01 Cúl an Tí

Cúl an Tí is one of the famous Irish poems of the 20^th century. Seán Ó Riordáin is recognised as one of the great poets of the same century. His poetry was very heavy at times and it is always surprising to me that this poem was so light.

Cúl an Tí is a place of magic, intrigue, animals, tinkers and Aesop! One verse refers to the beautiful rubbish there.

Our choice for singer of “Cul an Ti” is Séan O Sé.

For me the tie in of the three Seán’s is important here. Seán Ó Sé was the ‘star’ in Irish music in the sixties. He was the front man in Ceoltóirí Cualainn – Seán O Riada’s revolutionary band. Seán Ó Riada was the man who led the revolution in trad music in the sixties. A pied piper of sorts – perhaps a flawed genius. In my little world growing up Seán Ó Sé and Ó Riada were larger than life figures.

At the same time Seán Ó Riordáin was rocking out in the world of Irish poetry. He was from Cork and strongly associated with Corca Dhuibhne as was Ó Riada initially.

Later O Riada lived in Cúl Aodha, the Cork Gaeltacht.

For me the tie-in of these three Seáns is great - a coalescence of three iconic figures in the Gaelic world.

Educational elements:

Maybe the educational elements could be about rubbish and recycling. A project could be to get people to recycle some rubbish that they have at home. Maybe a re-cycling orchestra could be created in a school.

The school could be primary school for simple recycling exercise or secondary if a re-cycled orchestra wanted to be introduced.

Maybe it could be art-work only and the kids have to draw the poem or an element of it. Transition year students?

Educational element & live action: Get Michael D Higgins to talk about it, to read some of it, organise a recycled orchestra in a school in Cork, maybe Cúl Aodh or maybe Cork city. Or maybe both – orchestra in Cork and choir in Cúl Aodh. Show instruments getting built, see Kíla’s instruments as well, and  see them playing them.