December 27, 2007

Joe Dolan passes away
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) — Joe Dolan, one of Ireland's first pop music stars who entertained audiences for decades with Vegas-style showmanship, has died from a brain hemorrhage, his family announced. He was 68.
Dolan collapsed at his family home in suburban south Dublin on Christmas night and died Wednesday after falling into a coma at a hospital.
He was the most celebrated — and fondly caricatured — survivor of Ireland's bygone “showband” era of the 1960s and 1970s, when homegrown rock 'n' roll acts toured the country playing cover versions of international hits.

November, 1, 2007

New CD from The BeerMats…
Our good friends, the BeerMats have just release their latest CD, “Easter Lilly”, featuring 9 brand new songs. According the Colm Gibbons, “The title track is about James Connolly's wife, Lilly, and was written by Brendan Phelan—who wrote ‘Dublin in my Tears’ for the Barleycorn.” Visit their website for more information about this album and the photo gallery from the CD launch party.

August, 1, 2007

Tommy Makem—Rest in Peace
It is with great regret that I post the news of the death of Tommy Makem. I had the great fortune of meeting Tommy and actually spending the day with him—a memory for which I am very grateful. My heart felt condolences to his family. Below comes from Liam Clancy's website.

“Good friends - I just got the word from the family that Tommy passed away at about 6.45PM in Dover NH. As you all probably know he has been ill for quite a while. His suffering at last is over.”

Liam Clancy

July, 24, 2007

Ronnie Drew Interviewed on RTE
Singer, songwriter, sometime actor and all-round purveyor of craic, Ronnie Drew is possibly the most famous Dubliner. Deirdre, his beloved wife of almost 44 years recently passed away. Ronnie talks to Miriam about the pain of losing his soul mate, his own battle with cancer. He casts a look back at his early days in the music business, the story behind his trademark beard and about his most recent work.

Watch the interview (scroll down to Ronnie’s picture)

June 8, 2007

Deirdre Drew passes away
It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Deirdre Drew. Deirdre was the wife of Ronnie Drew. I had the great pleasure of meeting and spending time with Deirde in the late 1980's. She was one of the nicest, most down to earth people you'd ever meet—welcoming a stranger from American into her home. My sincere condolences go out to Ronnie, her children Cliodhna and Phelim, and her entire family.

Nick

from the Irish Independent

March 21, 2007

added “The Abbey Tavern Singers”

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I’ve had few problems with my websites in the last week or so. I apologize if you’ve gotten any error messages or couldn’t get to a site. I believe it has been all sorted out. Please let me know if you have any problems with any of my sites in the future. Thanks for visiting.
Nick

March 10, 2007

NEW design! I have been working on this for [I think] for about 2 years. I have divided up “theBalladeers.com”—it was getting too big and very hard to manage. In the future, there will be, Ireland at www.theBalladeers.com and Scotland at www.theBalladeersScotland.com [with both sites cross linking]. Ireland has about 700 pages and Scotland around 300, so you can imagine that it has been quite an under taking.
I have added quite few performers and bands, including Jim McCann, Dominic Behan, Planxty, Patrick Street, and the first Welsh inclusion, the Hennessys. I have also updated and added to many of the existing discographies, having done the most extensive work on the Dubliners, Christy Moore and the Barleycorn [with the help of John Lynch]. I've also included a “more Irish Folk” section, and I plan add to this one a regular basis.
Since the site is so large there are bound to be a few broken links and more than a few mistakes…please let me know if find any problems with the site. “oxbownick1” AT “theBalladeers”.

February 18, 2007
Dermot O’Reilly, of Ryan’s Fancy, passes away.


