''Macalla'' is a 1985 musical album by the Irish

folk group Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has bee ...

Clannad Clannad () were an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings , and (Moya) (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginn ...

. It is their ninth album and is known for the duet between Clannad's singer

Moya Brennan Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing pr ...

and U2 vocalist

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...

on the single "

In a Lifetime "In a Lifetime" is a pop song performed by Irish artists Clannad and Bono. It was written by brothers Pól Brennan and Ciarán Brennan and produced by Steve Nye. The single was released in January 1986, and was the third single to be releas ...

". An alternate version of the album's first track, "Caisleán Óir", was used throughout the third ''

Robin of Sherwood ''Robin of Sherwood'' is a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 28 April 1984 to 28 June 1986 on the ITV network. In th ...

'' series. The album's title is Irish for "echo". Two of its songs are sung entirely in Irish: "Caisleán Óir", which translates as "golden castle", and "Buachaill Ón Éirne", which means "shepherd from the Erne".

Track listing

# "Caisleán Óir" (Ciarán Brennan, Máire Brennan) – 2:06 # "The Wild Cry" (Pól Brennan) – 4:41 # " Closer to Your Heart" (C. Brennan) – 3:29 # "

" (a duet with

) (C. Brennan, P. Brennan) – 3:08 # "

Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn) "Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn)" is a 1985 single by Irish group Clannad. It is the second single from their album '' Macalla''. The song was used as the official ''Children in Need ''BBC Children in Need'' is the BBC's UK Charitable organ ...

" (P. Brennan) – 4:51 # "Indoor" (P. Brennan) – 3:53 # "Buachaill Ón Éirne" (Traditional) – 3:08 # "Blackstairs" (P. Brennan) – 4:15 # "Journey's End" (Noel Duggan, Pádraig Duggan) – 2:42 # "Northern Skyline" (C. Brennan, P. Brennan) – 4:58 # "Caisleán Óir (Planet Heaven Mix)" – 7:04 (bonus track available only on 2003 Deluxe Edition)

Charts

Singles

# " Closer to Your Heart" (September 1985) # "

" (November 1985) # "

" (January 1986)

Personnel

Band

* Ciarán Ó Braonáin – bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals * Máire Ní Bhronáin – vocals, harp * Pól Ó Braonáin – flute, guitar, percussion, vocals * Noel Ó Dúgáin – guitar, vocals * Pádraig Ó Dúgáin – guitar, mandolin, vocals

Additional Musicians

– vocals *

Mel Collins Melvyn Desmond Collins (born 5 September 1947, Isle of Man) is a British saxophonist, flautist and session musician. Collins has played in several progressive rock groups, having been a member of King Crimson on two occasions (the first from ...

– saxophone * Danny Cummings – percussion * James Delaney – keyboards, synthesizer * Anto Drennan – guitar, electric guitar * Paul Moran – drums *

Steve Nye Steve Nye is an English music producer for several artists. Career Nye started out as a tape op at AIR Studios in London in 1971, where producer Rupert Hine discovered him. There he got into engineering (and later producing) many well-known ...

– keyboards

Production

* Steve Nye – producer * Louis Austin – engineer * Justin Birt – assistant engineer * Ron Kurz – engineer * Martin Pearson – assistant engineer * Kevin Maloney – engineer * John Grimes – assistant engineer * Kevin Metcalfe – mastering *

Anton Corbijn Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard (; born 20 May 1955) is a Dutch photographer, film director, and music video director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2,Pitman, Joanna"The silent partner" ...

– photography *

Jill Furmanovsky Jill Furmanovsky (born 1953) is a British photographer who has specialised in documenting rock musicians. Life and work Born in Southern Rhodesia, Furmanovsky emigrated with her parents - her father subsequently worked at an architecture prac ...

– photography

Additional information

* Engineered by Martin Pearson and Ron Kurz (Power Play Studio) * Engineered by Louis Austin (Ridge Farm Studio), Assistant engineer - Justin Birt * Engineered by Kevin Maloney (Windmill Lane Studio), Assistant engineer - John Grimes * Mixed at Windmill Lane Studio * Mastered at Townhouse Studios by Kevin Metcalfe * Sleeve direction by Mainartery * Photography -

* Clannad photography by

References

External links

Album Northern Skyline
{{Authority control 1985 albums Clannad albums Albums produced by Steve Nye RCA Records albums