Tag Archives: female voices

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Last week, we asked YOU to complete this sentence:

“The best Irish female voice by some distance is ________________________ particularly when performing____________________________”

At stake was our weekly €25 voucher for any of fourteen Golden Discs stores around the country, and as usual, the competition was stiff.

But as ever, there can only be one winner.

Iwerzon takes it, with a personal story on his favourite female Irish voice.

“The best Irish female voice by some distance is Eithne Ní Uallacháin, particularly when she performed from her album ‘Bilingua’ and in particular the tracks Lughnasa Damhsa, Senex Puer and the title track Bilingua.

Eithne, from the Cooley Peninsula Co. Louth, sadly passed away in 1999 and her family and musical comrades made sure this work in progress saw the light of day.

She was years ahead of her time which is very evident in this important recording, her use of a distinct traditional voice, and influences from other cultures and electronica makes its sound very current and hugely relevant. Please give it a listen if you get a chance.”

Other highlights from the running:

Leopold Gloom: “The best Irish female voice by some distance is Roisín Murphy, particularly when performing live as she is bloody brilliant. She’s arguably the best musician to come out of Ireland in the last two decades. Chameleon-like, electronica, pop, disco. Guilty of forgetting her sometimes.”

Specific Gravity: “The best Irish female voice by some distance is Katell Keineg, particularly when performing Gulf of Araby. Still remember seeing her on Nighthawks performing a cover of Quapelle Valley and being transfixed, even considering Shay’s bizarre set. And while she may be Breton-Welsh technically, her formative music years were spent here.”

Pat Walsh: “One of the best Irish female voices is that of Leslie Dowdall particularly when performing All I Wanted when she was with In Tuath Nua.”

Nigellicus: “Lovely choices here. The best Irish female voice by some distance is Mary Coughlan particularly when performing Double Cross.”

Penfold: “The best Irish female voice by some distance is Carol Keogh particularly when performing Out of This while part of Automata. A brilliant band, and amazing singer (also Cathy Davey on the first album, another fantastic voice).”

HyperGlobalCompuMegaNet: “The best Irish female voice by some distance is Lisa Hannigan particularly when performing. Rather than put in a song at the end I think a full-stop sums it up better.”

Golden Discs

Previously: She Moved Through The CD Racks