I have a real admiration for Luke Kelly, born in 1940 in Dublin he was more widely known as the lead vocalist for the Dubliners along with another great singer Ronnie Drew. Luke possessed thee strongest of Irish traditional voices of the century, Kelly immortalised many great songs which our very own Phil Coulter wrote 'The Town I love So Well' and 'Scorn not simplicity' written about Coulters very personal experience of rearing a child with disabilities, Luke Kelly himself would often not perform this song when touring as he believed it was very special and wanted to preserve the beauty and relevance to it.
A strong minded socialist who was also an activist he became a member of the Connelly association (James Connelly a hero of my own), mainly providing his talent to occasions of hardship. During the Free Derry Festival, Luke Kelly performed to the masses in Derry, a community in relief and celebration for having no British rule within the community although it did not last too long I can only imagine the party, it must have been fun none the less. Other performers included Tommy Makem who brought the entire community to a standstill with a performance of his "Four Green fields" a song that tells of the rape pillage and terrorism that Britain brought to the Gaelic community over the centuries and the resilience and fighting spirit that never accepted defeat. Kelly embodied that strength in his voice. You can hear his depth of feeling and love for his country which echoed the rebels of yester year.
DERRY MERRY DERRY FREE - also a former teacher of mine speaks -Mr McCallion god rest him
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