Dermot O’Reilly passed away at the age of 64 on February 17, 2007, of a reported heart attack. O’Reilly had undergone emergency quintuple bypass surgery in 2005 after suffering a heart attack, but had since returned to a regular performing schedule
O’Reilly was born in Dublin, Ireland, but had called Newfoundland home for the last four decades. Along with fellow Irishmen, Fergus O’Byrne and Denis Ryan, O’Reilly formed the very popular trio, Ryan’s Fancy, in the early 1970’s. The group disbanded in 1983.
Dermot continued to perform with Fergus O’Byrne, and began his own production company & recording studio, Piperstock Productions Ltd..
Ryan’s Fancy reunited (once) in 2004, when the group was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by East Coast Music Association.

Ryan’s Fancy’s website
The Chronicle Herald, CBC, CBC II, The Record, CTV, the Toronto Sun & the Edmonton Sun

January 3, 2007

Fee McGorman RIP
I just received this message from Ray McAreavey: “The sad news is that Big Fee McGorman passed away last night, Tuesday 2^nd January, at 9.30. As you know, he had been battling cancer for over a year. It was a reoccurrence of 10 years hence when he had come through the same fight. His wife Maureen, quiet and strong, told me he fought to the bitter end, never complaining and never losing hope. He was a big gentleman, liked by everyone, hadn’t a bad word against anybody, and all his friends from the Pikemen have lost a part of their lives.”

Matt McGinn/ Press Release

On 5^th January, the 30^th Anniversary of his premature death, we will be remembering with love and pride our husband and father, singer, songwriter, poet, humourist and man of the people - Matt McGinn.

We, Matt’s family, take this opportunity to thank everyone of you, be it singers, actors, concert organisers, school teachers and pupils, songwriters, record companies, disc jockeys, producers of radio and T V programmes, film makers, and last but not least newspaper, magazine and web site journalists for all your efforts in keeping the works and memory of Matt alive and indeed prospering during the last 30 years.

We believe that most of his work is as relevant today as when it was written, and continues to represent the beliefs and hopes of so many, particularly young people who have never known him. This has seen expression in the many concerts and festivals in pubs and clubs, halls etc. throughout Scotland which have never ceased during the last 30 years. We are particularly pleased at the many tribute concerts which have taken place in the last few months as well as those planned for January and the early Spring.

We are so very proud that Matt has found a place in Scottish history and earned the love and respect of so many Scottish people.

We thank you all.

website       |      full discography

December 1, 2006

I received an email from English Folk singer, Derek Sarjeant. Visit his website for more information about Derek and his late wife, Hazel (formerly) King.
You can also visit Time Has Told Me for info on Derek & Hazel Sarjeant.

Here are some interesting Irish folk related videos I’ve found on “YouTube”. If you’ve visited “YouTube” you already know there are a lot of crapola videos—mixed in with some gems. I am only posting links to video clips NOT taken off of recent commercial video (DVD) releases (to my knowledge—I’m not sure about the Johnny McEvoy clips).

The Dubliners: These appear to be from German and Swedish television - circa early/mid 1970’s, and featuring both Luke Kelly and Ciarán Bourke.
  Off to Dublin
  Peggy Lettermore “featuring Ciarán Bourke
  Black Velvet Band
  Weila Waile
  Wheels Of The World Sligo Maid
  Octopus Jig

Johnny McEvoy: These may be taken from a commercial video (DVD)
  The Dublin Fusiliers
  Michael

The Clancy Brothers with Robbie O’Connell & Tommy Makem:
  When The Ship Comes In, from Bob Dylan’s 30^th anniversary concert

Planxty:
  The Blacksmtih, B/W 1970’s “Late Late Show” clip.
  Jolly Beggar, circa (1980)
  Andy Irvine & Leagues O’Toole “Ireland AM” interview for “The Humours Of Planxty” book.

Site Map—in case you are having problems navigating the site with the Java menu.

Website contributions and sources—include: Sean McGuinness (friend & Clancy Brothers expert), Ray McAreavey, Kieran Manning, Gogie McCullough and Christine Cuyler, Jim McLean, John Lynch (Irish Folk authority), Seamus Robinson, Michael Mettcher, Connor Murray, Peter Schittler and “The Guinness Who’s Who of Folk Music”.

Finally, a very special thanks, Danny Burns, to whom this site is dedicated.