The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
In a year which has had much darkness, the solstice felt particularly meaningful for me. I watched a live broadcast of first light penetrating the megalithic tomb of Newgrange, and woke up the next morning with this tune in my head! It had to be called ‘Válsa an Ghrianstad’ – literally, ‘the waltz of the sun-stop’.