John Tunney SINGER | SONGWRITER | HERITAGE LECTURER/RESEARCHER
From Left to Right: Maura, Brigid, Conall, Michael, John, Paddy & Cathal
The Immigrant is dedicated to the memory of Conor O’ Donnell, a student of Heritage Studies in GMIT, who died tragically a few years ago. All profits from the sale of this CD, and of any associated electronic downloads will go to the mental health charity AWARE.
Rita Gallagher (TG4 Traditional Singer of the Year, 2017)
'John Tunney's new, long-awaited album The Immigrant: A Stone on the Cairn of Tradition, is a treasure trove collection of 18 songs and one poem, a stunning mix that includes four new compositions from John and three from the late Paddy Tunney, along with some of the most well known and familiar 'Tunney songs'... The CD is a wonderful weave of songs that traverse Ireland and beyond... There's a beautifully lyrical translation of 'Tá mé in mo shuí'/'I am awake' from Paddy's pen, reminiscent of his equally glorious 'An Mhaighdean Mhara'/'The Mermaid'... Another standout track is 'Hybrasil', Paddy's ode and love poem to his wife Sheila, which John sings so beautifully on the CD, so that, in his own words "Ma and Da could in some sense be with us on the album." What more fitting tribute could a son pay to his much loved parents?'
Prof. Lillis Ó Laoire (TG4 Traditional Singer of the Year, 2020)
'John Tunney's wonderful soundscapes present old verses and new with deep characteristic conviction, also availing of other Tunney voices... These songs [on The Immigrant] send resonances of a rich past echoing into the future.'
Colm Keating (Photographer)
'This CD is a gem! Everything about it is well thought out and of the highest quality... I loved the placement of 'The Mountain Streams where the Moorcocks Crow', with all the Family at number 10, bang in the middle!... Every detail of the CD in terms of sound, design, perfect production of old and new photos, a veritable book masquerading as "liner notes" is spot on... Undoubtedly, this is a Huge Stone atop a Huge Cairn!... This is a treasure from the first family of traditional singing... Well done to all the Tunneys!'
Dr Anne Byrne (Sociologist)
'[The Immigrant] is a formidable project accomplished with fine songs, a poem and sympathetic singers who transpose the listener to the time, place and emotion of the song... The track 'The Immigrant', evocative of our recent history, is exceptional and I hope the public far and wide will listen to it closely and understand – John nailed it for sure. It is a significant counter narrative to the Irish emigrant story... I don’t know if there is anything quite like it out there in the traditional singing mode – nor in any other kind of music indeed. The entire album is exceptional.'