Makem was born and raised in Keady, County Armagh (the "Hub of the Universe" as Makem always said), in Northern Ireland. His mother, Sarah Makem, was an important source of traditional Irish music, who was visited and recorded by, among others, Diane Guggenheim Hamilton, Jean Ritchie, Peter Kennedy and Sean O'Boyle. His father, Peter Makem, was a fiddler who also played the bass drum in a local pipe band named "Oliver Plunkett", after a martyr of the Cromwell age. His brother and sister were folk musicians also. Young Tommy Makem, from the age of 8, was member of the St. Patrick's church choir for 15 years where he sang Gregorian chant and motets. He didn't learn to read music but he made it in his "own way".
He started to work at 14 as a clerk in a garage and later he worked for a while as a barman at Mone's Bar, a local pub and as a local correspondent for The Armagh Observer.
He emigrated to the United States in 1955, carrying his few possessions and a set of bagpipes (from his time in a pipe band). Arriving in Dover, New Hampshire, he worked at Kidder Press, where in 1956 his hand was accidentally crushed by a press.[4] With his arm in a sling, he left Dover for New York to pursue an acting career.
The Clancys and Makem were signed to Columbia Records in 1961. The same year, at the Newport Folk Festival, Makem and Joan Baez were named the most promising newcomers on the American folk scene. During the 1960s, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem performed sellout concerts at such venues as Carnegie Hall, and made television appearances on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show. The group performed for President Kennedy. They also played in smaller venues such as the Gate of Horn in Chicago. They appeared jointly in the UK Albums Chart in April 1966, when Isn't It Grand Boys reached number 22.
Makem left the group in 1969 to pursue a solo career. In 1975, he and Liam Clancy were both booked to play a folk festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and were persuaded to do a set together. Thereafter they often performed as Makem and Clancy, recording several albums together. At a concert in 1977, Tommy noticed an audience member having a good time and exclaimed, "What have you been smoking? Good whatever you have, pass it around to the rest of them we'll all get goin'!" He once again went solo in 1988. Throughout the 70's and 80's Makem performed both solo and with Liam Clancy on The Irish Rovers various television shows, which were filming both in Canada and Ireland.
In the 1980-90s, Makem was a principal in a well-known Irish music venue in New York City, "Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion." This East 57th Street club was a prominent and well-loved performance spot for a wide range of musicians. Among the performers and visitors were Paddy Reilly, Joe Burke, and Ronnie Gilbert. Makem was a regular performer, often solo and often as part of Makem & Clancy, particularly in the late fall and holiday season. The club was also used for warm-up performances in the weeks before the 1984 reunion concert of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem at Lincoln Center. In addition, the after-party for Bob Dylan's legendary 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration at Madison Square Garden in 1992 was held at the Irish Pavilion.
In 1997 he wrote a book, Tommy Makem's Secret Ireland, and in 1999 premiered his own one-man theatre show, Invasions and Legacies, in New York. His career includes various other acting, video, composition, and writing credits. He also established the Tommy Makem International Festival of Song in South Armagh in 2000.
Makem was married to Mary Shanahan, a native of Chicago, for 37 years, and had four children - daughter Katie Makem-Boucher, and sons Shane, Conor and Rory. They also had two grandchildren, Molly (Dickerman) Makem and Robert Boucher. Mary died in 2001.
Makem's three sons (who perform as "The Makem Brothers") and nephews Tom & Jimmy Sweeney continue the family folk music tradition.
Makem died in Dover, New Hampshire on August 1, 2007, following a lengthy battle with lung cancer. He continued to record and perform until very close to the end. Paying tribute to him after his death, Liam Clancy said, "He was my brother in every way" He is buried next to his wife at New Saint Mary Cemetery in Dover.
Makem was a prolific composer/songwriter. His performances were always full of his compositions, many of which became standards in the repertoire. Some, notably "Four Green Fields", became so well known that they were sometimes described as anonymous folk songs. During the fall of the Iron Curtain, Makem often proudly told the story that his song "The Winds Are Singing Freedom" had become a sort of folk anthem among Eastern Europeans seeing a new future opening before them.
