It was 10 years ago, during my Irish years, that I first blogged about singer/songwriter Pierce Turner. One of Ireland’s most talented, original and prolific musicians, Turner remains a niche performer, unheard and unappreciated by most, even in his native land.

He has released his latest album which I commend to you. It’s entitled Vinegar Hill, which was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 Rebellion. The site is in Turner’s native county Wexford.

The production of the album was largely crowdfunded, Turner’s fans bunging in a sum of money in return for various goodies. One of those was an offer by Turner to handwrite the lyrics of one of his songs. Here is my prize of the words to Moonbeam Josephine, from Turner’s signature album from 1995, Mañana in Manhattan.

Moonbeam Josephine

Here’s the link to the song itself.

The Mañana in Manhattan album set the bar high and Turner has not always cleared it since. Yet he works on in the studio and sparingly in concerts in New York (where he lives) and in his native country to a devoted audience.

With his new album Vinegar Hill, Turner takes some old Irish songs and tunes, throws them skywards, retains melody and words but reworks the arrangements in a rollicking manner that might outrage the traditionalists.

Maybe in another 10 years I’ll let you know what the latest is with Mr Pierce Turner.