words by Mary Branley, music composed by Cliodhna Quinlan, performed by Cliodhna Quinlan violin, Marrk Murphy piano, Mary Branley voice

a pinch of snow in a black velvet glove

A pinch of snow in a black velvet glove

Electronic musings on a conversation I had forgotten

Doors closing

Fragments - 001

Words Libby Hart
Music Cliodhnaq

Poem 'Wind' from her latest release 'Burn' 2022 Lepus Print

Wind
Those old sighing gods.
The pollen hustlers 
and cloud bringers, the roof tuggers 
and leaf-whisperers
Each night-haunter and rain-charmer
The dust-deliverers and thunder-harbingers.
Widowmakers. Fretgivers.
Snowdrifters.
All of those rumored or half-remembered swirlers.
Reloaded rippers.
Appearing or disappearing at will.
Uncontainable and liminal mystics, this enumeration of winds.
This roll call of all.
Each powerhouse.

Wind

an excerpt from our soundtrack to 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. Constructed from church bells. I used a lot of bells through the soundtrack because they were so prevalent in the story and a big part of the book. This part is where Esme is in prison.

Hunchback Excerpt

from our soundtrack to the silent film 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. I researched early music when I was composing the soundtrack and used this french drinking song during some party scenes.

Tourdion - 001

A track from our soundtrack to 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. A silent film from the 1920's. Words from the book by Victor Hugo. They are a song that Esmerelda sings on her walk home through the streets of Paris. The street names are also from the book. 
Music Cliodhna Quinlan
Performed Piano Mark Murphy
Vocals Mandi Frankham and Zoe Basha
Voices Sophie and Ellie

A Bird Is My Mother - 002

I sampled my cats purr and got this awesome rhythm. The tune arrived while I was jamming over the purr....

Cat Engine

Sitting out the storm (with Mark Murphy on keyboard)

Sweeping 1 and 2
Words Mary Branley
Music composed by Cliodhna Quinlan
Arranged by Cliodhna Quinlan and Mark Murphy
Performed 
Cliodhna Quinlan Violin
Mark Murphy piano
Mandi Frankham singer
Mary Branley Voice

Sweeping 1 & 2 Demo

A Fisherman saves a flounder who promises to make his life much better if he doesn't kill him. a moral about not being happy with what you have! 
The sea gets rougher and rougher each time he goes back.
From a Grimms Brothers story, The Fisherman and his Wife. 
I really want to know now what happened to the flounder after this story. He was an enchanted prince.... does he ever get free?

Flounder Flounder

Grandmother says to the Wolf
Go, and fetch my Granddaughter here by the secret ways of the forest.
I will, says the Wolf.
But, she added, be careful
The moon is full, the hunter is out, he will take her for himself
Do not let him see her

Red Riding Hood

Lazy Sunday

'I am one fire'
 ...a collaboration between musician and composer Cliodhna Quinlan and poet Libby Hart. 

Words: Libby Hart from her poem 'Meet me in the Love Burned Orchard'
Composition and Performance: Cliodhna Quinlan

The words in this sound-piece are a reworking of Libby's poem 'Meet me in the Love Burned Orchard'. This poem is itself a reworking of words and images and a homage to writers that have inspired her. Each line is repeated from the beginning with one more sentence added on at the end so the poem becomes longer and longer with each retelling. This stretches the story, gives each moment its chance to inhabit its own space and gives the listener a little piece of new information each time. This reflects relationships in real life, they go slowly and grow a little bit each day. We repeat the same stories to each other with a little more information added on as we get to know and trust the 'other' in our lives. 


Cliodhna Quinlan works with words from poetry and prose and uses them as a starting point for a reimagining and a reworking with sounds from her environment and rhythms. She is the songwriter for the alt-folk band GreenBirdFlying. They released their first album last year. 

Libby Hart libbyhartpoet.com is an multi-award winning Australian poet. She lives between Australia and Maugherow, Co Sligo. Her latest release 'Burn' (from which the poem used in this piece was taken) has been shortlisted for the prestigious Kenneth Slessor Prize which is New South Wales premier Literary Award. 

The words used in 'I am one fire' are taken from the poem 'Meet Me in the Love-Burned Orchard'. This cento arrangement by Libby Hart cites the work of Cynthia Cruz (poem title), Hala Alyan, Louise Erdrich, Anne Michaels, Charles Wright, Cecilia Llompart, and Mary Ruefle, respectively. 'Meet Me in the Love-Burned Orchard' appears in Libby Hart's poetry collection, Burn (Lepus Print, Ballinful, 2022). For more details, please refer to www.lepusprint.com.

I Am One Fire

Founder member and songwriter for GreenBirdFlying which is my alt folk trio making new and original folk songs in collaboration with poets both long dead and still alive! 
Soundcloud is the home for the experimental side of my wanderings

Cliodhnaq

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