LANKUM - Hunting the Wren (Live in Dublin)

Follow Lankum:

Director: Peadar Gill (Instagram @podurpls)
Sound: John "Spud" Murphy and Ian Chesnutt
Camera operators: Peadar Gill , Evan Byrne
Graphics : _Diabhal666_

Guest Musicians:
Alex Borwick, John Dermody and Adrian Crowley

[skyblue]

I'm Scottish and came here through surfing Youtube for traditional Scottish/Irish music. I am a big fan of this kind of music which transports you. I was listening to Brìghde Chaimbeul before this who enjoys similar types of sounds but on the Scottish smallpipes.

Wow, this song is a true masterpiece of the modern age and deserves to be up there with the most famous of Irish songs. Absolutely stunning, powerful and magnificent.

Also a dark reminder of the horrors and evils of british colonialism inflicted on so many.

Unfortunately for Scotland, the struggle continues.

[slydoll]

Can't stop listening but can't hardly bear to hear it.

[phildoyle]

So moving and powerful.


The Curragh Wrens. The name for the prostitutes that serviced the army camp on the Curragh.


"...she chose the cold open plains
o'er the dark workhouse door."


Heartbreaking.



The wren-o, why is it so derided in Europe? It beat the Eagle to be the king of birds. An ancient story that.

[roguealien]

An icy draught from the sacred, dark well of the collective memory. Extraordinary ritual music.

[WayneCarolan]

Lyrics :
Sharp is the wind
Cold is the rain
Harsh is the livelong day
Upon the wide open plain

By Donnelly's hollow
Under sod, gorse and furze
There lies a young wren oh
By the saints she was cursed

The wren is a small bird
How pretty she sings
She bested the eagle
When she hid in its wings

With sticks and with stones
All among the small mounds
They come from all over

To hunt the wren on the wide open ground

They flock round the soldiers
In their jackets so red
For barrack room favours
Pennies and bread

The soldier is rough
In anger or fun
And he causes much bloodshed
With his big musket gun
They’re birds of the earth

The beasts of the field
By spite and by fury
Are people revealed

Attacked in the village
Spat on in town
They come from all over
To hunt the wren on the wide open ground

The wren is a small bird
Though blamed for much woe
Her form is derided
Wherever she goes

With cold want and whisky
She soon is run down
Her body paraded
On a staff through the town

Her head for her ceiling
The sod was her floor
She chose the cold open plain
Cold open plan o'er
The dark workhouse door


With two broken wings
And feathers so brown
They come from all over
To hunt the wren on the wide open ground

[Deliquescentinsight]

The power of the drone is considerable and transporting

[blaisemarcc]

Well, this wasn't the Wren Song I was looking for, but it is starkly fantastic.

[BK-csgv]

Listening to this on St. Stephen's day. Can't articulate the emotional impact of this song . If this is the future of folk music I'm in

[chriscocks]

I have yet to hear anything more powerful than this

[Pablosammy]

Just wow. I have tears running down my face. Heart wrenchingly powerful music

[samopdrift]

Never heard of this group before, didn't know what to expect... just a few seconds into the song i knew this was pure gold. Man, i cried my eyes out.

[laurent.]

I came here because I just heard Natalie Merchant's new cover of it. Incredibly powerful and moving. Thank you Natalie for getting me to find this incredible band ... Lankum

[klaushollinetz]

With Lankum C-Major still sounds like doom. Absolutely wonderful.

[dbrannick]

One of the most emotive, profound, masterfully performed pieces of music I have ever heard. Thank you so much for the music you make!

[Bigchurchmusic]

I have added this masterpiece to my Townes Van Zandt playlist, enough said.

[Trollificusv]

Damn. Just found this group (and the awesome Radie Peat!) and was checking out their tunes, and didn't really listen to this one closely, or all the way through. "That was dolorous, wunnit?"
And it haunted me. It kept coming back and I finally went back, listened to the lyrics, realized what it was, and now I'm blown away, listening to different versions, over and over. It takes courage and creativity to come up with something so soulful and unique. Damn.

[frinkfronk]

this is so good i cut my own ears off so they wouldnt be tarnished by another song

[robertcope]

Raddy's voice is unearthly, weird, but utterly amazing. 100 out of 10. Absolutely fantastic sound.

[wabjornson]

Congratulations on winning Irish Album of the Year. <3

[tomryan]

a paradigm shift!i, ve been playing and singing for the last 60 years and i am glad i lived long enough to enjoy this amazing new musical in action.superb.