Global Hit

We close our program this Christmas Day with a carol from a village in the west of Ireland.

The song is called “The Darkest Midnight.” The songwriter’s not known, but we know the piece itself comes from the village of Kylemore.

The oldest Irish benedictine abbey is in Kylemore. Songs such as “the Darkest Midnight” have come to be known as Kylemore Carols because they’re thought to be sung by villagers and monks in Kylemore.

This version is performed by Northern Ireland Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman. Dillon recorded it in her living room.

We’d like to thank Brian O’Donovan of WGBH who’s also host of the Christmas Celtic Sojourn concert for introducing us to Cara Dillon and the carol “The Darkest Midnight.”