Staa
Comprising guitar, harp, viola and violin with four-part singing in Manx Gaelic, Staa play both traditional and self composed music.
‘Staa’, according to Kelly’s 1780 Manx Grammar, means ‘a band of three men making a hedge together – two of them cutting the sod, and one lifting.’ It also translates, more easily, as ‘a work party’.
Line-up
Hillary Gale – viola and vocals
Grainne Joughin – violin and vocals
Greg Joughin – guitar and vocals and percussion
Caly Roberts – harp and vocals
Staa - Arrane Saveenagh
A lullaby collected by Mona Douglas from Mrs Shimmin of Foxdale.
Staa - She Lhong Honnick Mee
A ship I did see sailing, With me alone on the shore… This sad love song is written from a woman’s perspective, telling of how fine both her man and his boat are, but desperately wishing that he would choose her over the sea.
