Musical shenanigans start up MERA spring series

Martina Field | Mar 21, 2018

The sun poured in through the windows of the schoolhouse on March 11 for the first in a series of a Sunday afternoon spring concert series taking place at MERA in McDonalds Corners.

The hall was full as Clan Hannigan took to the stage to play mostly Irish tunes and other British Isles tunes. The family group, who live in Baltimore, near Cobourg, consists of husband and wife duo Saskia Tompkins and Steafan Hannigan, joined by all three of their children.

The two youngest, sisters Eile 17, and Ayisha 14, began many of the tunes, with controlled vocals and lovely harmonies. Whether they were singing a tune from Northern Ireland, ‘Loving Hannah,’ or ‘The Water is Wide’ these two had the audience in their grasp. Their rendition of Newfoundland’s late bard Ron Hynes’, ‘Sonny’s Dream’, was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard. The rest of the family came in, one by one, adding more texture and counterpoint to the lovely voices as each joined in with their instruments.

The rest of the tunes were played by mother, father and eldest son. They played many jigs and reels airs and polkas, and even one called Blackbird that Steafan Hannigan joked was an ‘unreel’. Saskia Tomkins played viola mostly, but also treated the audience to the sound of the nickelharpa, a twelfth century stringed instrument from Sweden, which she played on a few of the tunes. Steafan played flute, uilleann pipes and guitars, there were three that I counted, and a banjo. Oisin (pronounced U-sheen) played bodhran mostly, keeping the beat with complex rhythmns. He also picked up the pipes, that he’d fashioned himself, using an air mattress pump in a pinch, to play a haunting and beautiful original tune, showing at once, his resourcefulness as well as his talent.

The mood in the room was lightened by Steafan’s many comedic stories and quips throughout the afternoon, and by the overall comfort of the family interacting with us, and with one another. There was much laughter and even some, dare I say, shenanigans. There was even a sing-a-long sea shanty from the 1500’s, popular in Newfoundland, ‘Hanging Johnny’ led by eldest child, Oisin, 19. All in all, it was a wonderful and lighthearted afternoon, with a touch of the sublime. A good time was had by all, as could be seen by the many smiles around the room.

The concert series continues this coming Sunday at 2 pm with a concert by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian MacMillan, with his uplifting blend of folk, reggae, world beat, and pop. Sunday April 8, also at 2 pm, acclaimed and well-loved singer songwriter, Annie Sumi will take to the MERA stage. For tickets contact www.ticketsplease.ca or phone (613)485-6434. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..