Ronnie Drew
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ronald "Ronnie" Drew (Irish: Ránall Ó Draoi ˈɾˠaːnəl̪ˠ oː dɾˠiː) (16 September 1934 – 16 August 2008) was an Irish
singer and folk musician who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners
. He was born in Dun Laoghaire
, County Dublin
. He was best known for his long beard and his voice, which was once described by Nathan Joseph
as being "like the sound of coke being crushed under a door".
. Despite an aversion to education on the part of Drew, he was considered the most intelligent in his class by schoolfriend and future Irish film censor, Sheamus Smith. Drew was a boy soprano before his voice broke.
to teach English
and learn Spanish
and flamenco guitar
. His interest in folk music began at the age of 19. When he returned to Ireland
, he performed in the Gate Theatre
with John Molloy and soon after, went into the music business full-time. In the meantime, he had a number of short-term jobs, including one in the telephone exchange in Dublin.
In 1962, he founded the Ronnie Drew Group with Luke Kelly
, Barney McKenna
and Ciaran Bourke
. They soon changed their name to The Dubliners
, with John Sheahan
joining shortly afterwards to form the definitive line-up. They would soon become one of the best known Irish folk groups. They played at first in O'Donoghue's Pub
in Merrion Row, Dublin 2 where they were often accompanied by Mary Jordan on the spoons and vocalist Ann Mulqueen, a friend of Barney. Mary's mother, Peggy Jordan, introduced them to the Abbey Tavern in Howth, which became a regular Monday night venue for the emerging group. They also played across the road in the Royal Hotel. The group also played at all-night parties in Peggy's large house in Kenilworth Square in Rathgar
and in John Molloy's flat in Ely Place, just around the corner from O'Donoghue's. Ronnie left the Dubliners in 1974, rejoined in 1979 and finally left for good in 1995, though he did reunite with the group in 2002 for a 40th anniversary celebration.
From 1995 onwards Drew pursued a solo career. He recorded with many artists, including Christy Moore
, The Pogues
, Antonio Breschi
, Dropkick Murphys
, Eleanor Shanley
and others. He did a number of "one-man shows" (he was accompanied by various guitarists, including Mike Hanrahan) during this period, such as Songs and Stories, Ronnie, I Hardly Knew Ya and Ronnie. These shows consisted of stories about people such as Brendan Behan
, Patrick Kavanagh
and Seán O'Casey
, as well as Ronnie singing their songs.
He is also known for fronting a campaign to encourage the use of Dublin's light-rail infrastructure (the DART
) and before that the "My Dublin" ads for radio stations 98FM and FM104. He narrated a retelling (scripted by Steven Byrne) of the great Irish Myths and Legends over a six CD set in 2006. He also narrated the stories of Oscar Wilde
in his distinctive voice in a series released on CD by the News Of The World
newspaper. Both were re-released as CD box sets in 2010.
On 22 August 2006, he was honoured in a ceremony where his hand prints were added to the "walk of fame" outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre.
reported that Drew's apparent illness was due to years of heavy drinking. However, according to a fan site dedicated to The Dubliners, it was reported that he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. (Drew had been a teetotaler for a number of years, with an occasional relapse. However, he remained a regular smoker.)
Ronnie appeared on Ireland's The Late Late Show
on the 15 December 2006 along with Phil Coulter
, where he discussed his recent health scares.
Despite his ailing health, Drew featured on an album entitled Pearls produced by Niall Austin with work Drew did with Jah Wobble
.
His wife of over 40 years, Deirdre Drew (née McCartan) died on 7 June 2007 at St Vincent's Hospital. She died just a day before Ronnie was due to return to performing after his battle with cancer, at the Legends of Irish Folk concert with Johnny McEvoy
, Ralph McTell
and Finbar Furey
.
On 25 October 2007, Ronnie Drew appeared on Ryan Confidential on RTÉ 1 to give an interview about his role in The Dubliners, his life since leaving the band and being diagnosed with throat cancer. This was Ronnie's first ever televised appearance where he was shown bald and beardless. Later in 2007, Ronnie again appeared on The Late Late Show, where he again spoke about the death of his wife and his ongoing treatment for cancer.
Drew died in St. Vincent's Hospital
, Dublin on 16 August 2008, following his long illness and was buried three days later in Redford Cemetery in Greystones
.
