Wednesday, August 8, 2012

the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

Wow, do I love these guys.  I was first exposed to them in the early sixties.  I loved their music, I loved their fisherman sweaters, I really loved Liam Clancy.

My friend Joyce (Sweeney, another fine Irish name) and I would listen to their albums for hours, we knew every song by heart.  When her aunt, who knew how much we loved them, took a trip to Ireland, she brought us back Irish fisherman sweaters, just like the Clancy Brothers wore.  At fifteen years old, we thought we were the coolest things on the planet.

A year or so later, we got to see them live and it was a truly joyous experience, one of those memories that stay razor sharp even now, some fifty years later.

So here I was, looking through Netflix when I saw a documentary about the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.  Of course, I watched it. 

Wow, the memories were flowing. 

Then, recommended for me was their reunion concert, which I'm watching and listening to as I type this.

Out of curiosity, I looked them up on the internet, only to learn that all four of them are dead . . .

And I wish I could explain how very sad this makes me feel.  As I looked them up, one by one to see that they had all passed, tears came to my eyes.  It's as if I've lost family, they were so much a part of my life. 

It seems that I should have known when they passed, one by one . . .

I'm very sad tonight.

5 comments:

Jack said...

Their albums and individual sons are available at the iTunes store.

Kate said...

Jack,

Thanks so much, I have most of their music in my iTunes library already. I've collected it as it was released on CD.

Kate

Donna K said...

I guess I never listened to the Clancy Brothers but I am still sorry that you are feeling sad.

Russ Krecklow said...

Donna fixed me some really good corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonight. That should count for something, since it's the very first time she's made it, and it turned out good. I love Irish Pub singers. My son Joel says they get better and better the longer you sit there and listen while drinking your Guinness.

Jim and Sandie said...

Learning of their deaths is like losing a part of yourself. I am so sorry you are sad. But you do have their wonderful music that will never die.