Padraic Colum was an Irish poet, dramatist, playwright, novelist, children’s author and collector of folklore. He was born 8th December 1881 and passed on 11th January 1972. He was well known as one of the leaders of the Irish Literary Revival, when there was a massive increase in appreciation in for the Gaelic heritage of […]
This wonderful folk classic is about the highwayman, Willie Brennan, said to be from Kilworth just outside Fermoy in County Cork. Brennan robbed the rich and sometimes gave to the poor at the end of the 18th and start of the 19th centuries. There are numerous theories about Willie Brennan and his exploits, but it […]
Luke Kelly was a member of the globally renowned Irish folk band, The Dubliners. His strong vocals and intense passion for, and belief in, the songs he sang made him one of the foremost folk singers of his or any time. In this offering, he regales us with a ballad about a Scottish lifeboat named […]
Ireland has produced many great musicians over the years. Some are internationally recognised. Most are not. There are a lot of musical entertainers on Erin’s Green Isle who are household names in Ireland and few other places. One of these is Dessie O’Halloran, a singer and musician from the tiny island of Inisbofin (Island of […]
This magical Irish folk song is of unknown origin, but with its earliest incarnations to be found in Tír Chonaill. It has a melody said by some to have Oriental influences, but this may be coincidental. It tells of a young man who speaks of his fiance with awe as she travels through places in […]
Carrickfergus (Gaelic for The Rock of Fergus) is a coastal town in the Occupied Six Counties of Ireland. The origins of this particular song are subject to much speculation, but the melody is believed to be from a Gaelic song titled, “Do Bhí Bean Uasal” (There was a Noble Woman) which has been attributed to the […]
Here’s a hit from the maestros of Irish music, Altan, from beautiful Tír Chonaill. This version of Maggie’s Pancakes is sure to get your feet tapping, probably enough to wear out the soles on your shoes. Altan are an Irish institution still encouraging audiences to kick up their heels after decades of success. Their longevity […]
This is a new Dublin band with great promise. This fantastic hit of theirs has a Billy Bragg vibe to it which, in Rebel Voice‘s opinion, is no bad thing. It’s great to hear confident Irish bands emerge with no pretensions to be anything other than Irish. It’s enough. Éirinn abú! If you enjoyed this, […]
Here’s a wonderful piece of street rhyme from working class Dublin band, A Lazarus Soul, relatively new to the wider music scene. The emotive lyrics speak of life in the tenement flats of inner city Dublin before they were demolished in an ongoing program of gentrification. Rose-tinted spectacles are all-too commonplace, and its certain that […]
Recently, a poll was launched by RTE, the broadcaster for the Irish Free State, to find the ‘nation’s’ favourite folk song. Rebel Voice is unsure if the 1.8 million Irish people in the Occupied Six Counties (OSC) are considered part of the ‘nation’ by the Blueshirts who command RTE as insidious moves are underway to […]
“As back through the glen I rode again And my heart with me fell sore For I parted then with valiant men Whom I never shall see ‘more But to and fro in my dreams I go And I kneel and pray for you For slavery fled a glorious dead When you fell in the […]
This is a beautifully poignant song about the terrible way many children were deprived of the chance to enjoy their youthful innocence. It speaks of the young boys who were sent down the mines from a very young age. Many boys were, perhaps, enthused with the idea of joining their fathers, and uncles and older […]
Rebel Voice 