The Dubliners started off in O'Donoghue's pub in Dublin in 1962 under the name of "the Ronnie Drew Folk Group". Then they were four, Ronnie Drew (vocals and guitar), Luke Kelly (vocals and 5-string banjo), Barney McKenna (tenor banjo, mandolin, melodeon and vocals) and Ciarán Bourke (vocals, guitar, tin whistle and harmonica). In 1963, they played at the Edinburgh festival where they met the head of Transatlantic Records, Nathan Joseph, for whom they started recording. In 1964, Luke Kelly left, and Bobby Lynch (vocals and guitar) and John Sheahan (fiddle, tin whistle, mandolin, concertina, guitar and vocals) were added. When Luke Kelly returned and Bobby Lynch left in 1965, we have what is considered as the original Dubliners, five individualists, five men whose talents were mixed together in a superb blend and just wanted to play and have a good craic. If they only knew what was awaiting them!
In 1967 their major breakthrough came as a result of a coincidence. Their song, "Seven Drunken Nights" which was recorded in one take, was snapped up by a pirate radio station which started playing it along with the Beatles, the Mamas & the Papas, the Who, the Kinks and Jimi Hendrix. Suddenly, The Dubliners was a major band, playing all over the world, getting into the charts, and receiving gold discs. Not what you expected from a bunch of hairy people who "looked like they'd just been dragged out of a seedy bar via a hedge(backwards) and dropped on London from a very great height".(Colin Irwin in the reissue of "Live at the Albert Hall")
The seventies started like the sixties ended; wild touring, drinking, playing. They started doing regular tours, and they were still recording, of course. Then, in 1974, Ciarán Bourke collapsed on stage with a brain haemmorrage, which eventually led to his death. He first, though, recovered remarkably , and was back on stage with The Dubliners, but collapsed again. At the same time, Ronnie decided to take a break, and Jim McCann took his and Ciaráns place in the group.
In 1979, Ronnie decided to make a comeback as a member of the group, although he probably never really left it. In the five years, he had recorded two solo albums, and The Dubliners three albums. With Ronnie returning, Jim left, and The Dubs were almost back where they started. Then Luke Kelly became ill, he collapsed on stage with a brain tumour, for which he received surgery several times. He too, made remarkable recoveries, and went on touring with the Dubliners, at the same time continuing his wild and unhealthy lifestyle. Seán Cannon, a long time friend, stepped in for Luke, when he couldn't be on stage. Seáns appearence wasn't that well received by the audiences at the beginning, but he has later turned out to be an important addition to The Dubliners, and their repertoir. In 1984, Luke Kelly died, but The Dubliners, now with Seán Cannon as a member, decided to keep on.
1987 turned out to be one of the best - and busiest - years for the Dubliners. Their long time friend, and guest musician, Eamonn Campbell (29 November 1946 – 18 October 2017), brought the group together with the Pogues on the hit single the Irish Rover. This single took the Dubliners back to the charts, and also gave them a completely new audience; people who weren't even born when The Dubliners started off. And with Dublin celebrating its milennium in 1988, The Dubliners also received more attention than for years. Eamonn Campbell joined them on regular basis, a move which has turned out to be one of the most important in their history. In 1988 Ciarán Bourke died, after years of pain and difficulties. He always was, and still is very much remembered by The Dubliners, just like Luke Kelly is.
The eighties finished off with rumours that The Dubliners were to retire, probably something that's always been following the group. However, they didn't, and celebrated their 30th anniversary in 1992, with a double cd and extensive tour. The nineties have later brought a tour video from the German tour 1995, and the "shock" news that Ronnie Drew was leaving. He left in December 1995, after releasing a superb album, "Dirty Rotten Shame" a few months earlier.
Now, even the most optimistic Dubliners fans thought it was the end, but the remaindours decided to convince Paddy Reilly to join them, and they continued their busy touring and recording schedule. This move has also turned out to be excellent. Paddy, not very well known in Europe, had never been touring there, so he too enjoyed the experience, as well as being part of a band. He still, though, does tours in the USA in the winter and summermonths.
2002, they temporarily reunited with Ronnie Drew and Jim McCann, for their 40th anniversary tour. They made a string of appearances on Irish television throughout this time, including a memorable appearance with Phil Coulter and George Murphy on RTÉ 1.
After the tour, Jim McCann was diagnosed with throat cancer and, though he fully recovered, his voice was severely damaged, and he has not been able to sing since his illness
In 2005, Paddy Reilly moved to the United States, and Patsy Watchorn joined the group. Watchorn made a name for himself with The Dublin City Ramblers; like Kelly, he accompanies his songs on the five-string banjo.