Makem's best-known songs include "Four Green Fields", "Gentle Annie", "The Rambles of Spring", "The Winds Are Singing Freedom", "The Town of Ballybay", "Winds of the Morning", "Mary Mack", and "Farewell to Carlingford". Even though many people mistakenly believe that Makem wrote "Red is the Rose", it is a traditional Irish folk song.
Makem had a gripping stage presence – the result of years of public performance, a charismatic personality, and a bard's voice. An army of friends and fans attended his frequent concerts, many recognizing each other at far-flung venues. Performances frequently included the following familiar elements:
Original Makem compositions; the first set often began with "The Rambles of Spring"
The standard repertoire of folk and Irish music, both well-known and little-known (but never "Danny Boy", "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", "Toorah Loorah Looral", or other forbidden requests)
Oddball songs, such as "Bridie Murphy and the Kamikaze Pilot" (Colm Gallagher) or "William Bloat" (Raymond Calvert)
Poetic recitations, often as introductions to songs; a frequent source was William Butler Yeats. (Thus "Gentle Annie" usually began with "When You Are Old and Grey", and Four Green Fields usually began with Seamus Heaney's "Requiem for the Croppies".)
Jokes, often silly, made funnier through repetition:
"If your nose is running and your feet smell, you're upside down."
Rarely: monologues, such as Marriott Edgar's "The Lion and Albert"
Exhortations, nearly always successful, for the audience to join in the singing
He received many awards and honours, including three honorary doctorates: one from the University of New Hampshire in 1998, one from the University of Limerick in 2001, and one from the University of Ulster in 2007; as well as the World Folk Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. With the Clancy Brothers he was listed among the top 100 Irish-Americans of the 20th century in 1999.[10]
A bridge over the Cocheco River on Washington Street in Makem's long-time home of Dover, New Hampshire, was named the Tommy and Mary Makem Memorial Bridge in 2010.
Johnny McEldoo
Tommy Makem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a couple of two or three went on the spree one day
We had a bob or two, which we knew how to blew
And the beer and whiskey flew and we all felt gay
We visited McCann's, Maclaman's, Humpty Dan's
We then went into Swan's, our stomachs for to pack
We ordered out a feed, which indeed, we did need
And we finished it with speed, but we still felt slack
Johnny McEldoo turned as blue as a Jew
And a plate of Irish stew he soon put out of sight
He shouted out "Encore!" with a roar for some more
That he'd never felt before such a keen appetite
He ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram
But him, we couldn't ram, though we tried our level best
For everything we brought, cold or hot, mattered not
It went down him like a shot but he still stood the test
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scarred
We thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
We told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower
Twice as much again and more before he had his fill
He nearly supped a trough full of broth says McGragh
"He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large
He began to shout and barge and his blood went on fire
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair
And to finish the affair, called the shop man a liar
The shop man, he through out and no doubt, he did clout
McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
Tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose
He would have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
Mceldoo began to howl and to growl, by my soul
He threw an empty bowl at the shop keepers head
It struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled his skin off his chin
And eruptions did begin and we all fought and bled
The peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five
At us they made a dive for us all to march away
We paid for all the mate that we ate, stood a trait
And went home to ruminate on the spree that day
The song "Johnny McEldoo" by Tommy Makem tells the story of a wild night on the town with friends. The singer and his buddies, Johnny McEldoo and McGee, set out to have a good time with some money to spend. They visit multiple pubs and restaurants, indulging in beer, whiskey, and food. Johnny McEldoo has an insatiable appetite and eats everything in sight, impressing his friends, but causing trouble when it comes time to pay the bill. In a fit of rage, Johnny fights with the shop keeper and causes a scene that leads to the arrival of the police.
