In Memoriam - Chas Hodges (1943 - 2018)

Chas and Dave "Wonder Where He Is Now?" on Later with Jools Holland, June 2018

R.i.p. Aretha Franklin

Many pleasant, sometimes blissful hours, owed. The video is of a special performance with guests including the Obamas and Carole King.

Aretha Franklin, 'the queen of soul', dies aged 76 (from The Guardian)

Slán le Dolores O'Riordan

Farewell Dolores O'Riordan, r.i.p. (1971 - 2018)

(Acoustic version of "When You're Gone" on Zacoustics by Zégut on RTL2 in Paris, France on March 21, 2007 - YouTube)

Ring the bells

An amusing intro to his last concert in Europe in 2013, before this dark song, which ends with the words, "When they said repent, repent, repent / I wonder what they meant? / When they said repent, repent..."



"I've seen the future brother, it is murder.
The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold
And it's overturned the order of the soul..."




I swear it happened just like this
A sigh, cry, a hungry kiss
The gates of love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But closing time...



In his heyday, with an intro explaining how he doesn't care that the rights to this song were stolen from him

Ornette Coleman (1930 - 2015)

Ornette Coleman Trio featuring David Izenzon & Charles Moffett

Click through to YouTube where you can find a detailed commentary below the video, if you want to know more. The above is part 1. Here is the link to part 2.

Seamus Heaney: Out of the Marvellous

"An intimate and original look at Seamus Heaney, the man and the artist. The film explores the key personal relationship in Heaney's life, that with his wife Marie, and follows him to Harvard, New York and London, to readings, signings and public interviews." Video: RTÉ Player. Available till 21 September 2013.

Remembering Andy Williams

The Days of Wine and Roses - YouTube

Surely one of the best singers ever, no? He will be missed.

The last of the original Dubliners

From RTE. He's there now, finally made it to Fiddlers Green. r.i.p. Barney McKenna (1939 - 2012)

Too young

Amy will be missed.

Sidney Lumet r.i.p.

Sidney Lumet career in clips | Film | guardian.co.uk

His films combined popular appeal, high drama and thoughtful themes. He joins the pantheon of cinema greats.

Farewell to a great

Her father didn't like me anyway (Gerry Rafferty)

I knew this song before I ever heard of Gerry Rafferty. I didn't know his life was so troubled, always imagined him living easy having escaped the rat race. His ethereal music and clear, melancholic words will live forever. (SM)

Jayaben Desai obituary

Politics | The Guardian

A tribute to Grunwick strike leader Jayaben Desai written by Jack Dromey. Here is a link to our 2003 feature about the indomitable Mrs Desai, Famous People from Willesden #3.

Captain Beefheart has flown

I'm Glad - Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band

Don Van Vliet (1941 - 2010)

R.I.P. Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins

Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins - 'snooker is like a drug' (Telegraph, February 2010)

We all loved him, crazy mad Irishman that he was. He brought the family together, the Ma would love him too and everyone had to watch together. We were willing those erratic lunges of his to find their mark long after the boring players had got him where they wanted him. Yes, he was crazy but what is not to be crazy about, after all? The video above is a very nice memento of him, an interview where he points out that he is still ranked in the rankings though he hasn't played for 12 to 16 years. Still thinking he could beat the others but not being "healthy enough, as yet."

Ossian

Kennedy takes with him a time and an era

Henry Allingham, veteran of WW1, r.i.p.

Henry Allingham, British first world war veteran, dies at 113: "Henry William Allingham, the world's oldest man and one of the last surviving first world war servicemen, has died at the age of 113. Born in 1896 to an ironmonger's wife in a corner of north-east London, the veteran, whose life spanned three centuries and six monarchs, was 67 when John F Kennedy was assassinated and 73 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. He [...] was 14 when the war broke out. His mother begged him not to join the military, but a year after her death in 1915 he signed up. [...] At the time of his death, he was the last surviving founder member of the RAF, the last man to have witnessed the Battle of Jutland and the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service"

Not only the world's oldest man but a fine example of somebody whose mind seemed to remain in working order whenever interviewed on the television.

RTÉ News: Death of Ronnie Drew is announced

The Captains and the Kings- The Dubliners. Words: Brendan Behan

RTÉ News: Death of Ronnie Drew is announced: "Mr Cowen said that the Dubliners singer had been an iconic figure in Irish music over the past five decades and that his unique singing voice had been enjoyed by many people."

R.i.p. Ronnie Drew (1934-2008). It's like losing an old friend. A wonderful voice. I think of this "The Captains and the Kings", with the words of that other great Dubliner, Brendan Behan. At the flower show our big marrow/Takes the prize from Evelyn Waugh.

Also his voice on "Love is pleasing", "The leaving of Liverpool" and not least "The Zoological Gardens": Says she to me if you don't come soon/I'll have to get in with the hairy baboon" (Dublin street song). The Dubliners had two hits in the U.K. with Ronnie's voice, "Seven Drunken Nights" (a number 1) and "The Irish Rover" (with The Pogues).



Tribute to Ronnie Drew with U2 and Shane MacGowan

"A pint of plain is your only man" words by Myles na Gopaleen (Flann O'Brien).

Ossian for Newsmusic Desk

Goodbye to Irish showband legend

Singer Joe Dolan dies in hospital (BBC)



Just when you're wondering if he can make that note, he does it and goes even higher. What strikes me about this rendition of "Danny Boy" is it's a real street singer's version, just like the gypsy (ok tinker - forgive me!) kid with a voice like a bell you can hear any day down Grafton Street in Dublin.

Here he is in his pomp: Good Lookin' Woman. Nobody could wear a brown suit better than this, and believe me I tried.

Feargal Mooney