The band toured Europe every year. A planned tour of Denmark two weeks after the death of McKenna on 5 April 2012 went ahead as planned. From the first show in Copenhagen on 18 April onwards he was replaced by the Irish banjo player Gerry O'Connor.
The band celebrated their 50th anniversary with an extensive year-long European tour and the release of a live DVD recorded live at Dublin's Vicar Street.
In the fall of 2012 the band announced their retirement, effective after their 50th anniversary shows at the end of the year. The Dubliners played the final shows at Vicar Street in Dublin on 28/29/30 December 2012 the band were joined by former band member Jim McCann.
The band made their final TV appearence in the UK on the BBC's New Year's Eve edition of Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny' on 31 December. Their last public appearance as the Dubliners was on 27 January 2013 in memory of Barney McKenna. The remaining members Sean Cannon, Eamonn Campbell, Patsy Watchorn and Gerry O'Connor continue to tour Europe in 2013/14.
People probably don't recognize what The Dubliners have meant to the world of music. By the way, not only the world of music, but the world as a whole. They have first of all paved the way for dozens of bands from Ireland and Scotland, like the Chieftains, the Pogues, U2, Ossian, the Fureys and so on. The number of artists that list The Dubliners as one of their major influences and idols, is endless. They have brought folk music to millions of people all over the world, people who never would have been interested at all. That isn't only because of the folk music, the instrumentals alone, it's because of The Dubliners, their astonishing voices, their undescribable instrumentals, the wild life style and drinking, late sessions, their enormous beards, their extensive touring, their charisma and characters. It was, and still is to a certain extent, a blend the world will never see again.
The Dubliners have brought Ireland to the world in a way that no emigration has, they have brought the world to Ireland, and they have brought people all over the world closer together. Whenever it ends, the world will never be the same again.
The Unquiet Grave
The Dubliners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A few small drops of rain;
Never had I had but one true-love,
In cold grave she is lain.
I'll do as much for my true-love,
As any young man may;
I'll sit and mourn all on her grave
A twelvemonth and a day.
A voice spoke from the deep
'Who is it sits all on my grave,
And will not let me sleep?
'Tis I, tis I, thine own true-love
Who sits upon your grave;
For I crave one kiss from your sweet lips,
And that is all I seek.
You crave one kiss from my clay-cold lips;
But my breath is earthly strong;
Had you one kiss from my clay-cold lips,
Your time would not be long.
My time be low, my time be short
Tomorrow or today;
May God in heaven have all my soal
But I'll kiss your lips of clay.
"See down in yonder garden green,
Love, where we used to walk,
The sweetest flower that ever grew
Is withered to a stalk.
The stalk is withered dry, my love,
So will our hearts decay;
So make yourself content, my love,
Till death calls you away.
The Dubliners's song The Unquiet Grave tells a story of a lost love and a restless ghost. The singer laments the loss of their one true love, who now lays in a cold grave, and vows to mourn at their grave out of respect for their memory. After a year and a day, the ghost of the lost love speaks from the grave, asking the singer to identify themselves and demanding to know who has been disturbing their rest. The singer reveals themselves to be the lost love's own true love and expresses a desire to kiss the ghost's lips of clay. Cautiously, the ghost warns that if the living were to taste the kiss of death, their time would be short, but the singer is undaunted and insists on expressing their love for their lost love.
The song suggests that love is eternal, even beyond the grave. The singer's love for their lost love transcends death and the supernatural barrier of the afterlife. It also communicates the idea that the living must let go of their lost love and move on with their lives even though their hearts are withered like the sweetest flower that grew but no longer sustains life. The Unquiet Grave is a haunting and evocative lament that suggests the power of love to overcome even the most final barrier of demise.
Line by Line Meaning
The wind does blow today, my love,
Today, the wind is blowing and I am reminded of my one true love who is now dead.
A few small drops of rain;
There is a light rain but it’s not as heavy as my sadness for my deceased love.
Never had I had but one true-love,
I have only ever had one true love in my life, and now they are gone.
In cold grave she is lain.
My love's body is now buried in the cold earth.
I'll do as much for my true-love,
I will do anything for my true love, no matter the cost to myself.
As any young man may;
As any young man would do for the woman he loves.
I'll sit and mourn all on her grave
I will sit beside her grave and mourn her loss for a year and a day.
A twelvemonth and a day being gone,
After a year and a day had passed,
A voice spoke from the deep
A voice from beyond the grave spoke to me,
'Who is it sits all on my grave,
'Who is sitting on my grave, not letting me rest?' asked my beloved from beyond the grave.
And will not let me sleep?
