DONAL HICKEY: Birdsong helps lift the spirits

Every year around this time, a blackbird sings in the evenings from the top of a tall tree within earshot of home. We look forward to this visitor immensely, more especially this year given the long, harsh winter that’s, hopefully, behind us.

Our friend’s song is all part of the business of attracting a mate, or staking out territory. This is a musical creature and little wonder a favourite tune of the renowned traditional fiddler from the Cork/Kerry border area of Sliabh Luachra, Denis Murphy, was called ‘The Blackbird’.