" performed by a number of famous Irish musicians. This included members of U2
, Sinéad O'Connor
, Christy Dignam
of Aslan, Robert Hunter
of the Grateful Dead
, Kíla
, Christy Moore
, Andrea Corr
, Moya Brennan
, Shane MacGowan
, Bob Geldof
, Damien Dempsey
, Gavin Friday
, Iona Green, Jerry Fish, Paul Brady
, Paddy Casey
, Mick Pyro
, Mundy
, Chris de Burgh
, Ronan Keating
, Jack L, Eleanor Shanley
, Mary Black
, Declan O'Rourke
, Mary Coughlan
, and Joe Elliott of Def Leppard
as well as The Dubliners and The Chieftains
.
The single was written to originally include Ronnie himself but was changed to be a tribute to him as his health was declining. Proceeds from sale of the single went to The Irish Cancer Society at the request of Drew himself. The song was performed live on The Late Late Show on 22 February with Ronnie Drew in attendance as an audience member, and entered the Irish Single Charts at #2.
broadcast a documentary on Ronnie Drew in May - as part of its Arts Lives series. Called September Song, it featured Ronnie's recollections of growing up in his grandmother's house in Dun Laoghaire
, the foundation of The Dubliners in O'Donoghue's pub on Merrion Row, the days touring the world, the loss of his wife and his own battle with cancer. Interviewed in September Song are his son Phelim
, daughter Cliodhna, and friends and fans such as Bono
, Billy Connolly
and Damien Dempsey
. September Song was produced by Oscar nominated producer Noel Pearson
and directed by Sinead O'Brien. The name of the documentary comes from a recording of September Song
, the Kurt Weill
and Maxwell Anderson
song made popular through recordings by a number of artists, including Frank Sinatra
, which features on Ronnie's 2006 solo album, There's Life In The Old Dog Yet
.
, a Chicago
based celtic punk
band, dedicated their album On a Fine Spring Evening to his memory. Their song St. Stephen's Day includes the line "I could go on up to Wicklow and throw a rose on Ronnie's grave".
Flogging Molly
lead singer David King listed Drew as one of the greatest losses of a musician, in recent years, calling him "A REAL folk singer." In a show in Moscow, Idaho.
Gaelic Storm
names Ronnie on the song I Was Raised on Black and Tans from their 2010 album Cabbage. "I was raised on black and tans...on Ronnie Drew and Van the Man" is a line from the song.
said Ronnie Drew had brought great pleasure to people at home and abroad and had re-energised and refreshened Ireland's unique musical heritage whilst the Irish Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
described him as "iconic".
U2 singer Bono said: "Ronnie has left his earthly tour for one of the heavens... they need him up there... it's a little too quiet and pious."
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer and folk musician who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
. He was born in Dun Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. He was best known for his long beard and his voice, which was once described by Nathan Joseph
Nathan Joseph
Nathan "Nat" Joseph was a noted force in the British music industry, a theatrical producer and talent agent. He was a pioneer in the development of independent record companies in the 1960s and 1970s....
as being "like the sound of coke being crushed under a door".
Early life
Ronnie Drew was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin in 1934. Ironically with Drew being so intimately associated with being "a Dubliner" he would somewhat tongue and cheekily say that; "I was born and grew up in Dun Laoghaire, and no true Dubliner would accept that at all!". He was educated by the Christian Brothers. Drew used to "mitch" and cycle up to Leopardstown RacecourseLeopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
. Despite an aversion to education on the part of Drew, he was considered the most intelligent in his class by schoolfriend and future Irish film censor, Sheamus Smith. Drew was a boy soprano before his voice broke.
Career
In the 1950s, Drew moved to SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to teach English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and learn Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and flamenco guitar
Flamenco guitar
A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar. Flamenco guitar also refers to toque, the guitar-playing part of the art of Flamenco.-Brief history:...
. His interest in folk music began at the age of 19. When he returned to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, he performed in the Gate Theatre
Gate Theatre
The Gate Theatre, in Dublin, was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammóir, initially using the Abbey Theatre's Peacock studio theatre space to stage important works by European and American dramatists...
with John Molloy and soon after, went into the music business full-time. In the meantime, he had a number of short-term jobs, including one in the telephone exchange in Dublin.
