Posted online: May 4th, 2010

A new song “Malin Well,” written by local woman Rose Collins with music by Fionnuala McLaughlin, a native of Malin, got its first airing at the annual Malin Well May Day Turas on Sunday afternoon last. 

Inspired by the ancient pilgrimage site, the song was originally penned by Rose Collins. Rose lives near Malin Well and wrote this poem in the years after she returned from England in 1984. It was on display at the ruins of the old church at Malin Well for a number of years and is included in her first collection of poems “Rhymes Without Reason,” which was launched in Malin Head in 2009.

 Fionnuala McLaughlin, now living in Dublin, was given a copy of the poems by her father, John, who encouraged her to put some of them to music. 

Being snowed in over the Christmas period proved a blessing in this regard. 

Fionnuala revealed:  “I hadn’t written songs in a number of years but I sat down and it came to me in one go”. 

Interestingly, Rose said she also composed the words in one go.

 Fionnuala has recorded the song Malin Well and another song, ‘The Hawthorn Tree” (which also uses lyrics from a poem by Rose) in the Mill and the Cauldron Studios, Dublin. The two track single features special guests John Sheahan, (who plays with the Dubliners and is well known for the Marino Waltz) and Michael Howard, (who co-wrote the album “In Our Own Time” with John Sheahan).

“Malin Well” was played in the Star of the Sea Church, Malin Head, on Sunday as pilgrims set off on the Turas to Malin Well where it was performed at the end of the Turas.