These songs are stories and histories I have been delving into for ten years. Some are traditional; some traditionally inspired, others tell old tales but are new beasts. They tell of bold, beautiful and baneful visions of the new world, my own imaginings and those of others. Like the mythical island of Irish folklore, "Hy Brasil," the visions

These songs are stories and histories I have been delving into for ten years. Some are traditional; some traditionally inspired, others tell old tales but are new beasts. They tell of bold, beautiful and baneful visions of the new world, my own imaginings and those of others. Like the mythical island of Irish folklore, "Hy Brasil," the visions dissipate and the songs are what remain as an imprint or map of that lost Island. I’m playing most all the instruments on this one-guitar, lute, double bass, banjo, piano. I’ve also branched out the sonic pallet into keyboard and synths. In 2010 the seed was planted for Hy Brasil with the release of the Irish Gaelic T.V. documentary film Saol John Riley. The song Pa’ Los del San Patricio (which inspired Saol John Riley and appears on this album) tells the story of the Irish Battalion of the Mexican army of 1847, “Los San Patricios.” Another song spawned the award winning feature film "A Captain Unafraid." Both that song and film tell the story of Dynamite Johnny O' Brien, sea-captain rebel and hero of the Cuban War of Independence. Two other songs from the album were collected by Edmundo Murray of the Society for Irish Latin-American studies-"The Trackless Wild" and "The Pampa's Fairest Child" were written in the 1870's on the Pampas of Argentina in an Irish folk style.