Limerick musicians mark Brigid's Day with enchanting track 

MUSICIAN Enda Gallery has joined forces with songwriter Susan Quirke to mark St Brigid’s Day with an enchanting track.

The pair met in Enda’s studio in Kilfenora, Co Clare to record ‘Ó a Bhríd – Ode to Brigid’, a song described as an “Irish language meditative mantra” they co-created in recent weeks.

The 11-minute track was commissioned by the Herstory Education Trust as part of their series of celebrations marking Brigid’s Day.

Herstory, a movement showcasing and celebrating modern, historic and mythic women, previously spearheaded the successful campaign to make Brigid’s Day Ireland’s new public holiday.

Oola native Susan Quirke is also a meditation teacher and recently returned home from touring Australia with Xavier Rudd. 

Speaking of the song, she said: “Brigid for me represents the power of feminine healing, poetry, truth, and justice, part of an ancient Irish indigenous spirituality, one that celebrates the earth, and each other. With this track we wanted to honour the spirit of Brigid and the Celtic season of Imbolg, the coming of spring, and to honour the land of County Clare and its connection with Brigid. 

“We recorded the sound of the water pouring from St. Brigid’s well in Liscannor, to bring the soundscape of Clare into the fabric of the song itself. This is a gentle and simple song that brings the elements of Brigid’s symbolism, such as fire, water, and the oak tree, into its mantra-like quality. It was a joy to create and record.”

The track also marks Susan’s first new track since her debut album Into the Sea was released in 2021. Her album received critical acclaim from the likes of the BBC, RTÉ, and Hot Press. Since then, she has been based between Ireland and Australia, where she is focused on teaching meditation.

Enda Gallery is a fellow meditator and also someone with many strings to his bow. His 2021 debut album ‘The Journey to Zero’ earned him RTÉ Radio 1's Album of the Week, and ‘It's Alright’ featuring on the hit series Normal People. Fresh from three recent American tours, Enda is now busy working on his much anticipated second album.

Speaking about the new track Ó a Bhríd – Ode to Brigid Enda said: "Our collaboration reflects the sacred balance of the masculine and feminine and the power of unity in creating meaningful art.”