Roscommon based singer songwriter Angela Gavigan, is an avid fan of the written word and writes poetry and song in her own unique style. In 2020, she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Creativity and Cultural Entrepreneurship at Trinity College and has since honed her songwriting skills through workshops and masterclasses given by John Spillane, Wallis Bird, Gráinne Hunt and Emma Langford. Angela’s musical influences are John Spillane, Christy Moore, Dolores Keane, Niamh Parsons, Eddi Reader and June Tabor. At a songwriting workshop given by John Spillane at Listowel Writers Week in 2018, Angela wrote Hills & Hollows and Winged One. John and Angela subsequently recorded 3 of Angela’s compositions – Hills & Hollows, Riversong and Seventeen Sycamores, all of which feature on her debut EP, Hills & Hollows. John provides accompaniment on guitar, with Dave Murphy on piano and Nigel Grufferty on violin. The EP was produced by John Spillane and recently released worldwide. Her work is inspired by nature, folklore and spirituality as well as by the everyday events which mark and shape our days.
This is a song that I wrote in praise of the tree. Specifically, it refers to the long line of mature sycamore trees in front of the house where I grew up and which towered over me throughout my childhood. They were then, and still are a very unique feature in our local landscape – they were a very deliberate planting associated with Hollywell House.
I was inspired to write this at a time when there was significant deforestation occurring across the globe, but in particular, in the Amazon Rainforest. As they produce the air that we breathe, our reliance on trees is absolute.
“A stunningly beautiful song. A chestnut of a song. It deserves and has to be released out into the world. It should be the first track on the EP. I am so delighted to be near this song, it brings a very warm feeling, I love it.” – John Spillane
“I’m taken in by the singing, the accent of the delivery, it’s a beautiful ballad. I’ll be listening again.” – Christy Moore
