"The Well Below The Valley" by PLANXTY – December 1973 Ireland and UK Second Studio Album on Polydor Records – featuring Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine and Liam O’Flynn (1988, 1990 and 2001 US Shanachie Records CD Reissue – Bill Giolando Master At CMS Digital in California) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...As I Roved Out..." 

By the time PLANXTY had released their second studio album "The Well Below The Valley" on Polydor Records 2383 232 in December 1973 - both it and the February 1973 self-titled "Planxty" debut on Polydor 2383 186 had made them Traditional Irish Music revivalist legends. Both the public and the press were enthralled – and rightly so (their name is apparently an expression of goodwill in Gaelic – like cheers or thanks).

A 25-date UK tour beginning 14 February 1973 in Brunel University in Uxbridge and ending St. Patrick's Day (17 March 1973) in a Technical College in South East London only cemented for British listeners what many already knew in their native Ireland where they'd released a stand-alone debut 45 in December 1972 (months after they'd formed during sessions for the Christy Moore album "Prosperous") - the fiercely talented foursome of Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn made a beautiful racket. 

PLANXTY played real Folk - a sound deeply rooted in centuries-old jigs, reels, hornpipes, bothies and heartache ballads from Connemara, Donegal, Roscommon and Kildare - but all of it updated into commoner tales that suddenly felt fresh and new again.

Their third outing "Cold Blow And The Rainy Night" would appear in October 1974 (Polydor 2383 301) with Johnny Moynihan having replaced Donal Lunny who would shortly be forming The Bothy Band with Triona and Michael O'Donnell - their March 1976 debut LP also on Polydor Records. Indeed, the Seventies proved a beautiful and productive time for Trad in Ireland, England and the whole of the Celtic isles. Both Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan had been with SWEENEY'S MEN over on Nat Joseph's Transatlantic Records. 

Which brings us to these bare bones American-based Shanachie Records reissues for PLANXTY...

Shanachie released all three albums onto CD in 1990 and have been reissuing them ever since. In August 2020 (the time of this review) – theirs appears to be the only way you can get hard copies of the music on digital. Today we concentrate on platter number two specifically – framed as it was in that gorgeous Jim Fitzpatrick Celtic-folklore artwork. To the humours of mountains, dogs in the bushes and dodgy men named Reilly roving out...

UK released 1988, then reissued 25 October 1990 (and again March 2001) - "The Well Below The Valley" by PLANXTY on Shanachie SH 79010 (Barcode 016351791023) is a straightforward CD transfer of their second studio album from 1973 and plays out as follows (45:59 minutes):

1. Cúnla [Side 1]

2. Pat Reilly

3. Slip Jigs: (a) The Kid On The Mountain (b) An Phis Fhliuch

4. As I Roved Out (Andy)

5. Reels (a) The Dogs Among The Bushes (b) Jenny's Wedding

6. The Well Below The Valley

7. Hewlett [Side 2]

8. Bean Pháidín

9. Hornpipes: (a) Fisherman's Lilt (b) Cronin's Hornpipe

10. As I Roved Out (Christy)

11. Solo Jig: Humours Of Ballyloughlin

12. Time Will Cure Me

Tracks 1 to 12 are their second studio album "The Well Below The Valley" - released December 1973 in Ireland and the UK on Polydor Records 2383 232 - Produced by PHIL COULTER. 

PLANXTY was:

CHRISTY MOORE – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica and Bodhran

ANDY IRVINE – Second Lead Vocals, Mandola, Mandolin, Hurdy-Gurdy and Harmonica

LIAM O'FLYNN – Uilleann Pipes and Tin Whistle

DONAL LUNNY – Third Lead Vocals, Bouzouki, Guitar and Bodhran

The gatefold inlay merely reproduces the liner notes from the 1973 album's rear sleeve, a brief history of each song and recording/reissue credits on the last page. All of these Shanachie Records CD reissues are like this – gatefold slips of paper (at least in this case the beautiful Jim Fitzpatrick Celtic artwork in here - he would famously adorn many of the Thin Lizzy LPs including "Vagabonds Of The Western World", "Jailbreak" and "Johnny The Fox"). Audio-wise, Shanachie 79101 offers one brief transfer credit – BILL GIOLANDO at CMS Digital – and despite the 1988 copyright date credit on the rear inlay (never changed from the 1990 first issue) – the CD itself has a 2001 copyright date. Having said that, the remaster feels big and hearty and full of life – the original recording work of Producer Phil Coulter and Engineer Barry Ainsworth shining through. To the music...

