Introducing Radio Dé Danaan

Radio Dé Danaan

Yesterday, 15 January, marked the first broadcast of Radio Dé Danaan on Live365.co9m. Some of you may recall that for about ten months I had the pleasure of hosting an hour-long program of Celtic music on Phoenix Internet Radio, a college station in Arizona. Since that idyllic sojourn came to an end in June, I have longed to find a way to share my somewhat eclectic tastes in Celtic music via the Internet.

That darling man, Jim, to whom I am married, bought me Live365.com Internet radio station for the combination of our anniversary, Christmas and my birthday, which all happen in the space of a couple weeks! I have named it Radio De Danaan and launched it first three hour repreating shuffle of music last evening.

You can visit Radio Dé Danaan from the link at http://radiodedanaan.blogspot.com.

It is on day and night. When I say my tastes in Celtic music are eclectic, what I mean is that I look for music from the pan-Celtic world -- that is, not only Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but also Cornwall, the Isle of man, Brittany, the Celtic music of Asturias and Galicia in Spain, and Cape Breton in Canada, as well as Celtic music played by musicians in other areas, such as India's Chimaya Celtic ragas and Afro-Celtic Sound System. I also look for other music styles playing traditional Celtic music, such as Fathom's rock version of Foggy Dew, as well as the opposite, Celtic versions of well known songs from other styles, like the album, The Celtic Tribute to led Zeppelin. The plan for Radio De Danaan is as well to offer air time to local bands like Akron's The Mickeys and Seattle's Piper's Creek.

Why Dé Danaan? The Tuatha dé Danaan were part of Irish mythological tradition. You can read about them at Shee-Eire.

"The Tuatha Dé Danann (which means the people of Danu) arrived in Ireland bearing with them their stone of destiny called the Lia Fail which they placed on the mound of Tara and ever after the rightful kings of Ireland were chosen when it called out. They also brought the spear of Lugh which ensured victory to whoever wielded it, The Sword of Nuada from whom none could escape and the Cauldron of the Dagda from which none would go unsatisfied.

"There is a story that they came to Ireland in flying ships but could not land as the Fomorians had set up a great energy field that they could not penetrate. So they had to circle Ireland nine times before finding a breach in the energy field and setting down on Sliabh an Iarainn (The Iron Mountains) in Co. Leitrim."

(You can read a stirring scene where the Lia Fail cries aloud when Brian Boru steps upon it to be crowned King of All Ireland in Morgan llewelyn's Lion of Ireland.)

For now the station plays a shuffle of about three hours or so of music. I plan to do produced pieces as well. I want to include authors' readings of their own work, so get in touch if you would like to participate. My ultimate goal is to make Radio Dé Danaan a place to listen not only to the breadth of Celtic music, but medieval and Renaissance as well, and spoken word programs about books.

Please tune in and let me know what you think. If you sign up on Live365.com for a VIP membership you will be spared the ads for jobs at the CIA. I will be putting ads of a sort on my station, but not charging for them in most cases.. if you have an mp3 ad for your book, I will add it to the shuffle.

Enjoy!