The Irish musical tradition is an exceptionally rich one and within that tradition there also exists a strong strain of protest music. It’s a rare Irish folk group which does not incorporate at least one or two of the rebel songs into an evening’s performance, though some of the groups favor the earlier songs which have the advantage of being both better known and less controversial since they deal with past events. The Battering Ram is a group of four young men who don’t hesitate to sing and speak their feelings about current political events in Ireland.
Declan Hunt, Johnny Beggan and Seamus Walker all come from Dublin and form the core of the group. In Ireland they have recorded a set of seven albums for Billy McBurney’s Outlet Records, leading producers of Irish rebel recordings. (McBurney was recently shot, wounded and temporarily placed in an internment camp , by British troops.) Clive Collins of Birmingham, England, joined the group and has been playing with them for several months now. The four are all excellent instrumentalists and, as is evident from the songs on this album, powerful yet sensitive singers as well. The songs range in date from 1798 right up to the past year or two, and we think they comprise the best recording of Irish rebel music available on album today. Unlike many interpretations of rebel songs, these are delivered with the excitement of experience and conviction. Full text and notes to the songs are enclosed within.