This constant sitting and mourning is disturbing the peace of my beloved's afterlife.
'Tis I, tis I, thine own true-love
It is I, your own true love who sits beside your remains.
Who sits upon your grave;
I am sitting on your grave, mourning your loss.
For I crave one kiss from your sweet lips,
All I want is one more kiss from my beloved's sweet lips.
And that is all I seek.
I want nothing more than one last kiss from you.
You crave one kiss from my clay-cold lips;
You want a kiss from my cold, lifeless lips.
But my breath is earthly strong;
Even though my body is dead, my spirit is still strong and connected to this earthly realm.
Had you one kiss from my clay-cold lips,
Even if you were to kiss my cold, dead lips, it would not bring me back to life.
Your time would not be long.
If you kissed my lifeless body, it would only be a matter of time before you too join me in death.
My time be low, my time be short
My time on this earth is limited, and I will join my beloved soon in the afterlife.
Tomorrow or today;
I could pass away at any moment, whether it be today or tomorrow.
May God in heaven have all my soal
I hope that God in heaven will have mercy on my soul when I pass on.
But I'll kiss your lips of clay.
Even though I know it's futile, I will still kiss my beloved's cold, lifeless lips.
See down in yonder garden green,
Look down over in the garden where we once walked together.
Love, where we used to walk,
The place where we used to spend so much time together.
The sweetest flower that ever grew
The most beautiful flower in the garden, representing the love we once shared.
Is withered to a stalk.
That flower is now nothing more than a dried-up, lifeless plant.
The stalk is withered dry, my love,
Even the once-beautiful flower has died and withered away, much like our love.
So will our hearts decay;
Just as the flower has withered and died, our love has also died and decayed.
So make yourself content, my love,
Accept this loss and find peace within yourself, my love.
Till death calls you away.
Find peace and happiness in life until the day that death calls for you as well.
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JacelynAgea
The wind doth blow
today my love
A few small drops of rain
Never have I had
but one true love
In cold clay she is laid
I'll do as much
for my true love
As any young man may
I'll sit and mourn
all on her grave
At twelve months and a day
The twelve months and the day being gone
A voice spoke from the deep
Who is it sits
all on my grave
And will not let me sleep
'Tis I, 'tis I,
Thine own true love
Who sits upon your grave
For I crave one kiss
from your sweet lips
And that is all I seek
You crave one kiss
from my clay cold lips
But my breath is earthy strong
Had you one kiss
from my clay cold lips
Your time would not be long
My time be long,
my time be short
Tomorrow or today
May God in heaven
have all my soul
But I'll kiss your lips of clay
See down in yonder garden green
Love where we used to walk
The sweetest flower
that ever grew
Is withered to the stalk
The stalk is withered dry my love
So will our hearts decay
So make yourself
content my love
Till death calls you away
michael rossiter
This has to be the best love song ever. And Luke's voice is pure magic
roller325
I just shed tears to this and "The Night Visiting Song". My Dad's mind is going, and he's slowly dying infront of me, yet I'm powerless to stop it. I feel better after weeping for a while; thank you, Luke, thank you.
Birger bohm
how lucky we are - we can every day here all this wonderful songs performed by a true master. - and this one is one of the best. - Luke you will never die
Teddyb1939
This should be in everyones collection, Lovely song sung with feeling by a Genius.Great ,lovely LUKE KELLY. Clever great video,well done!!.
Lorna Whyte
Best Irish singer of all time 😍
Ó'Donnchada
Him And Joe Dolan.☘🇮🇪
Teddyb1939
So much feeling in Luke's voice,great words,music but most of all the magic Luke.
JacelynAgea
The wind doth blow
today my love
A few small drops of rain
Never have I had
but one true love
In cold clay she is laid
I'll do as much
for my true love
As any young man may
I'll sit and mourn
all on her grave
At twelve months and a day
The twelve months and the day being gone
A voice spoke from the deep
Who is it sits
all on my grave
And will not let me sleep
'Tis I, 'tis I,
Thine own true love
Who sits upon your grave
For I crave one kiss
from your sweet lips
And that is all I seek
You crave one kiss
from my clay cold lips
But my breath is earthy strong
Had you one kiss
from my clay cold lips
Your time would not be long
My time be long,
my time be short
Tomorrow or today
May God in heaven
have all my soul
But I'll kiss your lips of clay
See down in yonder garden green
Love where we used to walk
The sweetest flower
that ever grew
Is withered to the stalk
The stalk is withered dry my love
So will our hearts decay
So make yourself
content my love
Till death calls you away
davide colombo
True love
bru th
wow, great song writing, thanks for posting