In 1962, he founded the Ronnie Drew Group with Luke Kelly
Luke Kelly
Luke Kelly was an Irish singer and folk musician from Dublin, Ireland, notable as a founding member of the band The Dubliners.-Early life:...
, Barney McKenna
Barney McKenna
Bernard Noël "Barney" McKenna or Banjo Barney as he is known amongst his fellow musicians, is an Irish musician who plays the tenor banjo, mandolin, and melodeon. He is most renowned as a banjo player...
and Ciaran Bourke
Ciaran Bourke
Ciarán Bourke was an Irish musician and one of the original founding members of the Irish folk band The Dubliners.-Early life:...
. They soon changed their name to The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
, with John Sheahan
John Sheahan
John Sheahan is a notable Irish violinist, folk musician, composer and member of the folk band The Dubliners. Sheahan was born in Dublin and lives in Mulhuddart, County Dublin, though his family are natives of Glin, County Limerick...
joining shortly afterwards to form the definitive line-up. They would soon become one of the best known Irish folk groups. They played at first in O'Donoghue's Pub
O'Donoghue's Pub
O’Donoghue’s Pub is a historically significant drinking establishment located near St. Stephen's Green on Dublin’s south side. Built in 1789 as a grocery store, in 1934 it began operating full-time as a pub when purchased by the O’Donoghue family....
in Merrion Row, Dublin 2 where they were often accompanied by Mary Jordan on the spoons and vocalist Ann Mulqueen, a friend of Barney. Mary's mother, Peggy Jordan, introduced them to the Abbey Tavern in Howth, which became a regular Monday night venue for the emerging group. They also played across the road in the Royal Hotel. The group also played at all-night parties in Peggy's large house in Kenilworth Square in Rathgar
Rathgar
Rathgar is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, lying about 3 kilometres south of the city centre.-Amenities:Rathgar is largely a quiet suburb with good amenities, including primary and secondary schools, nursing homes, child-care and sports facilities, and good public transport to the city centre...
and in John Molloy's flat in Ely Place, just around the corner from O'Donoghue's. Ronnie left the Dubliners in 1974, rejoined in 1979 and finally left for good in 1995, though he did reunite with the group in 2002 for a 40th anniversary celebration.
From 1995 onwards Drew pursued a solo career. He recorded with many artists, including Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
, The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
, Antonio Breschi
Antonio Breschi
Antonio Breschi, is a composer and pianist who comes from the small village of San Quirico in Collina near Florence, Italy. Although very accomplished in classical music, he is best known as one of the originators of New Age or World Music. He is also internationally-known as the inventor of...
, Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
, Eleanor Shanley
Eleanor Shanley
One of Irelands foremost singers, Eleanor Shanley, from Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim in the North West of Ireland, is renowned for her unique interpretation of Irish and Roots songs. She has been at the top of her profession since her first appearance as the singer with traditional group De...
and others. He did a number of "one-man shows" (he was accompanied by various guitarists, including Mike Hanrahan) during this period, such as Songs and Stories, Ronnie, I Hardly Knew Ya and Ronnie. These shows consisted of stories about people such as Brendan Behan
Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.-Early life:...
, Patrick Kavanagh
Patrick Kavanagh
Patrick Kavanagh was an Irish poet and novelist. Regarded as one of the foremost poets of the 20th century, his best known works include the novel Tarry Flynn and the poems Raglan Road and The Great Hunger...
and Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
, as well as Ronnie singing their songs.
He is also known for fronting a campaign to encourage the use of Dublin's light-rail infrastructure (the DART
Dublin Area Rapid Transit
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
) and before that the "My Dublin" ads for radio stations 98FM and FM104. He narrated a retelling (scripted by Steven Byrne) of the great Irish Myths and Legends over a six CD set in 2006. He also narrated the stories of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
in his distinctive voice in a series released on CD by the News Of The World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
newspaper. Both were re-released as CD box sets in 2010.
On 22 August 2006, he was honoured in a ceremony where his hand prints were added to the "walk of fame" outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre.
Declining health & death
In September 2006, Drew was reported to be in ill-health after being admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, to undergo tests for suspected cancer. The Evening HeraldEvening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
reported that Drew's apparent illness was due to years of heavy drinking. However, according to a fan site dedicated to The Dubliners, it was reported that he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. (Drew had been a teetotaler for a number of years, with an occasional relapse. However, he remained a regular smoker.)
