I ran across this tune web-surfing. I know different things affect people differently, so you may not agree, but I think this is the saddest song I've ever heard. The background story below is from Wikipedia. The mando-content is that the video features the great Mick Maloney. Some of you may already be familiar with it, but I just wanted to share it with some people who might appreciate it. I may be soft-headed, but I still can't listen to it without choking up.
'"Kilkelly, Ireland" is a song by Steven and Peter Jones. It tells the story of an Irish emigrant to America through a series of letters from his father back in Kilkelly. It has five verses covering the period between 1860 and 1892.
The Jones brothers based the song on letters from their great-great-grandfather, Brian Hunt, to his son John, their great-grandfather. As Brian was illiterate, the letters were actually written by dictation to the local schoolmaster, Patrick McNamara, who had been a friend of John's.
It has been covered by many artists, including Robbie O'Connell, Atwater-Donnelly, The Dubliners, Mick Moloney, Seán Keane, Ciara Considine, Jim Brannigan, and David Gans (with Eric Rawlins).'
Bookmarks