Comments on The Pensive Quill: Via Dolorosa

Sean Bres, Larry and Belfast Bookworm, thanks a l...

2013-02-09T12:04:17.867Z

Sean Bres, Larry and Belfast Bookworm,

thanks a lot.

Robert,

as ever, much appreciated.

That was a beautiful tribute to Dolours Anthony, I...

2013-02-07T09:56:02.130Z

That was a beautiful tribute to Dolours Anthony, I got a sense of knowing something of her despite never having met the woman so thanks for sharing all that with us. I hope she has the peace now in death she struggled to find in life, God rest her soul.

In terms of the discussion on music I'm with Marty on this, I don't see how Irish republican music can be held responsible for helping send many young men and women to gaol and to their deaths as Bookworm states. It was the British occupation that done that, were it not for that occupation none of this would ever have happened. The conditioning effect of British violence against the nationalist community is what recruited people into the republican movement rather than Irish rebel music.

This song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcC8KlAu-eM is one of my favourites, I often listen to it when thinking about the tragedy of what happened in our country and when I see the lads at the end and that roguish smile on Dessie's face I know that we'll never give up 'till this land of ours is free and the goals the boys set out to achieve have been achieved.

We'll never forget them and if their memory is preserved in a beautiful song such as the one I have posted we are all the richer for it

Must say as one who is generally dismissive of uni...

2013-02-06T11:21:13.978Z

Must say as one who is generally dismissive of unionism, there's something genuine coming across from Robert. Fair do's.

James when was the last time ye heard a rebel tun...

2013-02-05T23:36:32.428Z

James

when was the last time ye heard a rebel tune at a GAA match? Great days/weekends out those Celtic games. Don't miss rangers a bit, Juventus coming up, after gobbing Barcelona. Couldn't make it up.

Anthony, I don't as a rule impose on obiturie...

2013-02-05T23:27:06.170Z

Anthony,

I don't as a rule impose on obituries. There is a sacredness about the dead and our relationship with them that transcends political opinion. Of all the commmentary that I have read about Dolours Price, this in my opinion, is perhaps, the most personal and profound account offered to date. It is a testimony to your writing that even an implacable opponent is moved to acknowledge. I am sorry for your loss.

Emmett; 'there is to much great folk music out...

2013-02-05T22:49:55.611Z

Emmett; 'there is to much great folk music out there to waste ones time on garbage.'

How right you are.

Luke Kelly, Paddy Riley, Planxty, DeDanaan, Christy, the Blacks, Kathleen Largey, Moving Hearts, there's none who could hold a candle to any of these guys.

This is true, the older you get the less this mus...

2013-02-05T16:31:06.933Z

This is true, the older you get the less this music springs to mind for a night. It certainly ries the blood, made worse with ale. It is usually at get togethers from old friends and after a fill of drink they come out, neither the less, they seem to appear and disappear like "rentaghost" at a party down the years. I prefer a little subtle approach these days with christy moore et al they also have a history lesson attached. I would also hazzard a guess and say rebel music did send a brave few into the paramilitaries on their way. The same way rap music has,on the gangsta,there is definate linkage, but not the primary reason. I also find funny how quite a lot of celtic fans I have met from here in my experience sectarian, need to go to a field in glasgow watching a british sport - import "soccer" to sing about Ireland. When rangers left the scottish premier, I thought it was great, not because I am against rangers, it was that what would the bigots do without their little fixture.

feel the love only ever gets played in my gaff af...

2013-02-05T12:17:12.301Z

feel the love

only ever gets played in my gaff after 6 guinnes at the ocal and a further 4 of the 8 cans ive brought home with me...in the morning its cringe and hide the fekers!!! til next time. lol

Frankie: "How does this music mane you fe...

2013-02-04T23:20:21.777Z
Frankie:

"How does this music mane you feel"

FFS, me and her were up jiving to that one, Cheers mucker, still a bit of life in us yet. lol

Emmett:

The only song those Celtic fans sing is, Fields of Athenry, and yes, I will agree most of them are drunk. But the tapes I and others sold, from lands end to john O' groats, were for a cause, The Republican Cause, Prisoners being Tortured, Trying to keep their women to stay with there children instead of going out on the piss and leaving them and jumping into bed with any tom dick or harry, Sometimes I felt like saying, Ack, Fuck this, its a waste of time, But I didn't, Plenty of lads Got to safety on the other side of the atlantic with some of that money, they had a choice, stay here, or, Emigrate. But SOME still stayed as Republicans when they got set up in the grand old U.S. of A, and weapons started coming in. I would say it was well worth it. as for the songs, have you ever heard of the tapes in question, "Price of Freedom", "Price Of Justice", if not, Please listen to them.

The music some of the above are referring to is no...

2013-02-04T21:16:55.980Z
The music some of the above are referring to is now the staple of drunk celtic fans and the tone deaf. It has become a parody of itself. youd need to be full to listen to it or not wise lol
there is to much great folk music out there to waste ones time on garbage.

How does this music make you feel? Turn your jukebox up loud. To me, it brings back memories of the BCT club on the Dublin Rd in the late 80's on a Sat. night.

Well Lads, You can put part of the blame on me, Wh...

2013-02-04T21:03:21.008Z
Well Lads, You can put part of the blame on me, Why?, because I was one off many who used to sell it, and, all proceeds went to the families of prisoners and those OTR,as well as some volunteers, I traveled from Manchester to Glasgow selling them in every Irish Bar and Club, sorry to say, We didn't sell to many in the Irish Centers, Biggest sales then were in the Hibs Clubs , It was Kathleen Largey TAPES. To me it was a worthy cause and I would do it again, at times I play my favourite, Its Only our rivers that run free by Kathleen Largey. that song is still true to this very day, and, in my mind will continue to be so for years to come, way past 2016.

