LorcanMacMathuna

Paradise Lost book 2. Satan was cast down to Hell where he plots his revenge. "Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven" he says in defiance. He then plots his revenge; to corrupt all that God has created

Paradise Lost Book VI stands as a parable for the escalation of aggression and violence enabled by man's bending of nature to the the genius of intellect. Man becomes a master of industry and thus makes destruction and war (and sin) possible on an industrial scale. In this chapter Satan's hosts do battle with the Angels and after defeat return to counsel and determine to make greater weapons with which to defeat their enemies. Digging deep into the earth "up they turn the earth's entrails of mineral and stone of sulpherous and nitrous foame they mingled and with suttle art Whereof to found their Engines and their balls of missive ruin" They wring destruction on their enemies and on nature, and their enemies match their violence and technology to bring destruction in return. "the rest in imitation, the neighbouring hills like Armes uptore" "Which wrought them pain implacable and many a dolorous groan"

Myrddin, the Old Welsh character on whom Geoffrey of Monmouth's Merlin was based, is a much more intriguing character than the medieval reinvention Merlin. Myrddin was part of the great battle of Arfderydd, "One of the three senseless battles of the Island of Briton" and afterwards was driven mad by a sense of guilt. He fled to the woods and there met the Irishman Sweeney. Myrddin has a sacred apple tree that hides him from all his enemies and a piglet who he talks to. Sweeney is also mad and so he agrees to stay with Myrddin for a year. He then departs and leaves Myrddin alone again

The initial songs from Milton's Paradise Lost. The poet seeks out the company of the muse to help him understand the revelations that are about to e revealed to him. The Genesis story of Man's fall from the state of innocence and Satan's fall from heaven are retold by Milton. In introducing the story he invokes the muse to guide the way of understanding.

Within good and evil, and the examination or morality. We look at the mix of joy and grief of remembering lost beauty and how that has been described by poets and classical authors in Ireland and Japan. The exile of Colmcille where he describes his heartache at the separation from his people and his homeland. The concept of "aware" the sadness of witnessing exquisite beauty, described in the 12th Century Japanese story, The Tale of Bemji. And we discuss the pain of remembering the deceased described by William Wordsworth, John Milton, and Muireadach Albanach O Dalaigh who wrote "M'anam do scair riomsa aréir" -"my soul parted from me last night" We begin the video with an extract of a musical rendition of Colmcille's description of his exile "A Grey Eye" and we finish with Wordsworth's "Surprised by Joy"

In the final, poignant, chapter of Paradise Lost. Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden and as they leave on their sorrowful way are given a glimpse of what lies in store for mankind. It is a story of the rise and fall of tyranies, of hubris, arrogance, and ruin.

The massacre at Cholula was an encounter between two adversaries who had never encountered anything like the other. The Conquistadores had recently arrived in Mexico and driven by avarice were prepared to let rivers of blood spill. The priests of Cholula put faith in voracious Gods which did not come to their aid and smite their enemies. Arrogance and its sister vice greed. In Paradise Lost (Book 7) Satan is prompted by his faith in his ingenuity to challenge God in war. Satan wants power and to rule supreme and his host of Angels follow him to their ruin. "And wished the Mountains then might be thrown on them as shelter from His ire"

Medieval ballads of Ireland and scandinavia. Northern Lights explores the music of the sea ways of the icy North Atlantic traversed by the Vikings over a thousand years ago. Norse dance music and songs, and Sean Nós singing from Ireland come into contact in this fascinating cultural colloquium of traditional music and folklore. Dubh agus Geal - Darkness and Light, Loric Colloquies. Album trailer for Northern Lights debut album. Featuring Lorcán Mac Mathúna and Raphael De Cock, traditional instruments uilleann pipes, hardanger, jews harp, shruti, flute, and whistle. Trad music and folklore interactions. including Craigie hill, Aililiú na Gamhna, Dei Frealause Men, Hermod den Idde. sounds like Lena Willemark, Kirsten Braten-Berg, Valramn, Groupa, Envisa, Bukkene Bruse, Ann-Björg Lien, Dvergmal, Ranarim, Rosenberg Sjua, North sea Music, Cran, Ffawd, Anders Norudde, spindel, Caoimhín O Raghallaigh, Martin Hayes, Iarla O Lionaird, Karl Seglem, Ulta, Flukt, Rusk, Sinnika Langeland

A grey eye is the story of Columba of Derry's grief when he greets his home of exile in Iona. "A grey eye looks back on Éireann, Never to see her again, her women nor her men." This song is from the album The Arrows That Murder Sleep which is available on bandcamp here https://lorcanmacmathuna.bandcamp.com/album/the-arrows-that-murder-sleep This song was Performed for the first time in St Columb's cathedral, Derry, on August 11 2013 during the Derry UK City of Culture year. It was part of "From Derry to the Sea," a specially commissioned program to celebrate Derry past and present and launch the biggest Irish traditional music festival in the world, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann