Dominic Behan
Easter Week and After - Songs of the I.R.A.
1960 - Topic 12T 44 LP
Side One
Erin Go Brath
It's a Grand Old Country
The Recruiting Sergeant
Slean Libh
Sergeant William Bailey
Barry's Column
Roscarbery
The Boys of the County Cork
Side Two
Johnston's Motor Car
Sean Tracy
Take it Down from the Mast
The Castle of Drumboe
The Merry Ploughboy
Sean South
The Oul' Alarm Clock
The Patriot Game
Credits
Dominic Behan: Vocals
Accompanied by John Hasted on guitar, banjo & accordion
First issued by TOPIC 1958 [1]
Recorded by Bill Leader 1958 [1]
Notes by Paddy Tunney 1965
New sleeve design by Derrick McRobert 1976
Sleeve photograph Popperfoto
Sleeve Notes
In the years since this record was first issued and since its notes were written, some of its subject
matter may have acquired references that were originally neither intended nor forseen. It remains in the
TOPIC catalogue because of its documentary interest, and both music and notes should be understood
in the terms of their period.
TOPIC RECORDS 1976
Topic Records Ltd. London
Dominic Behan, playwright, balladeer, satirist into a brilliant family of Dublin rebels. His ancestors were Fenians and his uncle, Peadar Kearney, was author of our "A Soldier's Song" and many other spirited rebel ballads.
Big brother Brendan projected the image of romantic Irelad beyond her shores and, thanks to his Republican views, his fine singing voice was well known, behind the prison bars of England and Ireland as in the drinking bars of his name city.
So it is easy to see that Dominic is very well qualified to sing the songs of the Irish Republican Army.
Now that his giant of a brother no longer bestrides the Irish literary scene like a colossus, the full weight of the Beahn bardic tradition falls on the shoulders of little Dominic. But God made the back for the burden and surely he carries his load lightly.
The songs he has selected for this record number sixteen and all tell the story of the Irish Republican Army from the Easter Rising of 1916 to the present day. It is the story of the hope and aspirations, the heartbreaks and bitterness of a race that strove hard but stopped short of full nationhood.
There are four of his uncle's compositions included and two his own. The remaining ten are the spontaneous heart-cry of a people in revolt.
Dominic's peculiar singing style lends itself to the interpretation of rebel ballads. It is shorn of intricate ornamentation and depends on a directness of form and a simplicity of phrase rarely found among Irish traditional singers. There also is a jauntiness about it reminiscent of the Orange songs and singers of Ulster. These qualities, coupled with the delightful incisiveness inherent in the man, make a moving and immediate impact.
Alternate releases
Easter Week and After - Songs of the I.R.A.: 1965 - Topic 12T 44 LP
This cover comes courtesy of Alistair Banfield
Easter Week and After - Songs of the I.R.A.: 1965 - Topic 12T 44 LP
This cover comes courtesy of John Flynn
Easter Week and After: 1976 - Topic 12T 44 LP
Related release
Notes
1 The above statement, "First issued by TOPIC 1958" is incorrect, or at least misleading. According to Alistair Banfield, this album was first released by Topic in 1960. One only has to compare the catalog numbers to verify this. However, many of these tracks were first released on the above "1957" Riverside LP, Songs of the I.R.A.. Therefore, dating this recording (exactly) is questionable.