Skara Brae - An Cailin Rua [Skara Brae] 1971

Skara Brae - An Cailin Rua [Skara Brae] 1971

Formed 1970, Ranafast, County Donegal, Ireland
Disbanded 1972
Members: Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill (vocals), Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (vocals), Mícháel Ó Domhnaill (guitar, vocals), Daíthí Sproule (guitar, vocals).

Skara Brae were a traditional Irish music group. The group consisted of three siblings, Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill, Triona Ni Dhomhnaill and Micheal O Domhnaill with Daithi Sproule. Although they were together for only a year, their one and only record is considered to be one of the most important albums in its genre, as they were the first group in history to put harmonies to Gaelic songs.
The band would sing Beatles songs, but they'd also sing Irish songs and experiment with chords. They learned a lot from the Beatles. They listened a lot to them and all the music that was happening at the time and they tried to bring that to bear — Pentangle, Steeleye Span — they tried to bring that to bear on the Irish.
The only album of "Skara Brae" was recorded in 1970 and released in 1971.
The album starts with their single hit "An Cailin Rua" and has a lovely version of "Cad e sin don te sin?", too. Their version of the beautiful but sad love song "Ta Me 'mo Shui" shows their particular personal background, Rann na Feirste in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking district) of Co. Donegal, for the same song is sang different in other parishes of the same area.
All of those old traditional songs still keep a spirit even for those who can't understand what the lyrics mean for every song is in Irish.