The lyrics of the song capture the reckless abandon and consequences of a night filled with too much drinking and eating. It is a cautionary tale that warns of the dangers of overindulgence and the importance of self-control. The song also offers a glimpse into Irish culture and the tradition of socializing and enjoying good food and drink with friends. Overall, "Johnny McEldoo" is a lively and humorous song that explores the highs and lows of a night out on the town.
Line by Line Meaning
There was Johnny McEldoo and McGee and me
The singer and his friends Johnny McEldoo and McGee hung out together.
And a couple of two or three went on the spree one day
The group of friends went out together to have a good time.
We had a bob or two, which we knew how to blew
They had some money to spend and knew how to spend it.
And the beer and whiskey flew and we all felt gay
They drank alcohol and felt happy and carefree.
We visited McCann's, Maclaman's, Humpty Dan's
The group went to different bars and pubs.
We then went into Swan's, our stomachs for to pack
They went to a restaurant, Swan's, to eat.
We ordered out a feed, which indeed, we did need
They ordered food to satisfy their hunger.
And we finished it with speed, but we still felt slack
They ate quickly but still felt tired or sluggish.
Johnny McEldoo turned as blue as a Jew
Johnny McEldoo's face turned blue from overeating.
And a plate of Irish stew he soon put out of sight
Johnny McEldoo ate a whole plate of Irish stew quickly.
He shouted out "Encore!" with a roar for some more
Johnny McEldoo asked for more food in a loud voice.
That he'd never felt before such a keen appetite
He had never been so hungry before.
He ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram
Johnny McEldoo ordered a lot of food at once.
But him, we couldn't ram, though we tried our level best
They tried to give him more food, but he couldn't eat anymore.
For everything we brought, cold or hot, mattered not
Johnny McEldoo could eat any type of food, hot or cold.
It went down him like a shot but he still stood the test
He could eat food quickly and handle a lot of it.
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scarred
Johnny McEldoo ate a lot of challenging food like tripe and lard, which made his friends scared.
We thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
They were worried about how much the food would cost.
We told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower
They asked the waiter to reduce the bill, but he refused.
Twice as much again and more before he had his fill
The waiter said they owed him even more money before they could leave.
He nearly supped a trough full of broth says McGragh
Johnny McEldoo almost drank a whole pot of broth, according to McGragh.
"He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
McGragh warned that Johnny McEldoo might eat the tablecloth if they didn't stop him.
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large
When the bill arrived, Johnny McEldoo felt angry and intimidating.
He began to shout and barge and his blood went on fire
Johnny McEldoo got upset and aggressive.
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair
Johnny McEldoo started using bad language and pulling his hair.
And to finish the affair, called the shop man a liar
He accused the shopkeeper of lying.
The shop man, he threw out and no doubt, he did clout
The shopkeeper kicked Johnny McEldoo out of the shop and physically attacked him.
McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
The shopkeeper beat Johnny McEldoo up badly.
Tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose
The shopkeeper tore Johnny McEldoo's clothes and broke his nose.
He would have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
The shopkeeper could have killed Johnny McEldoo if the fight continued.
Mceldoo began to howl and to growl, by my soul
Johnny McEldoo cried out and made loud noises.
He threw an empty bowl at the shopkeeper's head
Johnny McEldoo threw a bowl at the shopkeeper.
It struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled his skin off his chin
The bowl hit an innocent person, Mickey Flynn, and injured him.
And eruptions did begin and we all fought and bled
A fight broke out and everyone got injured.
The peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five
The police arrived with four or five officers.
At us they made a dive for us all to march away
The police tried to arrest them and take them away.
We paid for all the mate that we ate, stood a trait
They paid for the food they ate and left the scene.
