; And Jim O'Connell, my dad, who taught me to sing with 'a tear in my voice' and how important it is to tell the story.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!

PARTING GLASS - NATURE'S FANTASY

In 1987, Catherine O’Connell, Seamus O’Kane and Jimmy Moore recorded an album titled “Nature’s Fantasy.” Naturally, because we are musicians and not seers, we released the album on cassette, and only on cassette. Now we have remastered it for CD. We think it sounds better than ever and hope you agree.