Everything can have an effect on our moods a cara ...

2013-02-04T20:29:23.609Z
Everything can have an effect on our moods a cara ,watching a tropical fish tank has been shown to slow the heart rate down.Mozarts 1846 overture can stir passion while some of the scores from Les Mes will have ya sobbing yer beads out,thats what the arts are about to stir the emotions be it happy,sad or whatever, but like the sound of the pipes in my case when the hairs literally stand up on the back of my neck,these effect the emotions but rather they would influence me to kill someone a cara I seriously doubt it.

Marty; My point is music, like other forms of art ...

2013-02-04T19:53:25.919Z
Marty; My point is music, like other forms of art and communication influence all of us and affect our mood - sometimes even behaviour. Classical music for example may have a calming effect on us and there is much debate on how rap music affects and influences young black men in America. There are also a great deal of documented personal stories of US troops being 'fired up' by rock music in Vietnam, Iraq etc.

Surely it stands to reason that rebel tunes had an influencing effect in us Irish?

Belfast Bookworm lets look at the ballad of Billy ...

2013-02-04T19:30:18.239Z
Belfast Bookworm lets look at the ballad of Billy Reid for e.g. would it be the fact that the brits shot Billy,or the song would that would make young people angry, I,m inclined to think it was the shooting not the messenger that caused any anger,I,m reading a book Anthony recommended Cruel Britannia that makes my blood boil,again its the facts not the messenger...

Marty; I'm not saying music was a recruiting s...

2013-02-04T17:30:51.742Z
Marty; I'm not saying music was a recruiting sergeant but that songs and music HELPED rile young people, get their blood boiling.

Larry & Marty, you both make a fair point. Loo...

2013-02-04T17:23:57.107Z
Larry & Marty, you both make a fair point. Look at it like this, both your views have validity. A lot of republican songs are based around historical events. Some people are inspired by mucic. likewise others are inspired by books charting Irish history,or poetry. Some nationalists joinned up because they didn't like what was happening to thier communities. Point is, there are many reasons.

I have never met anyone from any faction of republ...

2013-02-04T16:12:47.728Z
I have never met anyone from any faction of republicanism who said that they joined the republican struggle because of a song ,I would like to think our people are a bit smarter than that,,ballads and songs highlight events in our history and may encourage people to think about events but that in itself is can not re regarded as a recruiting sergeant.

belfast bookworm 'I'd agree. Some great o...

2013-02-04T15:52:39.040Z
belfast bookworm

'I'd agree. Some great old ballads on it. Later bands, in my view, were responsible for helping send many young men and women to gaol and to their deaths, riling and rousing them. I wouldn't have them in my house.'

so true and some of them are still at it. as bad as SF nothing else in their life! Irish Brigade and the geriatric wolf tones ffs!!!

Anthony, lovely tribute to her. James; 'This...

2013-02-04T08:39:17.778Z
Anthony, lovely tribute to her.

James; 'This album has a lot to answer for'

I'd agree. Some great old ballads on it. Later bands, in my view, were responsible for helping send many young men and women to gaol and to their deaths, riling and rousing them. I wouldn't have them in my house.

Nice tribute mackers and a good read.

2013-02-03T22:53:01.150Z
Nice tribute mackers and a good read.

Words that describe Dolours Price: intelligent, wi...

2013-02-03T21:01:19.987Z
Words that describe Dolours Price: intelligent, witty, sensitive, principled, honourable, loyal, brave.

Pre dating Eire Og- The dublin City Ramblers album...

2013-02-03T20:14:03.380Z
Pre dating Eire Og- The dublin City Ramblers album Irish Republican Jail Songs 1978.
Side One
Our Lads in Crumlin Jail
Take Me Home to Mayo
Bring Them Home
James Connolly
The Men Behind the Wire
Shall My Soul Pass Through Old Ireland
The Jail at Cluan-Meala
The Old Triangle
Side Two
Over The Wall
Long Kesh
Tom Williams
The Helicopter Song
Robert Emmet
Kevin Barry
19 Men
This album has a lot to answer for, it basically what got me interested with the whole lot. Then the jig saw and pieces started to come together slowly but surely after that, to where we are today. Irish Folk Music has a great way of capturing the history, heart and mind. Not to forget the throat, the clinched fist and the tapping toe.lol. There are some great history lessons out there, from whatever angle you take in republicanism, or what side of the house you are on. Maybe it will be the only way , we are/will be truely united through song.

James, the same thought crossed my mind as did E...

2013-02-03T19:30:09.015Z
James,

the same thought crossed my mind as did Emmett's. If you made a mistake you are in large company.

Ardoyne Republican,

it struck me as ironic that former prisoners could turn up at the funeral of Ronan Kerr, the young British police officer who was killed in Omagh two years ago, but not to bury Dolours. They are free to choose and I don't criticise them for attending Ronan Kerr's funeral. It is just that I wonder about what informs that choice.

Emmett, I stand corrected about the song, it looks...

2013-02-03T19:26:32.439Z
Emmett,
I stand corrected about the song, it looks like the Wolfe Tonnes wrote it as far as I am aware. I was thinking of Eire og - go bring them home about the Price sisters. Neither the less, you would be hard pushed not to sing one, at the expense of the other.