Amhrán Na Farraige
Item
Title
Amhrán Na Farraige
Description
"“Amhrán Na Farraige” was featured in the original motion picture soundtrack, Song of the Sea. It is sung by Lisa Hannigan and composed by Bruno Coulais in Irish Gaelic.
Song of the Sea is an animated film that explores the longing, searching, and complexities of love as Ben and his sister, Saoirse, are caught between different elements: the land and the sea. Ben is a young boy who lives on an island with his father, a lighthouse keeper, and his pregnant mother. However, once his mother gives birth to his little sister Saoirse, she disappears and leaves the family behind. As a result, Ben resents his sister since her appearance is directly linked to his mother's disappearance. Their grandmother deems the lighthouse an unfit place to raise children and decides to relocate the children to the mainland. In doing so, their grandmother, Granny, removes the white sealskin coat given by the children's mother to their father, which also strips Saorise of her selkie abilities. On the way to Granny's house, they are attacked by Macha's (Goddess of War) owls and Saorise gets kidnapped. In Ben's journey to find Saorise and return her to her seal coat, he stumbles upon a holy well. Here he learns that his mother's departure is due to her selkie nature and not a result of his sister's birth. Now fueled by a newfound love for Saorise, Ben battles the elements to defeat Macha and save his sister from her death.
Throughout this song, the repetition of the phrase ""Amhrán na farraige,"" also known as the Song of the Sea, emphasizes the symbolic significance that the sea holds. The sea is home to both tranquility and restlessness which is reflected in Ben's desire for a sense of peace and connection as he grapples with his relationship with his sister and acceptance of grief and loss.
Song of the Sea is an animated film that explores the longing, searching, and complexities of love as Ben and his sister, Saoirse, are caught between different elements: the land and the sea. Ben is a young boy who lives on an island with his father, a lighthouse keeper, and his pregnant mother. However, once his mother gives birth to his little sister Saoirse, she disappears and leaves the family behind. As a result, Ben resents his sister since her appearance is directly linked to his mother's disappearance. Their grandmother deems the lighthouse an unfit place to raise children and decides to relocate the children to the mainland. In doing so, their grandmother, Granny, removes the white sealskin coat given by the children's mother to their father, which also strips Saorise of her selkie abilities. On the way to Granny's house, they are attacked by Macha's (Goddess of War) owls and Saorise gets kidnapped. In Ben's journey to find Saorise and return her to her seal coat, he stumbles upon a holy well. Here he learns that his mother's departure is due to her selkie nature and not a result of his sister's birth. Now fueled by a newfound love for Saorise, Ben battles the elements to defeat Macha and save his sister from her death.
Throughout this song, the repetition of the phrase ""Amhrán na farraige,"" also known as the Song of the Sea, emphasizes the symbolic significance that the sea holds. The sea is home to both tranquility and restlessness which is reflected in Ben's desire for a sense of peace and connection as he grapples with his relationship with his sister and acceptance of grief and loss.
Date
12/19/2014
Medium
Audio
