MALE VOCAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2014 - LIVE IRELAND MUSIC AWARDS 'PADDY HOMAN was our Male Singer of the Decade for the years 2000-2010. We have all waited a long time for this new album and it is well worth it, to say the least! There are these incredible talents in this music such as Paddy Homan. All we can say is: Paddy is absolutely the best. And this album is a pure delight. We've run out of adjectives. A truly gifted and important artist. - LiveIreland.com; Irish American News, Bill Margeson,' The Hard Way Home Sleeve Notes 1. The Reel in the Flickering Light I remember years ago hearing Christy Moore sing this song. As a child growing up in Cork city, this song had an air of wonder and child like beauty about it. Later in Chicago, I was to hear Jimmy Moore always singing it and I suppose the song just kept calling out to me. Finally, about two years ago I was involved in moving Maureen O' Looney's Irish Shop up to the Irish Heritage Center in Chicago. One evening after work, I called over to Maureen and was helping with moving her stuff when underneath one of the cabinets I noticed an unopened record of Christy Moore's Ordinary Man album. I took it home with me and later that evening I sat down and listened to this song over and over again with a cup of tea and it was just magical. Good on ya Christy, you're the best! Jimmy Moore, Guitar; Dennis Cahill, Mandolin, Bass; Sue Demel, backing vocals. Written by Colm Gallagher. 2. The Hard Way Home I chose my album to be the title of this CD because the words resonated loudly with me in terms of my own personal development and my career as a fundraising professional. The song itself was written for a movie that never got produced! But songs always have a way of making their true meaning known to people and for me; I was captivated by the authenticity of this song. The words have universal meaning as 'without a hand to hold you, or a guiding light to guide you, you can take the hard way home.' In my day job as a foundation director with Lutheran Life Communities, many of our residents need this guiding light to be that beacon of hope by which they can live out their days with dignity and respect. Written by that Kilkenny man now domiciled here in Chicago, Jimmy Moore; Bali James Music. BMI. Arranged by Ben Lewis who is also on piano; Sue Demel on backing vocals; Steven Houser, Cello. 3. Pigeon on the Gate/ Master Crowleys/ Swinging on the Gate: Reels It is always a true delight to play with the many musicians that are here in Chicago and we are very spoiled with having so many. On this set we have Teresa Shine on Fiddle; Sheila Doorley on Accordion; Dennis Cahill on guitar; Jimmy Moore on Bouzouki and yours truly on bodhrn. 4. John O' Dreams Bill Caddick's traditional ballad, put uniquely to a Tchaikovsky air reminds me of my days working on the night shift in the Mercy Hospital in Cork city as a caregiver. While I was working to put myself through college and get an education, I was to also experience the true sacrament of the present moment in learning to be present to patients at their greatest time of need during the need. I was to also experience the true care and compassion of the care provided by staff at Mercy Hospital. Dennis Cahill: Guitar, Bass; Maurice Lennon: Fiddle, Viola. 5. The Bonny Bunch of Roses I got this song from Maurice Lennon who recommended it to me on YouTube. It seems everything is on YouTube these days! This is an old song of which there are many different versions. It tells the tale of Napoleon's March on Russia through a conversation between Napoleon's son, Napoleon II and his mother, the Empress Marie Louise. In the song, Napoleon's son can be heard saying that one day he will win for his mother, The Bonny Bunch of Roses, this being England. Terry Moylan in his book, 'The Age of REVOLUTION' in the Irish Song Tradition' (P 141), talks about this song as being one of the main ballads of the Napoleonic era. Moylan states that this song is one of the main Irish ballads associated with the Napoleonic era. It has a close association with the Irish
