Niamh Parsons' dual connections

Interview by Phil Gaston

Whether tackling Irish standards with Arcady or swinging with the Loose Connections Niamh Parson handles old and new material with a sure touch and a feel for a song.

The first time I heard Niamh Parsons was on Clare FM's Mist Covered Mountain programme and I said 'Goodness gracious - Sanndy Denny." The divine Ms Denny's was not one of the names that cropped up when I met Niamh for this interview at the launch of Arcady's 'Many Happy Returns' album in Dublin last month. Born in Dublin of a singing father and a Clare mother there was every kind of music played at home. About age 15 Niamh started listening to Planxty but lost interest for a few years till in '79/80 aged 21 she started singing a Mary Black song 'Annachie Gordon' in a local pub where she met guitar player Declan Faye.

In 1986, she met Gerry 'Banjo' O'Connor who asked her to join a band called Killera - an offshot of the Blasket Sound. Maura Breatnach, Sean Howley and Cian O'Sullivan were in it. But they got to the stage where it wasn't possible to be in the band and keep a full time job so Niamh left.

The 'Loosely Connected' album was released in June 1992 and by July Johnny McDonagh had phoned Niamh to ask her to join Arcady.

"I wouldn't have got the Arcady job if I didn't have a solo album," she says. "Johnny and myself knew each other for years, through Dublin and De Danann and the fact I'd be anywhere for the craic. He never approached me before - of course Frances was with the band - but he was into me as a singer, so when he realised I was available - I was working full time as a musician - he asked me to join Arcady. It took me three months to decide, because I wanted to work with the Loose Connections album. But, eventually, I said O.K. I'd join, because he didn't ask anybody else. There was nobody else he wanted and , knowing Johnny now, I know how fussy he is about who he wants in the band and what sound he wants and he knew that I was the traditional singer he wanted.

They finally made it to the studio to record 'Many Happy Returns' two years ago (a first production job for Mr McDonagh) and then, before it could be released. Johnny had a heart operation, which slowed things down a lot. It was only last July that the album was released by Shanachie in the States where it has been a great success, receiving album of the month and album of the year nominations and a NIARD award.

"It's Johnny's concept album," says Niamh. "It's a revival of the revival - stuff that was around in the Seventies that people got fed up with and didn't play any more. The likes of 'The Boys of Barr na Straide' 'The rocks of Bawn', the tunes; they're all standards. Apart from the band Johnny called in the people he knew would add flourishes that would make it a great L.P. - like Brendan Power, Neil Martin on cello, Michael McGoldrick on flute, Liam o Maonlai and The Voice Squad.

I wondered how the Arcady work fitted in with trying to promote Loose Connections now that Green Linnet have leased the 'Loosely Connected' album for the States. Niamh says, "I intend to work as much as possible with the two bands. With Arcady I sing very little; about eight songs in a night, which I don't mind because I understand how my singing adds overall to the band, whereas with my own band I sing sixteen songs in a night.