Brendan Behan – Luke Kelly…
I was looking up a previous posting (Molly Malone’s Friends), when I looked at the statue of Brendan Behan. Suddenly my eyes were attracted to an object on the bench between Brendan and the pigeon. It was the ‘triangle’ in the centre of the seat. I was suddenly reminded that this was the Bold Brendan’s ‘signature tune’ – ‘The Auld Triangle’.
A quick look at Youtube revealed a truly haunting and beautiful version by Luke Kelly and the Dubliners.
Someone mentioned in a recent comment about Luke. He was a wonderful strong singer and many of his songs have stood the test of time and he remains the one that all up-and-coming young folk singers strive to imitate.
Luke was born less than a quarter of a mile from O’Connell Street in the heart of Dublin on 17th November 1940. He had a wonderful career with The Dubliners and was feted all over the world. I saw him many times but never saw him in drink. He apparently had a problem. In June 1980 he collapsed on stage in Cork. He had a brain problem, which caused him to forget lyrics.
On a European tour in 1980, he again collapsed on stage and the tour had to be cancelled. He was later flown home to Dublin and hospitalised. He had a brain operation and was allowed home for the Christmas of that year. He returned to hospital in the New Year but sadly died on 30th January 1984. He was 44 years old.
He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin where his tombstone bears the inscription,
‘Luke Kelly – Dubliner’.
(Can I suggest that those unfamiliar with the Dublin accent, listen to the song on the links shown whilst reading the lines for either on their own will make little or no sense).
---------------------------
The Auld Triangle…
A hungry feeling, came o'er me stealing
And the mice they were squealing in my prison cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
Oh to start the morning, the warden bawling
Get up out of bed you, and clean out your cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
Oh the screw was peeping and the lag was sleeping
As he lay weeping for his girl Sal
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
On a fine spring evening, the lag lay dreaming
And the seagulls were wheeling high above the wall
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
Oh the wind was sighing, and the day was dying
As the lag lay crying in his prision cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
In the female prison there are seventy women
And I wish it was with them that I did dwell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
--------------
The Rare Ould Times
[Originally by Pete St. John]
[Originally by Pete St. John]
Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown
The passing tales and glories that once was Dublin Town
The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children’s’ rhymes
That once was Dublin City in the rare ould times.
Ring a ring a rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times.
My name it is Sean Dempsey, as Dublin as can be
Born hard and late in Pimlico, in a house that ceased to be
By trade I was a cooper, lost out to redundancy
Like my house that fell to progress, my trade's a memory
And I courted Peggy Dignan, as pretty as you please
A rogue and child of Mary, from the rebel Liberties
I lost her to a student chap, with skin as black as coal
When he took her off to Birmingham, she took away my soul.
Ring a ring a rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times.
The years have made me bitter, the gargle dims me brain
Cause Dublin keeps on changing, and nothing seems the same
The Pillar and the Met have gone, the Royal long since pulled down
As the grey unyielding concrete, makes a city of my town.
Ring a ring a rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times.
Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay
And watch the new glass cages, that spring up along the quay
My mind's too full of memories, too old to hear new chimes
I'm part of what was Dublin, in the rare ould times.
Ring a ring a rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times.
Ring a ring a rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times.
---------------------------
---------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment