Enigmatic and complex, Joe Heaney was one of the greats of traditional Irish singing (sean nós). Shaped by the myths, fables, and songs of his upbringing in the west of Ireland, his emergence as a gifted artist came at a personal cost. SONG OF GRANITE is a distinct portrait of Heaney’s life and a marvelous exploration of music and song.
Pat Collins says, “the song comes out of silence and when the song is over, goes back to silence again…” So this excerpt from a much longer conversation concentrates on the songs and the singers, including Damien Dempsey, Micheal O Conghaola, Lisa O’Neill, and Joe Heaney, (whose life is a central thread in the weave of the film).