Ronnie appeared on Ireland's The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
on the 15 December 2006 along with Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter is an artist with an international reputation as a successful songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director. His success has spanned four decades and he is one of the biggest record sellers in Ireland...
, where he discussed his recent health scares.
Despite his ailing health, Drew featured on an album entitled Pearls produced by Niall Austin with work Drew did with Jah Wobble
Jah Wobble
Jah Wobble is an English bass guitarist, singer, poet and composer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but left the band after two albums...
.
His wife of over 40 years, Deirdre Drew (née McCartan) died on 7 June 2007 at St Vincent's Hospital. She died just a day before Ronnie was due to return to performing after his battle with cancer, at the Legends of Irish Folk concert with Johnny McEvoy
Johnny McEvoy
Johnny McEvoy is an Irish singer of Country and Irish genre born in Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland.He was part of a duo called "Ramblers 2", and has been in the entertainment circuit since the 1960s.-Hits:...
, Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
and Finbar Furey
The Fureys
The Fureys are an Irish male folk band of four brothers - Eddie, Finbar, Paul and George, from Ballyfermot, Dublin. They have also been credited as The Fureys and Davey Arthur.The group formed in 1978 and consisted initially of four brothers....
.
On 25 October 2007, Ronnie Drew appeared on Ryan Confidential on RTÉ 1 to give an interview about his role in The Dubliners, his life since leaving the band and being diagnosed with throat cancer. This was Ronnie's first ever televised appearance where he was shown bald and beardless. Later in 2007, Ronnie again appeared on The Late Late Show, where he again spoke about the death of his wife and his ongoing treatment for cancer.
Drew died in St. Vincent's Hospital
St. Vincent's University Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is at the junction of Merrion Road and Nutley Lane opposite the Merrion Centre and adjacent to Elm Park Golf Club.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St...
, Dublin on 16 August 2008, following his long illness and was buried three days later in Redford Cemetery in Greystones
Greystones
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin , with a population in the region of 15,000....
.
The Ballad of Ronnie Drew
On 19 February 2008, a song was released called "The Ballad of Ronnie DrewThe Ballad of Ronnie Drew
"The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" is a single by U2, The Dubliners, Kíla, and "A Band of Bowsies". The single was recorded as a charitable project, with proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society - owing to Ronnie Drew's condition of cancer. It was recorded at Windmill Lane on 14 and 15 January 2008...
" performed by a number of famous Irish musicians. This included members of U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
, Christy Dignam
Christy Dignam
Christy Dignam is the lead singer of the popular Irish rock-band Aslan. His career of over twenty-five years has been characterized by numerous successes on the Irish charts as well as recurring problems with drug addiction and recovery.-Life:...
of Aslan, Robert Hunter
Robert Hunter (lyricist)
Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, Kíla
Kíla
Kíla are an Irish folk music/World music group, originally formed in 1987 in the Irish Language secondary school, Coláiste Eoin in Co. Dublin. Kila's blend of Irish traditional music and World Music with a modern rock sensibility is generally credited with breathing new life into contemporary Irish...
, Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
, Andrea Corr
Andrea Corr
Andrea Jane Corr is an Irish musician, songwriter and actress. Corr debuted in 1990 as the lead singer of the Celtic folk rock and pop rock group The Corrs along with her three elder siblings Caroline, Sharon, and Jim...
, Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...
, Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan is an Irish musician and singer, best known as the original singer and songwriter of The Pogues.-History:...
, Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
, Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger society.-Early life:...
, Gavin Friday
Gavin Friday
Gavin Friday is an Irish singer and songwriter, composer, actor and painter.-Career:Gavin was born in Dublin and grew up in Finglas, a neighbourhood located on Dublin's Northside...
, Iona Green, Jerry Fish, Paul Brady
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...
, Paddy Casey
Paddy Casey
Patrick "Paddy" Casey is an Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin. Paddy was discovered by Sony A&R Scout Hugh Murray at the International Bar in Dublin, while performing at the singer/songwriter night hosted by Dave Murphy...
, Mick Pyro
Mick Pyro
Michael Tierney is an Irish musician. He is best known as the frontman of the Dublin funk rock band Republic of Loose. He has also partaken in other independent work with fellow Irish and international musicians and performed a duet with Sinéad O'Connor at the 2008 Meteor Awards when she revealed...
