It’s funny how sometimes a simple Tweet can send my mind spinning in directions I wasn’t expecting. This morning, it was this one:

Gleanntáin Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair came to mind immediately. It’s an Irish song written by Proinsias Ó Maonaigh about someone leaving Donegal, Ireland and heading to America, not necessarily a welcome choice at the time. I’ve never heard his own version of it, but my personal favorite rendition was done by his daughter Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh’s band Altan on their 25th Anniversary Celebration album in 2010. I was even lucky enough to see them in Chicago on the tour supporting the album when they stopped by the Abbey Pub (minus the RTE Concert Orchestra that played on the album, of course). So glad I got the opportunity to see them perform this one in person.