Latest news with #Claddagh
RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Christy Moore releases spoken word tribute track for President Michael D Higgins
Irish music legend Christy Moore has released a spoken word tribute to President Michael D Higgins. Music to Our Ears, written by poet Johnny Broderick and produced by Gavin Murphy, is a celebration of the life and legacy of Ireland's President in the last year of his tenure. Speaking of how the work came about, Moore said: "I was working in Gavin Murphy's Studio. Gavin shared music he was composing for a poem John Broderick had written in advance of President Michael D's departure from Áras and Úachtaráin. I read the poem and listened to the music. I offered to recite the words. Claddagh [Records] heard it and suggested we make it available to the public. "I think it is a beautiful tribute to our esteemed President and his Family. I think Johnny B's words express what many of us feel about Michael D. and our First Lady, Sabina." President Higgins was elected President of Ireland in 2011 and is currently serving his second term. Moore has released Music to Our Ears alongside a lyric video to accompany the powerful tribute. It opens with the lines: "There is an aura that surrounds you, with decency you are blessed. There is a warmth in your presence, for every welcome guest." It continues: "You are a voice for the voiceless, like thunder in the plain. An empathetic ear for the afflicted, selfless, humble, but never vain." Music to Our Ears concludes: "Statesmanlike and diplomatic, charismatic without fears. You are a national treasure treasured, you have been music to our ears." The track will feature on the extended edition of Moore's No.1 album A Terrible Beauty.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
CMAT hits out at ‘fake version' of Irish identity ‘built up by Americans and English people'
The 29-year-old, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is part of a number of Irish acts to rise to popularity abroad in recent years alongside the likes of indie rockers Fontaines DC and rap trio Kneecap, which has prompted a surge in interest in Irish culture in the UK and US. Speaking to Glamour UK, the Co Meath singer, who plays the Guinness Storehouse tomorrow night, said: 'I didn't relate to any of it, like, why am I seeing Claddagh rings everywhere? The GAA jerseys? 'Why is everyone pretending we had this exact same childhood? 'There's this very romantic vision of Ireland, but I grew up in a place where it's not very fun to grow up. This fake version of our identity was being built up by Americans and English people and claimed for themselves.' The singer is due to release her third album, Euro-Country, later this year, and says the record features a song about a performance at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend – when the BBC had to switch the comments off due to people body-shaming her – called Take a Sexy Picture of Me. 'That song is about getting fat-shamed on the internet all the time. I wanted to really dig into commercial attractiveness and how women are pruned into this marketable product until they turn about 27,' she told Glamour UK. 'I genuinely didn't care that people got so angry that I thought I was sexy, but it forced a lot of 15-year-old girls who love CMAT, who might even be bigger than me, to witness a level of vitriol against a woman's body against her will.' The full interview can be read in the May digital issue of Glamour UK.
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Singer CMAT says ‘fake version' of Irish culture is being ‘built up' by English
Speaking to Glamour UK, the Crazymad For Me singer said of the situation: 'I didn't relate to any of it, like, why am I seeing Claddagh rings everywhere? The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) jerseys? Why is everyone pretending we had this exact same childhood? CMAT on the cover of Glamour UK (Ruth Ginika Ossai/Glamour UK/PA) 'There's this very romantic vision of Ireland but I grew up in a place where it's not very fun to grow up. This fake version of our identity was being built up by Americans and English people and claimed for themselves.' The singer is due to release her third album Euro-Country later this year, and says the record features a song about a performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend – when the BBC had to switch the comments off due to people body-shaming her – called Take A Sexy Picture Of Me. She told Glamour UK: 'That song is about getting fat-shamed on the internet all the time. I wanted to really dig into commercial attractiveness and how women are pruned into this marketable product until they turn about 27. 'I genuinely didn't care that people got so angry that I thought I was sexy, but it forced a lot of 15-year-old girls who love CMAT, who might even be bigger than me, to witness a level of vitriol against a woman's body against her will.' The full interview with CMAT can be read in the May digital issue of Glamour UK which is online now.
South Wales Argus
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Singer CMAT says ‘fake version' of Irish culture is being ‘built up' by English
The 29-year-old, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is part of a number of Irish acts to rise to popularity in recent years alongside the likes of indie rockers Fontaines DC and rap trio Kneecap, which has prompted a surge in interest in Irish culture in the UK and US. Speaking to Glamour UK, the Crazymad For Me singer said of the situation: 'I didn't relate to any of it, like, why am I seeing Claddagh rings everywhere? The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) jerseys? Why is everyone pretending we had this exact same childhood? CMAT on the cover of Glamour UK (Ruth Ginika Ossai/Glamour UK/PA) 'There's this very romantic vision of Ireland but I grew up in a place where it's not very fun to grow up. This fake version of our identity was being built up by Americans and English people and claimed for themselves.' The singer is due to release her third album Euro-Country later this year, and says the record features a song about a performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend – when the BBC had to switch the comments off due to people body-shaming her – called Take A Sexy Picture Of Me. She told Glamour UK: 'That song is about getting fat-shamed on the internet all the time. I wanted to really dig into commercial attractiveness and how women are pruned into this marketable product until they turn about 27. 'I genuinely didn't care that people got so angry that I thought I was sexy, but it forced a lot of 15-year-old girls who love CMAT, who might even be bigger than me, to witness a level of vitriol against a woman's body against her will.' The full interview with CMAT can be read in the May digital issue of Glamour UK which is online now.
Rhyl Journal
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Singer CMAT says ‘fake version' of Irish culture is being ‘built up' by English
The 29-year-old, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is part of a number of Irish acts to rise to popularity in recent years alongside the likes of indie rockers Fontaines DC and rap trio Kneecap, which has prompted a surge in interest in Irish culture in the UK and US. Speaking to Glamour UK, the Crazymad For Me singer said of the situation: 'I didn't relate to any of it, like, why am I seeing Claddagh rings everywhere? The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) jerseys? Why is everyone pretending we had this exact same childhood? 'There's this very romantic vision of Ireland but I grew up in a place where it's not very fun to grow up. This fake version of our identity was being built up by Americans and English people and claimed for themselves.' The singer is due to release her third album Euro-Country later this year, and says the record features a song about a performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend – when the BBC had to switch the comments off due to people body-shaming her – called Take A Sexy Picture Of Me. She told Glamour UK: 'That song is about getting fat-shamed on the internet all the time. I wanted to really dig into commercial attractiveness and how women are pruned into this marketable product until they turn about 27. 'I genuinely didn't care that people got so angry that I thought I was sexy, but it forced a lot of 15-year-old girls who love CMAT, who might even be bigger than me, to witness a level of vitriol against a woman's body against her will.' The full interview with CMAT can be read in the May digital issue of Glamour UK which is online now.
