Thomas MacDonagh, the young poet who was one of the seven leaders of the 1916 Rising, came from Cloughjordan in Tipperary, the son of a Roscommon man and a Dublin woman who were the teachers in the National School there. He was a poet from an early age and a teacher all his life — first in Rockwell College in Cashel, then in colleges in Kilkenny and Cork, finally as a lecturer in University College Dublin.As an inspector for the Intermediate Board he travelled to schools all over Ireland, and after his work would cycle out through the countryside on his flashy Hudson bicycle, stopping to gaze with serious grey eyes and talk to everyone he met. He is remembered more for his tragic death before the guns of a British firing squad than for his life and poetry — this album compiled by Martin Butler of Cloughjordan with some of the world’s great musicians aims to correct that lack.

— Lucille Redmond ( Thomas MacDonagh’s Granddaughter )

Take a listen to the Woodlands Edge Promo

About the project.

I’m very excited to have finished this project with so many amazing musicians including the legendary Paddy Moloney from The Chieftains , Liam O’Maonlai from The Hothouse Flowers , Award Winning Actors Patrick Bergin & Aedín Moloney , Grammy nominees Aoife Clancy and Janine Randall and 5 All Ireland Winners Joey Abarta, Liam Hart , Torrin Ryan , Stuart Peak , Eamonn Dillon The very talented Aoife Scott , Monica Brennan Katie McD and a host of other wonderful artists including John and Colin Owens , Warren O’Reilly and Kurt Bacher with whom I’ve worked on on several projects with .

The album will also feature 4 family members of Irish Poet and Patriot Thomas MacDonagh . Thank you for your interest in this project which has been a labor of love for the past two years. Proceeds from the album will go to the Thomas MacDonagh Museum to help support the amazing amount of work they do promoting Irish culture and environmental awareness.

The Thomas MacDonagh Museum, Cloughjordan. Picture: ©Turlach MacDonagh2020

Track ListCD Liner NotesCredits & Contacts

Want One? Order One!

ORDER THIS LIMITED EDITION CD Featuring The Cover Art by Award Winning Irish Photographer Avril Glavin and Liner Notes by Award Winning Writer Lucille Redmond ( Granddaughter of Thomas MacDonagh)

Order form is HERE

$20 Each including S&H in USA
(Rest of The World add $8)

2 CDS $35 including S&H in USA
(Rest of The World add $10)

3 CDS $50 including S&H in USA
(Rest of The World add $10)

Limited Edition 11 x 17 Poster
and 2 CDs $50 including S&H in USA
( Rest of the world add $10)

Limited Edition 11 x 17 Poster $20
Each including S&H in USA
(Rest of The World add $8)
Only 250 will ever be produced

*Each artist and technical artist is listed on the poster