It's only the rakish "Cúnla" knocking at the window - the opening track featuring a full-on display of playing dexterity - Bouzouki, Uilleann Pipes and a rapid-spoken vocal from Christy Moore combining to open Side 1 with a slice of Irish Folk joy. Even now, it makes me soppy. Sergeant Jenkins dupes "Pat Reilly" on Monday morning payday with gushing compliments and the promise of a dram in John Kelly's pub - the naive youngster inveigled into the Black Horse regiment and thereafter regretting taking the King's schilling. Two jigs follow - "The Kid On The Mountain" learned from the Dublin's Seamus Ennis - often considered the best piper ever - while the other "An Phis Fhliuch" came from the repertoire of flute-player Willie Clancy.

Up pops the first of two songs called "As I Roved Out" - Side 1's sung by Andy Irvine - a ballad of broken vows said to go back to the Great Famine - where the chap marries 'the lassie with the land' instead of starving with his true love. Side one has its greatness sealed with two lively reels - Liam making those notes dance like locals around a beach bonfire on a summer's night - magical stuff. Christy Moore sings that green grows the lily in "The Well Below The Valley" – an acoustic-instruments builder that feels both joyous and ominous whilst being a perfect end to Side 1.

Up comes the pace as "Hewlett" opens Side 2 with a jolly piper – a tune said to be associated with the blind harper Carolan. The liner notes try to translate the Irish in "Bean Pháidín" – a tale of female woe where some local lad is seriously aggrieved to not be The Woman of Pháidín – Liam playing a blinder as the Bodhran builds the pace. Things continue on the road to happiness with two hornpipes from County Kerry – piping awash with shingles, nets and fishermen. After a solo jig, Christy Moore sings of a pretty fair maid in the second song (different to the first) called "As I Roved Out" – too ray ah – plenty of oats for the soldier’s horse and some wine for the soldier boy. It ends on a rare solo song – Andy Irvine's own "Time Will Cure Me" – a deep talking song about love in the night that is gone in the morning – leaving our singer with a powerful longing and much soul-searching. A great album comes to a quality end.

After an October 1975 farewell tour of Ireland and the UK (with Paul Brady filling in for the absent Christy Moore) - Planxty disbanded for some years only to reform for the 1979 album "After The Break" on Tara Records TARA 3001 (they would make more LPs after that on Tara). August 1976 saw Polydor-UK release the mop-up Best Of LP and Cassette "The Planxty Collection" (Polydor 2383 397) that featured four cuts from "The Well Below The Valley" and the rare December 1972 Irish-only non-album Mono 45 "Cliffs Of Dooneen".

Andy Irvine would make a hugely revered solo album on Mulligan Records also in 1976 with Paul Brady of The Johnstons simply titled "Andy Irvine/Paul Brady" (Mulligan LUN 008) with a new seven-minute rendition of "Arthur McBride And The Sergeant" – a song neither of them seems to be able to escape even in August 2020. Donal Lunny would form the fabulous BOTHY BAND (in my opinion better than Planxty) and launch Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin where U2 practically lived. Liam "Og" O'Flynn would become young again in The Chieftains. Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and piper Davey Spillane alongside guitarist Declan Sinnott were just some of the illustrious names to form MOVING HEARTS in 1981 – another Irish Folk-Rock band fondly remembered who managed three albums on WEA Ireland between 1981 and 1983. Christy would of course continue well into the 2020s and was the subject matter of a March 2004 Sony/Columbia 6CD Box set celebrating his career to as far back as 1964. 

But PLANXTY will always have a special corner in any Irish soft machine and Folk lover’s soul - a band that made new what was old and returned it to a platform of respect. Jesus is at the well and they're searching for a lassie in Matthew O'Casey's place in Galway (notorious git mentioned in the West Coast of Ireland lament "Bean Pháidín") - was it ever thus...