, Mundy
Mundy
Mundy is an Irish singer-songwriter. 'Mundy' is a nickname given to Enright, as it not only refers to his name Edmund, but it is how he pronounces the word "Monday".-Biography:...
, Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
, Jack L, Eleanor Shanley
Eleanor Shanley
One of Irelands foremost singers, Eleanor Shanley, from Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim in the North West of Ireland, is renowned for her unique interpretation of Irish and Roots songs. She has been at the top of her profession since her first appearance as the singer with traditional group De...
, Mary Black
Mary Black
Mary Black is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland, and in many other parts of the world....
, Declan O'Rourke
Declan O'Rourke
Declan O'Rourke is a 33 year old platinum record singer/songwriter from Dublin, Ireland.-Career:At the age of 13, when living in Australia with his family, O'Rourke was given his first guitar by a priest in Kyabram who recognised his potential and love for music, hence the title of his debut album...
, Mary Coughlan
Mary Coughlan (singer)
Mary Coughlan is an Irish jazz and folk singer and actress. She has received great acclamation in her native country, for her emotional and heartfelt jazzy musical renditions.-Background:...
, and Joe Elliott of Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
as well as The Dubliners and The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
.
The single was written to originally include Ronnie himself but was changed to be a tribute to him as his health was declining. Proceeds from sale of the single went to The Irish Cancer Society at the request of Drew himself. The song was performed live on The Late Late Show on 22 February with Ronnie Drew in attendance as an audience member, and entered the Irish Single Charts at #2.
September Song
Also in 2008, RTERTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
broadcast a documentary on Ronnie Drew in May - as part of its Arts Lives series. Called September Song, it featured Ronnie's recollections of growing up in his grandmother's house in Dun Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
, the foundation of The Dubliners in O'Donoghue's pub on Merrion Row, the days touring the world, the loss of his wife and his own battle with cancer. Interviewed in September Song are his son Phelim
Phelim Drew
Phelim Drew is an Irish actor.Phelim Drew is the son of the Irish folk singer Ronnie Drew, one of the founders of The Dubliners. He graduated at Gaiety School of Acting. In 1989 Phelim Drew gave his debut as an actor in My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown.Phelim Drew ist married to Actress...
, daughter Cliodhna, and friends and fans such as Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
and Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger society.-Early life:...
. September Song was produced by Oscar nominated producer Noel Pearson
Noel Pearson (film and theatre producer)
-Film credits:His film credits include My Left Foot, which received five Academy Award nominations , and won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress...
and directed by Sinead O'Brien. The name of the documentary comes from a recording of September Song
September Song
"September Song" is an American pop standard composed by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson, introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical Knickerbocker Holiday. It has since been recorded by numerous singers and instrumentalists...
, the Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
and Maxwell Anderson
Maxwell Anderson
James Maxwell Anderson was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist and lyricist.-Early years:Anderson was born in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to William Lincoln "Link" Anderson, a Baptist minister, and Charlotte Perrimela Stephenson, both of Scots and Irish descent...
song made popular through recordings by a number of artists, including Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, which features on Ronnie's 2006 solo album, There's Life In The Old Dog Yet
There's Life in the Old Dog Yet
There's Life in the Old Dog Yet is an album by Ronnie Drew, released in 2006.Produced by Phil Coulter, who wrote the title track, Drew recorded this album of songs about growing old shortly before being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2006, an irony which was commented on a few months later by both...
.
Other Tributes
The TossersThe Tossers
The Tossers are a six-piece Celtic punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in July 1993. They have toured with Murphy's Law, Streetlight Manifesto, Catch 22, Dropkick Murphys, The Reverend Horton Heat, Flogging Molly, Street Dogs, Clutch, Sick of it All & Mastodon. They opened for The Pogues...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
based celtic punk
Celtic punk
Celtic punk is punk rock mixed with traditional Celtic music. The genre was founded in the 1980s by The Pogues, a band of punk musicians in London who celebrated their Irish heritage. Celtic punk bands often play covers of traditional Irish folk and political songs, as well as original compositions...
band, dedicated their album On a Fine Spring Evening to his memory. Their song St. Stephen's Day includes the line "I could go on up to Wicklow and throw a rose on Ronnie's grave".
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
lead singer David King listed Drew as one of the greatest losses of a musician, in recent years, calling him "A REAL folk singer." In a show in Moscow, Idaho.
