Brian O'Halloran
Brian O'Halloran comes from Bunnahow, Beagh. Shanaglish is also located in the parish of Beagh.
Brian comes from a very musical family. His mother Siobhán sings and plays guitar, and joined the collective for their San Francisco launch.
Most months, Brian sings at the singing session in Whelan's, where he sings many types of local and traditional compositions with the likes of Joe Kearney and Mary Noonan. On one of the nights that recording was taking place, he had just arrived into Whelan's, when Vincey Keehan handed him a microphone. He started up, and the result was a brilliantly sung rendition of a locally composed song "The Turkey Trotters". This song gives an amusing account of an annual St. Stephen's Day hunt that he attends with his father Noel each year.
Included below is some footage from the launch night in San Francisco. Brian was invited up on stage to perform and he chose this wonderful song, "The Clogher Road" which was written by Máirtín Burke. Below that is a sample of another song that he selected to sing one night during the recording, Christy Moore's, "Ruby Walsh". Ruby is a famous champion jockey from Kildare. He is well known in horse racing both at home in Ireland and further afield. A full version of Brian singing this song can be found on the DVD.
Launch Night at The Plough and Stars, San Francisco