Ireland's PLANXTY - Discography 1972 to 1976:

SINGLE: 

"Cliffs Of Dooneen" b/w "Yarmouth Town"

December 1972 Ireland-Only 45-Single on Polydor 2078 023

ALBUMS: 

"Planxty" – February 1973 UK debut vinyl album on Polydor Records 2383 186

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79009, released 25 October 1990 originally with no Barcode, reissued 1 March 2000 with Barcode 016351790927

Master at CMS Digital in California

"The Well Below The Valley" - December 1973 UK second studio album on Polydor Records 2383 232

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79010, 1988 originally and 1 March 2001 with Barcode 016351791023

Bill Giolando Master at CMS Digital in California

"Cold Blow And The Rainy Night" - October 1974 UK third studio album on Polydor Records 2383 301

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79011, 6 November 1989 original release date, then with Barcode 016351791122 and 2002 Copyright date on disc itself

"The Planxty Collection" - August 1976 UK Compilation LP on Polydor Records 2383 397 - features tracks from all three albums above plus the rare Mono "Cliffs Of Dooneen" Irish-only single A-side. Both sides of the single appear on the 1977 Irish LP "A Feast Of Irish Folk" on Polydor 2475 605. CD Reissue on Shanachie SH 79012, 12 December 1989, No barcode originally, then Barcode 016351791221

"The Bothy Band" by THE BOTHY BAND - March 1976 UK Debut Album on Polydor Records (Mulligan Records in Ireland with Three Different Rear Sleeves) - Featuring Donal Lunny, Matt Molloy, Tommy Peoples and Paddy Keenan, Michael and Triona O'Donnell] (1990s Mulligan CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Do You Love A Laddie With Curly Brown Hair?" 

Taking their name from the ramshackle homes of migrant workers (they were called 'bothies') and the traditional music groups that sprang up from them – as a Dubliner who lived through it - I loved THE BOTHY BAND then and have done with a passion all of my life. But a bit of history is needed to fully review the impact of their arrival and especially their magical first platter "The Bothy Band" aka "The Bothy Band 1975" or just "1975" because of the photos on the front cover (it's actually credited as "The Bothy Band" on the label and spine so that's its official title).

When their properly Traditional debut album hit the streets of the UK in March 1976 on Polydor Super 2383 379 (reissued by Mulligan in June 1976) - Irish Folk music was often mired in horrible pro-Nationalist rhetoric and the bloodshed that followed it. Sure we had Planxty with Christy Moore (who were also wonderful and on Polydor Records) and Clannad and the boozy shenanigans of The Dubliners and the crossover Folk-Rock of Horslips and The Woods Band - but little else we young Irish with half a brain wanted to hear. THE BOTHY BAND changed all of that. They brought the 'Tradition' back into the Traditional. And in the live environment, they were utterly magical too. 

First up there were six in THE BOTHY BAND...

MICHAEL O'DOMHNAILL (Michael O'Donnell) - Guitar and Lead Vocals

TRIONA NI DHOMHNAILL (Triona O'Donnell) - Harpsichord, Bodhran and Lead Vocals

DONAL LUNNY - Bouzouki and Vocals

MATT MALLOY - Flute and Whistle

TOMMY PEOPLES - Fiddle

PADDY KEENAN - Uilleann Pipes and Whistle

1. The Kesh Jig/Give Us A Drink Of Water/The Flower Of The Flock/Famous Ballymote – Instrumental [Side 1]

2. The Green Groves Of Erin/The Flowers Of The Red Hill - Instrumental

3. Do You Love An Apple? - Lead Vocals, Triona

4. Julia Delaney - Instrumental

5. Patsy Geary's/Coleman's Cross - Instrumental

6. Is Trua Nach Bhfuil Me In Eirinn - Lead Vocals, Michael

7. The Navvy On The Line/The Rainy Day - Instrumental

8. The Tar Road To Sligo/Paddy Clancy's - Instrumental [Side 2]

9. Martin Wynn's/The Longford Tinker

10. Pretty Peg/Craig's Pipes

11. Hector The Hero/The Laird Of Drumblaire (Strathspey & Reel)

12. The Traveller/The Humours Of Lissadel

13. The Butterfly

14. The Salamanca/The Banshee/The Sailor's Bonnet

Tracks 1 to 14 are their debut album "The Bothy Band" - released March 1976 in the UK on Polydor Super 2383 379 and May 1976 in Ireland on Mulligan Records LUN 002 (with three different rear sleeve photos).

The significance of the sheer number of bodies meant that The Bothy Band's rhythm section had an 'oomph' other four-piece Traditional Irish Folk groups like say Planxty simply didn't have. As the songs progressed - the combo of Triona's Harpsichord and Donal Lunny's Bouzouki would provide a backbeat that elevated the expert Fiddle playing of Tommy Peoples and the amazing pipes of Paddy Keenan. The power of this both in the studio and live would have audiences in raptures - clapping and feet-stomping. This musical set up is taken for granted now – but at the time it was kind of revolutionary (see You Tube footage of The Bothy Band doing The Green Groves of Erin and you will get the gist of what I'm saying). 

