Kilkelly
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John Fitz
balladmonger 1. noun: a seller of ballads, esp on broadsheets. 2. Noun: a writer of mediocre poetry. I first heard this song some years ago, learned it, and have it in my head for those nights when I know the crowd is in the mood for a song to make them both smile and cry.
~John Fitz History & Synopsis"Kilkelly, Ireland" is a song by Steven and Peter Jones. It tells the story of an Irish emigrant to America through a series of letters from his father back in Kilkelly. It has five verses covering the period between 1860 and 1892.[1]
The Jones brothers based the song on letters from their great-great-grandfather, Brian Hunt, to his son John, their great-grandfather. As Brian was illiterate, the letters were actually written by dictation to the local schoolmaster, Patrick McNamara, who had been a friend of John's.[2] It has been covered by many artists, including Robbie O'Connell, Atwater-Donnelly, The Dubliners, Mick Moloney, Seán Keane, Ciara Considine, Jim Brannigan, and David Gans (with Eric Rawlins).[3] |