And went home to ruminate on the spree that day
They went home and reflected on the events of the day.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Liam Clancy, Pat Clancy, Tom Clancy, Tommy Makem
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Seraphic Cꙮmmunalist
There was Johnny McEldoo and McGee and me
And a couple of two or three went on the spree one day
We had a bob or two, which we knew how to blew
And the beer and whiskey flew and we all felt gay
We visited McCann's, Maclaman's, Humpty Dan's
We then went into Swan's, our stomachs for to pack
We ordered out a feed, which indeed, we did need
And we finished it with speed, but we still felt slack
Johnny McEldoo turned blue as the dew
As a plate of irish stew he soon put out of sight
He shouted out "Encore!" with a roar for some more
That he'd never felt before such a keen appetite
We ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram
But him, we couldn't ram, though we tried our level best
For everthing we brought, cold or hot, mattered not
It went down him like a shot but he still stood the test
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scared
We thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
Told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower
Twice as much again and more before he had his fill
He nearly supped a trough full of broth. Says McGrath,
"He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large
He began to shout and barge and his blood went on fire
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair
And to finish the affair, called the shop man a liar
The shop man, he threw out and no doubt, he did clout
McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
Tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose
He would have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
McEldoo began to howl and to growl, by my soul
Threw an empty bowl at the shop keeper's head
Struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled the skin off his chin
An a ruction did begin and we all fought and bled
Peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five
At us they made a drive for us all to march away
We paid for all the meat that we ate, stood a trait
And went home to ruminate on the spree that day.
Garrett Charlton
So happy to have an uncle with this talent!
Terry Fair
Singing or fighting?
Colton Bates
@Terry Fair Eating, maybe?
The Legendary Solid Snake
Big shout out to Niamh in Keady town, who taught me the Bodhran oh so many years ago. And also for singing this wee tune, and teaching us how to lilt and all th rest of it. I hope youre well, and i hope ye read this. :-) Sean
Kyber Tyto
I looked up the lyrics to this like three years ago and I still have it memorized lmao
l lebo
Thanks Grandmas & my parents...we had a blast singing & Dancing to this thru our childhood ! Luv Clancy Bros. 4Ever!!
Seraphic Cꙮmmunalist
There was Johnny McEldoo and McGee and me
And a couple of two or three went on the spree one day
We had a bob or two, which we knew how to blew
And the beer and whiskey flew and we all felt gay
We visited McCann's, Maclaman's, Humpty Dan's
We then went into Swan's, our stomachs for to pack
We ordered out a feed, which indeed, we did need
And we finished it with speed, but we still felt slack
Johnny McEldoo turned blue as the dew
As a plate of irish stew he soon put out of sight
He shouted out "Encore!" with a roar for some more
That he'd never felt before such a keen appetite
We ordered eggs and ham, bread and jam, what a cram
But him, we couldn't ram, though we tried our level best
For everthing we brought, cold or hot, mattered not
It went down him like a shot but he still stood the test
He swallowed tripe and lard by the yard, we got scared
We thought it would go hard when the waiter brought the bill
Told him to give o'er, but he swore he could lower
Twice as much again and more before he had his fill
He nearly supped a trough full of broth. Says McGrath,
"He'll devour the tablecloth if you don't hold him in"
When the waiter brought the charge, McEldoo felt so large
He began to shout and barge and his blood went on fire
He began to curse and swear, tear his hair in despair
And to finish the affair, called the shop man a liar
The shop man, he threw out and no doubt, he did clout
McEldoo he kicked about like an old football
Tattered all his clothes, broke his nose, I suppose
He would have killed him with a few blows in no time at all
McEldoo began to howl and to growl, by my soul
Threw an empty bowl at the shop keeper's head
Struck poor Mickey Flynn, peeled the skin off his chin
An a ruction did begin and we all fought and bled
Peelers did arrive, man alive, four or five
At us they made a drive for us all to march away
We paid for all the meat that we ate, stood a trait
And went home to ruminate on the spree that day.
Ciarán O'Neill
Brilliant little lyrical work out is this!
Videos
Thank you for the lyrics!
DottieO CaspianHorsesRock
Thank you for the lyrics 💙 which make it fun to get the whole story of the guys night out.