Throw in two deeply beautiful voices from the leads (brother and sister) - Triona singing "Do You Love An Apple" or Michael singing "Is Trua Nach Bhfuil Me In Eirinn" and the heartstrings would be tugged as well. Bands such as STOCKTON'S WING and DE DANAAN followed in their wake at the time and into the 90's and 00's with ALTAN, DERVISH and even Scotland's CAPERCAILLIE.

The 'Irish' CD I have is made in Austria and distributed by CM Distributions in Harrogate, North Yorkshire using the Mulligan Records logo and catalogue number Mulligan LUN CD 002 (Barcode 5016364300859) and is a straightforward transfer of the album (47:48 minutes) issued in the 1990s. Outside of the musician credits that came with the original LP - there's absolutely zero info on the gatefold slip of paper that acts as an inlay - essentially an advert for other CM Distribution titles. There are no mastering credits of any kind but the AUDIO IS GREAT - full and lively. There's a wonderful vitality to the disc. I know there's a Shanachie Records reissue of the album out of the States but I can't comment on it as I don't own a copy.

Of all the 14 songs - each was a Traditional Irish air arranged by the group - and most unknown to us. These were musicians in their late 20s when they formed - steeped in Irish Folk - expert players - giving us jigs, reels, pipe solos and following the instrumental dexterity with vocal ballads full of fun - songs about love and longing. I can remember being in The National Stadium in Dublin when Triona sang "...before I got married I wore a black shawl...but since I got married...I wore bugger all...but still I love him...I can't deny him...I'll be with him wherever he goes..." in "Do You Love An Apple". The men laughed but the women shed a tear because they knew the woman's voice and heart (too damned true). 

Triona would then make us laugh with "Pretty Peg" where a frisky girl has "...a boy in her bed..." with her mum downstairs - prayer book in hand - praying for the doubtful soul of her lusty daughter. The lyrical craic then segues into Paddy Keenan and Tommy Peoples doing a Pipes/Fiddle double that romps it home. I can also remember feeling an 'Irish' awakening at the time - this was music we could be proud of off. I even had "The Bothy Band" sewn onto the back of my Wrangler shirt by a girlfriend of mine in beautiful gold and green Irish calligraphy - it was the envy of many and I got asked to sell it a hundred times over (wore out after too many washes).

Of the jigs and reels the opening "Kesh Jig" ensemble is fantastic stuff and if you've heard the posthumous live BBC set - you'll know that Paddy Keenan's pipe playing on "Patsy Geary's..." would bring the house down. I don't know how many notes he hit in three minutes but I wouldn't like to count them. The Harpsichord is used to fabulous effect on "The Butterfly" lending the song an English madrigal feel. Other highlights include "Pretty Peg" and the builder "Julia Delaney" - an instrumental that would convert even the doubter. In fact, "The Kesh Jig..." Medley appears as an entry for exemplary Irish Folk Music on the 2002 Topic Records 4CD Box set "The Acoustic Folk Box" - all tracks Remastered by Denis Blackham at Skye Mastering in Scotland (see separate review). 

MULLIGAN Records and THE BOTHY BAND. 

DONAL LUNNY (who'd been with Planxty) formed Mulligan Records in Ireland in 1975 releasing important albums like Paul Brady's brilliant "Welcome Here Kind Stranger" from September 1978 as well as Rock acts like Scullion (Sonny Condell from Tir na n'Og with Phillip King and Greg Boland)), Matt Malloy's debut solo LP, pre Scullion Irish band Supply Demand And Curve (with guitarist Greg Boland), Gay and Terry Woods, Freddie White and even Irish punk band The Vipers. But Mulligan Records was primarily about Irish Folk and gave voice to Mick Hanley, Kevin Burke, Jim Crowley, Andy Irvine, Matt Molloy, Liam Weldon, Dolores Keane and Christy Moore's brother Barry Moore (know as Luka Bloom now) whose "Treaty Stone" LP from September 1978 is one of the most beautiful Irish Folk-Rock LPs I've ever heard. Lunny would also have involvement with U2 and Windmill Lane Studios and remains a leading light in Irish music to this day. 

