Celtic Folk Harpist Joy Shannon’s Latest Video Launches Today Along With Her New Album!

Irish harpist Joy Shannon released her third video, this time for the track ‘Cailleach’, a collaboration with Jessica Way and director Matt Kollar. The clip releases on the same day as her new album “An Chailleach”! The title, which is Irish for the crone or elder goddess, sees Shannon delving into the lore of the dark wintertime goddess of Ireland, with stark and stunning compositions.

On this album, Shannon collaborates with the dark folk band Osi and the Jupiter, the ambient artist Leila Abdul-Rauf, singer and guitarist Jessica Way from the ethereal metal band Worm Ouroboros, the folk metal band Aerial Ruin, the haunting singer and songwriter Emily Jane White and throat singer and shamanic practitioner Kai Uwe Faust of Heilung.

Speaking about ‘Cailleach’ Shannon has said:
“Taking its name from the Irish for the crone goddess, this song imagines a conversation with this oft misunderstood deity of the dark times of the year. Featuring backing vocals and guitars by metal artist Jessica Way of the bands Worm Ouroboros and Lachrymarum. The song ‘Cailleach’ calls out questions of the unknowns, like “witch, which way will the storm blow?”, into the mists of the haunting other worlds.

The video features a witch's circle, dancing through the dark, calling in the light, from the goddess of the winter darkness. We wear masks and costumes, inspired by the animals associated with the Cailleach goddess, especially that of the owl, who she was believed to shapeshift into. Our costumes were inspired by the shamanic ritual past of Ireland, where it was believed that druids could shapeshift from human to animal, just like the gods and goddess they believed in.”

The tracklisting for the new album is:
1. Corr Bán
2. Cailleach (feat. Jessica Way)
3. The Crone of Loughcrew
4. The Spell (feat. Emily Jane White)
5. Mo Corra
6. Caer Ibormeith (feat. Osi and the Jupiter and Leila Abdul Rauf)
7. Airmid (feat. Leila Abdul Rauf)
8. Heather (feat. Osi and the Jupiter)
9. The Cannon Fire (feat. Aerial Ruin) (music and lyrics written by J. L. Fox of Fox and the Red Hares)
10. The Cailleach Well
11. Stupstock (feat. Emily Jane White)
12. The Flood
13. Leaving (feat. Leila Abdul Rauf)
14. Song of My Father
15. Corr Bán (Tar Árais Dom) (Feat. Kai Uwe Faust of Heilung)

Joy Shannon is an Irish harpist and singer whose ethereal and haunting songs come from depths of Irish folklore. Her melodies evoke images of witch’s lairs in dark woods or the distant echoes of the voices of spirits in the ancient places of the Irish countryside.

“An Chailleach”, or Irish for the crone or elder goddess, sees Shannon delving into the lore of the dark wintertime goddess of Ireland, with stark and stunning compositions. On this album, Shannon collaborates with the dark folk band Osi and the Jupiter, the ambient artist Leila Abdul-Rauf, singer and guitarist Jessica Way from the ethereal metal band Worm Ouroboros, the folk metal band Aerial Ruin, the haunting singer and songwriter Emily Jane White and throat singer and shamanic practitioner Kai Uwe Faust of Heilung.

To date, Joy Shannon has released several notable albums: “Mo Anam Cara” (2015), “Aes Sídhe” (2017) and “The Cave” (2020).

Joy’s 2015 album “Mo Anam Cara”, or Irish for soulmate or spiritual teacher, follows the ancient Celtic calendar, with a song for every pagan holiday. Songs like “Imbolc Invocation to Brigid”, resurrect the old traditions of how the Irish used to honour the goddess of light Brigid, with offerings of song and hospitality.

Shannon’s 2017 album “Aes Sidhe”, Irish for “the spirits of the other world”, leads the listener through a musical journey through the Irish afterlife, from entering the dark of the burial mounds to the glorious peace of the Irish afterlife lands of “Tír na n’Óg”. On this album’s song “A Pause”, Shannon worked with guest artist Xasthur, the black metal project.

In 2020, Joy Shannon released a sublime album called “The Cave”. This was recorded with producer Christopher Juul of the incredible band Heilung. “The Cave” was inspired by the ritualistic use of caves in ancient Ireland, where they were used as meditative places to connect with the gods and face one’s fears. The songs are, at times, droning and mesmerising and, at other times, they pulse with the heartbeat of the earth.