St Patrick's Day 2019

The Giant's Causeway, County Antrim
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's St Patrick's Day session saw a wide variety of songs with more or less connection to Ireland. This Friday there will be no theme so we'll look forward to at least as wide a variety.

Last Friday Colin as MC started off well on theme with Tom Lewis' St Patrick's Song.

Mike told us that Simon's Paddy Lay Back (Roud 653) was associated with Liverpool. There is a long quote from Stan Hugill on the subject of the song here. Mike's own first song was Red Haired Mary (Sean McCarthy).

Derek tried, for the first few rounds anyway, to pick songs which actually mentioned St Patrick. His first contribution was How Caesar Was Driven From Ireland (Dominic Behan).

St Patrick's Day (and Mothering Sunday) - 2015

Spinning and carding

With a couple of regulars missing from the throng this week we were slightly thin on the ground but in good voice to celebrate a slightly premature St Patrick's Day. I was also the nearest session to Mothering Sunday, something which didn't escape the attention of Derek, though his maternal contributions weren't necessarily as loving as one might expect.

Richard once again performed the duties of MC asn asked Mike to start us off, which he did with Red Haired Mary.

St Patrick's Day

Belfast-born Jimmy Ellis in his
Z-Cars role as Bert Lynch. (Photo: Barratts)

Before the start of the session, and in fact before I had arrived, we were visited by our customary "Fresian", who even if not as drunk as sometimes, was not very pleasant to Maggie S. We have now been promised a lock on the door by the pub. It is important to be aware that it will not be intended to keep out anyone who wants to join us, so if you come along and find the door locked, please wait for a break in the music and knock on the door. You will not only be invited in but you will be made very welcome.

Tonight was our St Patrick's Day session and almost all of the songs were Irish related. The exceptions were Paul, who entertained us with his own instrumental guitar compositions as usual and Derek's second song, in memory of Tony Benn who died this week. When Tony Benn was on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, one of his records was He who would valiant be to the tune Monk's Gate. Derek therefore took the opportunity to sing another song to that same tune.