Irish Pressings of Bothy Band albums were usually on Mulligan Records with the circled 'p' before the date that normally denotes a 'Made In The Republic of Ireland' pressing. You can see from a discography that I've provided below – they were usually issued 'after' the Polydor pressings in England and I've provided those British release dates from a rare 'Fifth Anniversary Special Presentation Copy' of the Music Master Catalogue of 1979 (hardback). It's one of the few places where you can get accurate release dates for the mid Seventies onwards. 

A little known ditty is that the Irish album covers of "The Bothy Band" on Mulligan Records also featured three different rear photos in black and white – the shots missing from the photo-album depicted on the front sleeve. So one variant has Michael and Paddy (Top Left), another has Triona and Matt (Top Right) whilst the most commonly seen one has Donal and Tommy (Bottom Left) which is also the one used on the March 1976 British release. It is also often cited as first available 1975 on Vinyl and Cassette - but with cover photos dated early November 1975 (copyright date too) - it is more likely that 1976 is the true release date.

The Mulligan CDs usually all use those reissue catalogue numbers LUN CD 002 and LUN CD 007 etc.  There isn't any CD anywhere that tells you this nor did they use the three different photo rears. And as I say, they lazily call it "1975" because that is what is on the front cover or it suits them - leading to confusion over the release date of the LP (didn't arrive until March 1976). 

"The Bothy Band" debut has been reissued any number of times on Mulligan CDs with the same catalogue number – 1990, 1998, 2011 – it's hard to get any accuracy on exact dates and it seems they want it that way. There is also a Compass Records (USA) CD variant from 2008 on Mulligan LUNCD 3002 (use Barcode 766397300221 to locate it) that is readily available on Amazon. None give mastering credits. 

As for The Bothys music - hell even a dance band sampled the entirely Acapella 'mouth music' vocal racehorse that is "Fionnaghula" on their second album "Old Hag You Have Killed Me" from October 1976. If they reformed – many would come running from wide and afar...

"The Bothy Band" is a great album and a forgotten masterpiece of the Irish Folk genre minus any of its more dubious politics. They went on to make two more studio LPs and one cracking live album (see list below) – but my heart will always be with this brilliant opening salvo.

"...Do you love an apple...do you love a pear..." – they sang nigh on 50 years ago.

Indeed I do and I suggest (in the best possible taste of course) you get rightly fruity with them too...

THE BOTHY BAND Discography on LP and CD

1. The Bothy Band

March 1976 UK LP on Polydor Super 2383 379, reissued May 1976 on Mulligan LUN 002 - Mulligan LUN CD OO2 (Barcode 5016364300859)

2. Old Hag You Have Killed Me

October 1976 UK LP on Polydor Super 2383 417, reissued November 1976 on Mulligan LUN 007 - Mulligan LUN CD 007 (Barcode 5016364300774)

3. Out Of The Wind, Into The Sun

October 1977 UK LP on Polydor Super 2383 456, reissued September 1978 on Mulligan LUN 013 - Mulligan LUN CD 013 (Barcode 5098990120803)

4. Afterhours – Recorded Live In Paris

February 1979 UK LP on Polydor Super 2383 530 (with insert), reissued March 1979 on Mulligan LUN 030 - Mulligan LUN CD 030 (Barcode 5098990120902)

5. The Best Of The Bothy Band

September 1980 UK LP on Polydor Super 2383 583, reissued August 1986 on Mulligan LUN 041 - Mulligan LUN CD 041 (Barcode 5098990121008)

6. Live In Concert (Recorded in London in 1976 and 1978)

May 1994 CD-only compilation on Windsong International WINCD 060 (Barcode 5018766943061)

“I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.” by SINEAD O’CONNOR. A Review of the Limited Edition April 2009 2CD Reissue of her 1990 Number 1 Album.

"…God Grant Me The Serenity To Accept The Things I Cannot Change…Courage To Change The Things I Can…"

There's a lot on here - and not on here - so let's get to the details...

The 10 tracks of Disc 1 (51:13 minutes) are the LP "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." originally released on Ensign Records CHEN 14 in March 1990 in the UK and Ensign 21759 in the USA (it reached Number 1 on the charts in both countries). Produced by Sinead and Nellie Hooper and Engineered by Chris Birkett, unfortunately the original CD was always a lacklustre affair sound-wise - but this April 2009 Limited Edition 2CD remaster by ADAM NUNN at Abbey Road Studios is 'so' much better - warm and clear - and huge in places.

Listening to the now upfront drums and bass of "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" is wonderful (Steve Wickham of The Waterboys plays Fiddle on it). The very quiet "Three Babies" is now beautiful too - the strings arranged by Sinead and Nick Ingman acting as a powerful backdrop to the melody - her vocals emotional and real. "The Emperor's New Clothes" features ANDY ROURKE of THE SMITHS on Bass (he's also on "You Cause As Much Sorrow") with blistering guitar work from MARCO PIRRONI of Adam Ant's backing band - it's a punky little number that still rocks. "Black Boys On Mopeds" was arranged by KARL WALLINGER of WORLD PARTY (ex Waterboys) and ends Side 1 of the original LP in acoustic style - the remaster bringing out its quiet power and heartfelt lyrics about "...police who kill black boys on mopeds..."

The opener of Side 2 - Prince's stunning "Nothing Compares 2 U" changed her life. I remember the video to this day - like a fist in the solar plexus - and here it still has that same visceral punch - great stuff and an undeniable masterpiece. Pirroni co-wrote "Jump In The River" and while it rocks, it suffers a little from too much clever-clever production that now sounds a little dated. No such problems though with the spiked "You Cause As Much Sorrow" - it sounds fantastic now - huge when the band kicks in after the acoustic opening - and the album finisher is the same - drenched echoed vocals...

The packaging is only ok. As you open the digipak your met with the photo and the "God's place..." quote that centred the inner sleeve of the original LP - it was of the Roach family standing by a photo placard of their murdered son Colin, but some twat has reversed the way it faced so now spells their boy's name backwards - sloppy. The booklet isn't any great shakes either - it's a paltry 8-pages - there is new notes by JOHN REYNOLDS her drummer and flatmate of the time - his reminiscences are interesting and informative. There are session details for the album and the extras - and on the rear page there's reproductions of the pictures sleeves from the six singles that came off and surrounded the album. Better is the truly lovely photos of Sinead - the one that fronts the inlay in particular is a contender for the most beautiful woman in the world category - exquisite. There's more under the see-through trays that house each CD. But neither the digipak nor the inlay reproduce the lyrics that came with the original LP inner and CD booklet, which is again really slapdash because her words have always been brave and true and sometimes uncomfortable - they should be here, but they're not...

The "Bonus Disc" (46:23 minutes) opens with a genuine sensation - one of two album outtakes and they're both cover versions. "Night Nurse" is a Gregory Isaacs song - it's a funky reggae version given a Sly and Robbie groove - it had customers come to the counter in our shop asking who it was... The second is a big-guitars version of John Lennon's underrated "Mind Games" from his album of the same name (1974). It's excellent. Speaking of womanly excellence, Etta James had put out a great return-to-form album on Island Records in 1989 called "Seven Year Itch" - from it Sinead took "Damn Your Eyes" written by Steve Bogard and Barbara Wyrick and it became a non-album B-side to "Three Babies" in October 1990 - it's rare on CD and is a genuine bonus in remastered sound here.

"My Special Child" was released as a stand-alone single around the album in May 1991 (it was in aid of "The Simple Truth" foundation trying to help Kurdish refugees) - it's gorgeous and features LIAM O'FLYNN of THE CHIEFTAINS on Uillean Pipes with DONAL LUNNY of PLANXTY and THE BOTHY BAND arranging the strings of THE IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. But even more lovely is the non-album "Silent Night" - it was released as a single in December 1991, but this is the "Long Version" from "The Ghosts Of Oxford Street" soundtrack of the same year - it's also produced by and features PETER GABRIEL on Keyboards. Previously unreleased or not, the two final live tracks are badly recorded and are disappointing - and as you can see from the playing time, there were plenty of room for other 12"/CD single tracks - the "Live Video Version" of "Nothing Compares 2 U" - or the "Night Until Morning Dub/Earthapella" mix of "I Am Stretched..." with the sample of The Smiths "How Soon Is Now" guitar part - or the excellent "Value Of Ignorance" non-album track from the CD single of "Three Babies"...

So there you have it - an album that still stands the test of time - now given a great sonic upgrade and a bonus disc with some half-decent nuggets on it. And even if the packaging is a little lacklustre and the bonuses not fleshed out enough - it's still a thoroughly recommended purchase.

Sinead O'Connor has always been beautiful and brave - inside and out - and here's where that searcher of spirit really started her journey...