Question of Taste: RTÉ broadcaster Ruth Smith on her favourite music and shows
Ruth Smith presents Simply Folk on Sundays on RTÉ Radio 1, and is co-host of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.
Ruth Smith is a performer, broadcaster and musician from Co Galway. She's a regular presenter on RTÉ Radio 1, and co-hosts the annual RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards with John Creedon. The 2021 awards take place at Vicar Street, Dublin, tonight [Tuesday], and can be heard on RTÉ 1 from 8pm. Televised highlights from the awards can be seen on RTÉ One on Saturday night.
The Enchanted Life by Sharon Blackie/ This book is underlined and earmarked and full of post-its. There’s so much in it. It’s not about fantasy or escapism but about living consciously in the every day, and Sharon steps through all the aspects of living and enchanted life; connection to place and belonging and how that can change throughout your life, the belief that place and home are as alive as we are, the reciprocity of nature and humans and the seasonality of how we move through the world. It’s a stunning book and one I’ll re-read many times I’m sure.
Summer of Soul, a documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival – with performances from Nina Simone, a very young Stevie Wonder, The Staple Sisters, Mahalia Jackson and Gladys Knight and the Pips. For me, Nina Simone’s performance is standout and it reflects the view that the documentary is "an incredible, vital act of restoration — and reclamation" of Black American history.
iGirl by Marina Carr and performed by Olwen Fouéré in the Abbey Theatre. An incredibly visceral and provocative piece of work. I’ve been reading through the play script since, picking out the sections that really moved me. Olwen’s performance was another level.
SÍOMHA in Monroes, Galway. Clare-based musician SÍOMHA has just released her first single (Spéir Rua) from her debut album Infinite Space, and is on a national tour this month. Her music is lush and complex and so beautifully produced that it just sweeps you up in its rapture. Cúpla amhrán i nGaeilge freisin, in a mix of jazz, folk and neo-soul.
In the Echo: Field Recordings from Earlsfort Terrace from Ergodos is 34 minutes of pure sonic beauty. For an older pick, Hejira from Joni Mitchell. From start to finish I throw it on when I need a bit of get up and go, or focus. The opening chords of Coyote is cue to move and by track 7, Black Crow, I’m flying!
Song of Bernadette, written by Jennifer Warnes, Leonard Cohen and Bill Elliot, and sung by Jennifer Warnes on her covers album, Famous Blue Raincoat. I heard this in my early teens listening to Late Date on Radio 1 and it felt like a spiritual experience, much like Bernadette in the song! It cut straight into my heart and made me feel at peace and inspired all at once.
Ah this is a tough one – but I’m going to go with nostalgia and way back to the mid-late 90’s and Kila in the Olympia. My mind was blown open that night watching this Irish band on stage with trapeze and circus artists, playing music that was tribal and traditional, of the world and of Ireland too. Up to that point music had been very carefully placed into genres for me, playing straight trad fiddle and even straighter classical piano. I bought their album Tóg É Go Bog É and immediately got to learning the Dusty Wine Bottle, the piece that really cast the spell on me from the live show.
The Planxty segue of ‘Raggle Taggle Gypsy’ into Tabhair Dom Do Lámh. I’d portal back to 1973 to the National Stadium in Dublin to hear it for myself, live, for the first time, surrounded by other people reacting with spontaneous excitement. Dónal, Andy, Liam & Christy and the ancient music of John Reilly & Ruidhri ‘Dall’Ó Catháin brought to a modern audience, a swell of pride and love of culture all in that musical moment.
I didn’t have a TV for over 10 years, preferring radio as a medium and then lockdown happened and we ended up buying a telly. The main reason was to watch Christmas At Home that I presented alongside Mary Kennedy on RTÉ One last year, it was a big thrill. Well, along with most of the country The Tommy Tiernan Show was a non-negotiable on the weekly timetable. TG4 have wonderful music, culture and environmental shows, An Bhoirinn / A Year in the Burren, Scéalta Grá na hÉireann and Sé mo Laoch have been stand out shows. Then of course there’s the box set binge shows. Ozark and Ted Lasso were two big hits for me and I’m currently hooked by Succession.
It’s music radio for me all the way – I find the divisiveness of too much talk radio to be hard on the soul! I love anything that has a curated, slow form and brings me on a journey. All the great music shows on Radio 1 along with Ellen Cranitch and John Kelly on LyricFM, ClareFM for the week night Trad on the West Wind. I listen to a lot of shows on Mixcloud, NTS and Dublin Digital Radio too.
As for podcasts – the list is endless. I love On Being, both the long form with Krista Tippett and Poetry Unbound with Pádraig Ó Tuama. My go-to music podcasts are Fire Draw Near from Ian Lynch and Make Me An Island from Dónal Dineen, Folk On Foot from Matthew Bannister, Basic Folk from Cindy Howes. I love Rachel Sermanni’s Finger That Points to the Moon podcast for her musings and insights into the creative process. For storytelling and folklore, Blúiríní Béaloidis, Tell Me a Story with Eddie Lenihan. I also love The Almanac of Ireland with Manchán Magan and The Shaking Bog Podcast. And finally for in-depth conversations I’ve been really enjoying The Family of Things with Helen Shaw and How to Fall Apart – Putting Herself on the Page series from Liadán Hynes. Ok I’ll stop there!
Singer and song collector Frank Harte. I adore his voice; it’s like a smile in a song. His wealth of songs and stories are a joy to listen to. Wallis Bird for her sheer energy and verve, her songwriting, her powerful voice and orchestral guitar. She gives her all in every performance. Ella Fitzgerald with Count Basie Big Band to top off the night. Ella’s voice is pure medicine to me and I’m fond of a bit of Lindy Hop so I’d definitely have a dance floor cleared for a swing out!
Peggy Seeger. I met her at the 2019 Folk Awards where she was presenting the Hall of Fame for Margaret Barry. She took one look at the dress I was wearing and said “I like your dress, can you leave it to me in your will!” I got to interview Peggy earlier this year for Simply Folk after the release of her album First Farewell and it was the most dynamic and inspiring conversation.
Where we’ve lived for the past four years in East Clare is a haven for biodiversity. I’ve learned a huge amount about how little we actually have to do with nature in order to let her thrive. The best gardening is none at all - flowers are just weeds with a marketing budget! So I’ve been planting flowers for pollinators, leaving the nettles, ivy, dandelions, moss and brambles do their thing and reading as much as I can about the re-wilding and reciprocity of earth, animal and human.
I asked an environmentalist friend of mine recently what I can do in terms of my choices and impact on climate and environment, rather than feel numbed by the overwhelm and he said, “Build Your Team”. Every single consumer choice you make, be sure to have researched the ethics and principles of that company, and start to build your team around you. Also being prepared so that you don’t have to make last-minute shopping decisions, that’s for everything from food to clothes to books and tech. It can feel overwhelming at times, but every single choice we make makes a difference.
