UKELELES, guitars and many of their stringed relatives congregated to celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the Myall U3A Hall in Hawks Nest on Tuesday, 17 March.
Celtic pride abounded as nine players and over a dozen audience members donned green for the occasion.
“We note that St Patrick’s Day is not actually the anniversary of St Patrick’s birth, but of his death-day, since no-one really knows when he was taken to Ireland from Roman Britain back in the fourth century AD,” explained Myall U3A Music Group co-convenor Deb.
Some songs played were centuries old, others less than a hundred, but all with many weeks of practice behind them.
“If You’re Irish” was followed by “Cockles and Mussels”, a reminiscence of the mournful tale of Molly Malone, who centuries ago walked the streets of Dublin day and night, and now is said to haunt the same alleys after her untimely demise.
“The Orange and the Green” discusses the identity crisis of a young man whose parents came from opposing sides of the Troubles, while “Black Velvet Band” shares the cautionary tale of a boy who was convicted of theft and transported to Australia as a convict.
“Whistling Gypsy Rover” carries conflicting messages, either to be cautious of with whom you let your daughter fraternise, or not to judge a book by its cover, lest he be a lordling in disguise.
More modern songs were also played, such as “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover” from the 1920s.
A few songs from the 1960s strummed in, including “Blowin’ In the Wind” by Bob Dylan, and “Six Ribbons”, an Australian piece fronted by Jon English in the 1970s miniseries “Against the Wind”, inspired by perpetually destitute Irish farmers and their attempts to win feminine hearts.
Another crowd favourite was “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”, a tribute to Ireland written in 1912, while “Forty Shades of Green” reminded attendees why the nation is known as the Emerald Isle.
The finale came with “Whiskey in the Jar”, yet another tale of betrayal, this one of a highwayman who was betrayed by his lover, yet another Molly.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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