Oisin & Conal Hernon: Up and Coming

OISIN & CONAL HERNON: UP AND COMING

Oisin Hernon: accordion, tinwhistle

Conal Hernon: banjo

Orna Hernon: bodhran

Marion Hernon: vocals

Michael Craven: melodeon

Carl Hession: piano

Mick Conneely: bouzouki

Eugene Killen: synthesizer

Brothers Oisin (accordion, whistle) and Conal (banjo) Hernon, respectively 16 and 13 years of age, are two prodigies from the Aran Islands who have six All-Ireland titles (the family has seventeen altogether) and many more medals to their credit. Their mother Marion, who sings on track 6, is also a past All-Ireland winner as a box player as well as a singer, and their grandfather Michael Craven who plays on a cuple of solo tracks, is a fine melodeon player. Together as well as individually, the brothers play with great confidence and musical sense, tackling equally well standards of the session repertoire and more obscure and difficult tunes composed by the likes of Richard Dwyer, Paddy O’Brien, and themselves. This is really impressive playing by two musicians whom we are likely to hear from again.

Rating: ****

Price: $27.99