Kelly was one of the best-known figures of the Irish folk music movement of the 1960s and 1970s. A Dubliner from the north inner city, he attended O'Connell's Schools before emigrating to Britain in 1958. There he first became involved in the growing international folk music scene in which Ewan MacColl was a central figure, as well as joining the Communist Party of Great Britain.
In 1962 Luke Kelly returned to Dublin and quickly became a central figure in the city's burgeoning folk music community, playing in sessions in O'Donoghue's Pub on Merrion Row with the likes of Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna and The Fureys. Not long after, he ended up forming a folk group with Drew, McKenna, Ciaran Bourke and John Sheahan, which he named The Dubliners. In 1965, Kelly married the actress Deirdre O'Connell, one of the founders of the Focus Theatre.
In the mid-1960s, Luke moved to England for a while. On returning, he rejoined the Dubliners. His interpretations of "Raglan Road" (a poem by Patrick Kavanagh) and Scorn Not His Simplicity were significant musical achievements and became points of reference in Irish folk music. Luke remained a politically engaged musician, and many of the songs he recorded dealt with social issues, the arms race and war, workers' rights and Irish nationalism, ("The Springhill Disaster", "Second World Song", "When Margaret was Eleven", "Joe Hill", "The Button Pusher", "Alabama 1958" and "God Save Ireland" all being good examples of his concerns). One of the Dubliners' seminal albums was titled Revolution. In the socially and politically conservative atmosphere of the Republic of Ireland at the time, this was notable.
Luke Kelly was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1980, and died in 1984. He remains a Dublin icon and his music is widely regarded as one of the city's cultural treasures.
The Ballybough Bridge in the north inner city of Dublin has been renamed the The Luke Kelly Bridge and in November 2004, the Dublin city council voted unanimously to erect a bronze statue of Luke Kelly. The location for the statue had not yet been decided upon.
From Dublin streets and roads and down the years
Came great musicians and balladeers
There was a special one, a red haired minstrel boy
And when he passed away, a city mourned its favourite son
All round the markets and down the quays
The sad news it spread to the Liberties
The minstrel boy is gone, he'll sing no more
And Luke somehow we know, we'll never see your likes again
Whiskey In The Jar
Luke Kelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I met with captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I first produced my pistol and I then produced my rapier
Saying "Stand and deliver" for he were a bold deceiver
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
But the devil take the women for they never can be easy
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
I went up to my chamber, all for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure 't was no wonder
But Jenny blew me charges and she filled them up with water
Then sent for captain Farrell to be ready for the slaughter
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
And 't was early in the morning, just before I rose to travel
Up comes a band of footmen and likewise captain Farrell
I first produced me pistol for she stole away me rapier
I couldn't shoot the water, so a prisoner I was taken
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
There's some take delight in the carriages a rolling
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
And if anyone can aid me 't is my brother in the army
If I can find his station in Cork or in Killarney
And if he'll go with me, we'll go rovin' through Killkenney
And I'm sure he'll treat me better than my own a-sporting Jenny
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
"Whiskey in the Jar" is a traditional Irish song that tells the story of a highwayman who robs Captain Farrell and is later betrayed by his lover, Jenny. The song begins with the singer encountering Captain Farrell as he counts his money in the Kerry mountains. The singer pulls out his pistol and sword and demands that Captain Farrell hands over his money. He then takes the money and brings it back to his lover, Jenny, who claims she would never deceive him.
However, the singer is betrayed when Jenny fills his gun charges with water, leaving him defenseless when Captain Farrell and his men come back to capture him. In the end, the singer expresses his love for whiskey and his desire to travel with his brother through Killkenney.
The song has been covered by a variety of artists, including Thin Lizzy and Metallica. The lyrics have also been adapted over time and vary depending on the version. Although the song's origins are unknown, it was first known to be published in a broadsheet in the mid-19th century. It has since become a popular drinking song in Ireland and beyond.
Line by Line Meaning
As I was a goin' over the far famed Kerry mountains
While traveling over the famous Kerry Mountains
I met with captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I encountered Captain Farrell who was counting his money
I first produced my pistol and I then produced my rapier
I drew my pistol and then my sword
Saying "Stand and deliver" for he were a bold deceiver
Ordering him to surrender being a deceitful person
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Exclamation to add emphasis to the song
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
Exclamation to add emphasis to the song
There's whiskey in the jar
A refrain indicating the presence of whiskey in the song
I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I tallied his cash and it was quite a sum
I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny
I kept it with me and went home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
Jenny promised she would never be untrue
But the devil take the women for they never can be easy
But women are fickle and unreliable
I went up to my chamber, all for to take a slumber
I went to my room to sleep
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure 't was no wonder
I had a dream of riches, which is not surprising
But Jenny blew me charges and she filled them up with water
But Jenny emptied my guns and replaced the powder with water
Then sent for captain Farrell to be ready for the slaughter
She summoned Captain Farrell to come and capture me
And 't was early in the morning, just before I rose to travel
And in the early morning, just before I was about to leave
Up comes a band of footmen and likewise captain Farrell
A group of soldiers, along with Captain Farrell, appeared
I first produced me pistol for she stole away me rapier
I reached for my pistol as she had taken my sword
I couldn't shoot the water, so a prisoner I was taken
I was unable to fire, so I was captured
There's some take delight in the carriages a rolling
Some people enjoy seeing carriages on the road
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
And others enjoy hurling and bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
But I enjoy drinking whiskey made from barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early
And I enjoy pursuing beautiful women early in the morning
And if anyone can aid me 't is my brother in the army
If anyone can help me, it's my brother in the army
If I can find his station in Cork or in Killarney
If I can locate him in either Cork or Killarney
And if he'll go with me, we'll go rovin' through Killkenney
And if he agrees to come, we'll wander through Killkenney
And I'm sure he'll treat me better than my own a-sporting Jenny
And I'm confident he'll be more loyal than my unfaithful girlfriend Jenny
Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da
Exclamation to add emphasis to the song
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
Exclamation to add emphasis to the song
There's whiskey in the jar
A refrain indicating the presence of whiskey in the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jeremy Max Finer, Philip Chevron, James Thirkhill Fearnley, Darryl Gatwick Hunt, Andrew David Ranken, Peter Spider Stacey, Terry Woods, Dp, Eamonn Francis Campbell, John Edmund Sheahan, Ronald Joseph Drew, Shane Patrick Lysaght Mac-Gowan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@EricCartmanEsquire
I really love how Ronnie's voice complements Luke's voice during the chorus.
@paulsmith5752
Ronnie sounds like he's had a rough night... again...
@eckdolmick5781
@@paulsmith5752 Ronnie's voice is like dragging metal across concrete.
@jp8356
Luke Kelly was a gem
@BM-qf6rx
So true
@Blood0cean
Did he die early or smth? I noticed other lineups were just 4.
@stevefrench8370
Luke Kelly was epic. RiP sir.
@eriktegnanderandresen7393
@@Blood0cean he died in 84, was only 44 years old
@rudycarlson8245
@@eriktegnanderandresen7393 what happened how did he die?
@clivemilson2372
Ronnie Drew's voice is amazing. A one off. I loved them.