The Five plays in the cycle
At the Hawks Well
On Baile Strand
The Green Helmet
The Only Jealousy of Emer
The Death Of Cuchulain
New Paragraph
In 1996, Michael Scott created a full length production using the five plays about the ancient irish folklore hero Cuchulain by W. B Yeats.
The production took place at what was to become for a few years the RHA DOWNSTAIRS in the RHA GALLAGHER GALLERY in Dublin. The theatre space was the empty and mostly abandoned store and varnishing rooms of the Gallery.
In 1994, Michael Scott received a grant from the Irish Arts Council to explore "AT THE HAWKS WELL" by W.B. YEATS for a workshop. the aim was to create a musical score (with live traditional musicians) and a production style that opened the play to a modern audiences, who had begun distance themselves from Yeats, finding his plays "worthy and wordy" but devoid of emotional elements to which they could relate.
The workshop had a public showing and was deemed a great success. A grant two years later enabled further exportation and the gathering together of an ensemble who explored these fantastic plays together.
The production in November 1996 was an enormous success and was revived in dublin in 1997 and then toured to acclaim to the Riverside Studios London for two weeks.
The Music
The music from the production was recorded directly after the run of the production in a private studio in Sandymount in Dublin.
Liam Grant engineered and mixed it.
The music is available on all digital platforms to stream and purchase.
Musicians
The Music by Michael Scott from the Theatre production of The Cuchulain Cyle by W.B. Yeats, performed in Dublin and London
released February 9, 2021
Music Michael Scott
Lyrics W.B Yeats
Musical Arrangements Michael Scott
Harp
Cormac De Barra
Keyboards
Avril Ryan
Cello
Aengus O Connor
Fiddle
Cliodhna Quinlan
Percussion Squeaks & Noises
Rossa Ó Snodaigh
Whistle/Guitar/Bass
Ruairi De Barra
Vocals
Hazel O'Connor
Michael Scott
Andrea Edmunds
Aonghus McAnally
Christine Scarry
John Scott
Alexandria Sharpe
Bryan Smyth
Peter Vollebregt
Recorded at Sandymount Studios 1998
on ADAT
Recording Engineer Liam Grant
Cuchulainn - the Irish folklore hero
Cú Chulainn, sometimes known in English as Cuchulainn, is a warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father.
His mother is the mortal Deichtine, sister of king Conchobar mac Nessa.
Born Sétanta, he gained his better-known name as a child, after killing Culann's fierce guard dog in self defence and offering to take its place until a replacement could be reared, hence he became the "Hound (cú) of Culann".
He was trained in martial arts by Scáthach, who gave him the spear Gáe Bulg. It was prophesied that his great deeds would give him everlasting fame, but that his life would be short.
At the age of seventeen he defended Ulster single-handedly against the armies of queen Medbof Connacht in the famous Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley"). He is known for his terrifying battle frenzy (ríastrad), in which he becomes an unrecognisable monster who knows neither friend nor foe. He fights from his chariot, driven by his loyal charioteer Láeg and drawn by his horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend.
Cú Chulaimn's wife is Emer, although he has many other lovers and mistresses - which was considered a the right of a warrior hero .
With Aoife, the woman of the "shidh", who transformed herself into a "hawk" to lure Cuchulain (At the Hawks Well) he has a son named Connla, whom Cú Chulainn tragically kills(On Baile Strand) . Cú Chulainn himself is said to have died in battle, binding himself to a standing stone so he can die on his feet.(the Death of Cuchulain)
He later became an icon for Irish nationalists.
