RÓIS – MO LÉAN

MO LÉAN – RÓIS’ second album - is a remarkable testament to Connolly’s affecting artistry. Anchoring the album is a desire to recontextualise the occasion and celebration of death. Drawing from elements synonymous with the country’s DNA: traditional sean-nós tunes, the Irish language and the omnipresent toll of the Angelus – the church bells that ring three times a day – RÓIS carries them into the modern day with her unique approach to melody and production as well as her electrifying vocal performances. The album explores the Irish pagan tradition of caoineadh, or keening which was an integral part of the mourning process, during which veiled women gathered around the body to sing and howl. Taking place over several days, these wakes became joyously unruly sessions during which music, dance and storytelling emboldened the essence of the deceased as they began a new chapter in their life cycle. These traditions were suppressed as the Catholic Church decreed a total termination of all public lamentation.