A Lifetime of Happiness

Worthy successor of a folk singing tradition rooted in Ireland, following in the footsteps of no less than Paul Brady and Andy Irvine, is Daoirí Farrell, talented singer and bouzouki player who claims Dónal Lunny as a musical hero. A Lifetime of Happiness is his third solo album, and what springs to mind for me when listening to his singing is how natural his interpretation of these old ballads sounds – he sings from the heart in such an easy, beautiful and simple way.

His choice of repertoire consists of stories of life, love and transportation as well as poems, collected from such acclaimed balladeers as Liam Weldon, Frank Harte, Cathal McConnell and Pat Goode, creating a peaceful atmosphere and reflecting perfectly the album's title. Produced by Dónal Lunny, it features, among others, musicians Séan Potts (pipes), Peter Brown (accordion) and Dónal Lunny himself. As Farrell concludes in the sleeve notes: ‘feel free to learn and sing the songs loud and proudly!’ And this is exactly what you'll want to do after listening to it.