Luke Kelly

Forty-one years ago tomorrow, one of Ireland’s greatest singers and balladeers, Luke Kelly died at the age of 44.

The sad news was relayed by the Irish Examiner on 30 January who reported:

LUKE KELLY of the Dubliners died in Dublin's Richmond Hospital last night after being ill for the past few days. In recent years Mr. Kelly (44) had undergone two major operations but he had continued his career as a singer and virtuoso banjo player with the world famous group. His first operation was in Cork in 1980 after he became ill during a performance at the Cork Opera House and last March he underwent his second brain tumour operation. A native of the North Wall area of Dublin, he worked at various jobs in England as a young man and spent some time busking in Paris. In 1962 he was one of the founder members of the Dubliners which was formed following a John Molloy show in Dublin's Gate Theatre. He is survived by his wife Deirdre.

What was your favourite Luke Kelly song? Although not his own (it was actually written during the 19th century), mine was ‘The Unquiet Grave’ the lyrics of which started with:

The wind doth blow today my love
A few small drops of rain
Never have I had but one true love
In cold clay she is lain

The song concludes with the words:

My time be long, my time be short
Tomorrow or today
May God in heaven have all my soul
But I'll kiss your lips of clay

For more on Luke Kelly and Irish music search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )