Melody for Mullingar – Foster and Allen song about fleadh
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Brigid Walshe and Moyra FraserImage 2 of 3
Foster and Allen, Moyra Fraser and Brigid Walsh and members of Westmeath Comhaltas, including chairman, Joe Connaire, recording The Mullingar Fleadh at Mullingar Park Hotel on Saturday.Image 3 of 3
It was Foster and Allen and the crew from Bracken Entertainment rather than the new traffic systems that brought Mullingar to a stop on Monday lunchtime. The talented duo were recording a video for their new song, ‘Mullingar Fleadh’. Marshalling the crowds that were gathering hoping for a photo with the famous balladeers, Donie Cassidy explained the thinking behind the new song. “Mary From Dungloe has its own song, the Rose of Tralee has its own song; so to celebrate this brilliant town and how hopeful we are for the fleadh to be a huge success, we have this wonderful song. We hope it will become an anthem for the fleadh and the town. “ The song will feature on TG4 next month and will be released for sale in time for Christmas. Foster and Allen have sold 17 million records in 22 years and were in the Guinness Book of Records for having had 15 consecutive albums in the British charts at Christmas time, a record which had only been equalled by The Rolling Stones.‘The Mullingar Fleadh’ is a new song due for release by Foster and Allen.
On Monday, Mick Foster and Tony Allen were filming around the streets of Mullingar, and footage will be released as part of this year’s Foster and Allen Christmas Special, due to be aired on television later in the winter.
The Mullingar Fleadh song was penned by Moyra Fraser and Brigid Walshe and recorded in Rosemount Studios in Moate. Local school children are also involved in the recording.
“It tells the history of the fleadh and it talks about the fleadh coming home to Mullingar,” says Moyra Fraser. “The fleadh was first staged here in 1963 and so it’s a celebration of its return.
“Brigid Walsh is a wonderful poet and lyricist, and the song came about through a music project we are doing with the schools. We wanted to use music that is relevant to the area, but there is very little in song about the locality.
“So we thought, why not write them ourselves. So far we’ve written songs about the Ghosts of Tullynally, the Táin Trail, the Children of Lir, the fairies.
“We then decided to write a song about the fleadh coming home to Mullingar, to tell its history, and to incorporate Irish verse as a way of teaching and informing the children.
“Foster and Allen heard the song and decided to record it. Brigid and I never imagined that it would be recorded by an international act like Foster and Allen, so we are thrilled that it will go further than we ever could have imagined.”
Brigid Walsh, who is from Castlepollard and is a cousin of Mick Foster, said: “I love a little bit of Irish influence in a song.
“That’s why I decided to put some Irish verses in it.
“I think if you put some Irish in a song, it gives people a curiosity about the language and hopefully they’ll pick up a couple of words along the way.”
Both Moyra and Brigid are compiling a book featuring songs and illustrations about Westmeath.
Meanwhile, Foster and Allen, who picked up an award for Best International Act 2019 at the Keltic Country TV Music Awards in Tullamore recently, will release ‘The Mullingar Fleadh’ next week.
The duo are also touring with their new album, ‘Timeless Memories’, which features 182 songs from 10 of Foster and Allen’s favourite and most popular albums, many of which have not been reissued in the UK for a number of years.
Maggie, After All These Years, Reminiscing, Reflections, Remember You’re Mine, Souvenirs, Memories, Heart Strings, By Request and Songs We Love To Sing all feature on digital formats and on 10CD.