“De Selkie”

Hozier has been one of my favorite artists for the better part of a decade, and somehow it evaded me that he is Irish. When I first heard his song “De Selby (Part 1)” I thought, “ That HAS to be Gaelic?!” Indeed it was, and upon further internet sleuthing, I found that Hozier is not only from Ireland, but has a Birthday on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day), making him just about as Irish as you can get.

Though “De Selby (Part 1)” is not exactly a tune to which you would typically Irish Dance (though, I suppose that has never deterred me), I felt my feet wanting to move to it.

I heard Hozier speaking about the song in an interview. He explained the character of De Selby, the theme of darkness, and how he uses Gaelic to transition the tune into a love song in which the characters are intertwined, perhaps in darkness. I couldn’t help but think about the Celtic / Norse legend of the Selkie; the shape-shifter seal woman who is bound to the shore when her skin is captured by a land-farer.

I’ve had an affinity for the story ever since I watched “the Secret of Roan Inish” as a little girl. The legend has had different meanings for me through different phases of my life, but for now, it is a reminder that we are all created with a calling and a purpose, but it is easy to find ourselves “bound to the shore”.

So, here I present …. “De Selkie”

Special thanks to central California for playing the role of Ireland (....a sunny Ireland ;)

Happy St.Patrick’s Day! (And if Hozier is reading this, Happy Birthday).

Instagram: Hannah_Redlich