Gaelic Storm
Gaelic Storm
Gaelic Storm is a Celtic band. Their music includes traditional Irish music, Scottish music, and original tunes in both the Celtic and Celtic rock genres...
names Ronnie on the song I Was Raised on Black and Tans from their 2010 album Cabbage. "I was raised on black and tans...on Ronnie Drew and Van the Man" is a line from the song.
The Last Session: A Fond Farewell
In the final months before his death, Ronnie recorded a number of songs in a traditional jazz style. A number of stars from the music world, including Mary Coughlan and Damien Dempsey, joined Ronnie in duets on the album. It was produced by Hugh Buckley and released in November 2008 by Celtic Collections.Legacy
Irish President Mary McAleeseMary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
said Ronnie Drew had brought great pleasure to people at home and abroad and had re-energised and refreshened Ireland's unique musical heritage whilst the Irish Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
described him as "iconic".
U2 singer Bono said: "Ronnie has left his earthly tour for one of the heavens... they need him up there... it's a little too quiet and pious."
Solo discography
- Ronnie DrewRonnie Drew (album)Ronnie Drew is the debut album of Ronnie Drew, released in 1975.Produced by John Curran, this was Drew's first solo album, made in 1975 after he first left The Dubliners. Many of the tracks he had previously recorded, or would subsequently re-record, with The Dubliners...
(1975) - GuaranteedGuaranteed (Ronnie Drew album)Guaranteed is Ronnie Drew's second solo album that was released in 1978 and produced by Pete St. John, who wrote many of the featured tracks. Eamonn Campbell featured both as musician and musical director and John Sheahan also played on the album. Guaranteed featured many songs that Drew would...
(1978) - Dirty Rotten ShameDirty Rotten ShameDirty Rotten Shame is an album by Ronnie Drew, released in 1995.Drew left The Dubliners in 1995, after recording this album. It has more of a rock music feel than his previous solo albums and features Aslan on backing vocals...
(1995) - The Humour Is On Me NowThe Humour Is on Me NowThe Humour Is on Me Now is an album by Ronnie Drew, released in 1999.This album was produced by Mike Hanrahan in 1999 and features a number of traditional musicians, including John Sheahan...
(1999) - A Couple More YearsA Couple More YearsA Couple More Years is an album by Ronnie Drew and Eleanor Shanley, released in 2000.Eleanor Shanley is formerly of De Danann, who had recorded Bob Dylan's "Boots of Spanish Leather" with The Dubliners on their 30 Years A-Greying album. Also featured are Mike Hanrahan and Bill Shanley as backup...
(with Eleanor Shanley) (2000) - An Evening With Ronnie DrewAn Evening with Ronnie DrewAn Evening with Ronnie Drew is an album by Ronnie Drew, released in 2004. Drew recorded this album with Mike Hanrahan while on tour in Europe in the autumn of 2004.-Track listing:# "Finnegan's Wake"# "McAlpine's Fusiliers"# "Waltzing Matilda"...
(2004) - The Magic of Christmas (2004) (Guest Appearance)
- El Amor De Mi Vida (with Eleanor Shanley) (2006)
- A New World (EP)A New World (EP)A New World is an EP by Ronnie Drew, produced by Phil Coulter. It was released through the Sunday World newspaper prior to the release of Drew's album There's Life In The Old Dog Yet in October 2006...
(2006) - There's Life In The Old Dog YetThere's Life in the Old Dog YetThere's Life in the Old Dog Yet is an album by Ronnie Drew, released in 2006.Produced by Phil Coulter, who wrote the title track, Drew recorded this album of songs about growing old shortly before being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2006, an irony which was commented on a few months later by both...
(2006) - PearlsPearls (Ronnie Drew album)Pearls is an album by Ronnie Drew in collaboration with a group called Grand Canal. It consists mainly of poetry recited by Drew over music performed by the group. Released in 2007, it also features previously released recordings from The Celtic Poets by Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart.-...
(with Grand Canal) (2007) - The Last Session: A Fond FarewellThe Last Session: A Fond FarewellThis album contains Ronnie Drew's final recordings and was released in November 2008, three months after his death. It was produced by Hugh Buckley and featured Ronnie duetting with special guests Damien Dempsey, Mary Coughlan and Emmanuel Lawler on songs recorded in a traditional jazz style, and...
(2008)