In March 2006, fifty years after the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem recorded their debut album, The Rising of the Moon in March 1956, the first full-length biography on the Clancy Brothers was written and published by Conor Murray. The book, titled The Clancy Brothers with Tommy Makem & Robbie O'Connell: The Men Behind the Sweaters chronicles the Clancy Brothers from the birth of Paddy Clancy in 1922 to early 2006. Simultaneously a two hour documentary on Liam Clancy was aired on Irish television, The Legend of Liam Clancy, as was a new TV concert special from Tommy Makem and his sons, the five-piece Irish folk song group The Makem & Spain Brothers.
Through 2005 to the present Liam has been joined once again by Kevin Evans of Evans and Doherty, both onstage and in the studio. Paul Grant and Kevin play nightly with Liam who continues to record, write and perform worldwide. His latest CD, "Yes, Those Were the Days," was a top selling record in late 2006. A full length feature film of his life is slated to begin filming this year culminating with a filmed concert in New York City. Liam will be appearing with Paul, Kevin, Danú and Karan Casey at the Tonder Festival in Denmark in August 2007.
In August 2007 Tommy Makem died after an extended fight with cancer, leaving Liam the only surviving member of the original group.
Liam Clancy died from pulmonary fibrosis on 4 December 2009, in Bon Secours Hospital in Cork, Ireland. Bobby Clancy died of the same disease seven years previously and is buried in the new cemetery in Ring, Co. Waterford, where he spent the last number of years of his life, owning a successful recording studio. Clancy was survived by his wife, Kim, and their four children, Eben, Siobhán, Fiona and Donal, as well three previous children Sean, Andrew and Anya. His son Eben was in the process of coming over from the United Kingdom and he had had a chat with his son Donal who was in the middle of a tour of California. The other three sat beside him as he died. Liam had intended to give another interview at the time but succumbed to the disease before this was possible.
The American city of Boston was said to be in shock at the news as his influence there is "inescapable". Radio disc jockeys in New York paid tribute to the man who, according to the New York Daily News, "played a major role in defining how Americans heard Irish popular music over the last half century", with one DJ saying The Clancy Brothers had "broke down a wall that was long overdue". Christy Moore, on a prescheduled appearance on The Late Late Show aired live on the night of Liam's death, said, "I would have been listening to Radio Luxembourg and rock 'n' roll as a young fellow and then I got to hear of the Clancy brothers, when I was 16 I came to Dublin to hear them in a concert. It was about 1962, I think it was the Olympia, it was the most exciting concert I had ever attended. It was Irish, it was rock 'n' roll, it was funky and it was even sexy".
Clancy's lunchtime funeral at St Mary's Church in Dungarvan on 7 December was attended by hundreds of mourners, including both the Aides de Camp of the Taoiseach and President of Ireland, Minister Cullen and various musicians and artists. He was later buried in Ring.
Little Beggarman
Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For three score or more in this little isle of green
I'm known from the Liffey down to Segue
And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu
Of all the trade's that's going, sure begging is the best
For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo
I slept in the barn, down at Caurabawn
A wet night came on and I slept 'till the dawn
With holes in the roof and the rain coming through
And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo
When who did I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said "boo
Aarah, don't be afraid mam it's only Johnny Dhu"
I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day
"Good morning little flaxy-haired girl" I did say
"Good morning little beggarman, a how do you do
With your rags and you tags and you old rig-a-doo"
I'll buy a pair of leggings, a collar and a tie
And a nice young lady I'll fetch by and by
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too
Over the road with my pack on my back
Over the fields with my great heavy sack
With holes in my shoes and my toes peeping through
Singing skinny-me-rink a doodle o and old Johnny Dhu
I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night
The fire's all raked and out goes the light
So now you've heard the story of my old rig-a-doo
It's good-bye and God be with you says old Johnny Dhu
“The Little Beggarman” is a traditional Irish folk song that tells the story of a beggar named Johnny Dhu. The lyrics of the song talk about the life of a beggar in Ireland, how easy it is to be a beggar as compared to other trades, and how this trade has given Johnny Dhu his identity. It is said that Johnny Dhu is known from Liffey down to Segue, which indicates that he has travelled across the country begging for his livelihood. The song talks about the experiences of Johnny Dhu, from sleeping in a barn with rats and cats to meeting a flaxy-haired girl and planning to buy himself a new outfit to impress a lady.
The song is written in a storytelling format and is a testament to the Irish culture and their way of life. The lyrics are simple and easy to understand, but they also convey a deeper meaning. It talks about the struggles of the poor in Ireland and how begging was seen as one of the easiest means of survival. Moreover, it also talks about the importance of identity and how Johnny Dhu has become known not by his real name but by the name given to him due to his profession.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a little beggarman and begging I have been
I am a man who begs for a living and that's all I have done my whole life
For three score or more in this little isle of green
For at least sixty years, I have been begging on this green island
I'm known from the Liffey down to Segue
I am well known from the Liffey to Segue
And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu
And I am known by the name of Old Johnny Dhu
Of all the trade's that's going, sure begging is the best
Begging is the best trade there is, as it allows a man to rest when he is tired
For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest
When a man is tired, he can sit down and rest
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
He can beg for dinner, as there is nothing else for him to do
Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo
He only needs to walk around the corner with his old rig-a-doo
I slept in the barn, down at Caurabawn
I slept in the barn down at Caurabawn
A wet night came on and I slept 'till the dawn
During a wet night, I slept until dawn
With holes in the roof and the rain coming through
With holes in the roof and rain coming through
And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo
I saw rats and cats playing peek-a-boo
When who did I waken but the woman of the house
I woke up the woman of the house
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
She wore a white apron with spots and a calico blouse
She began to frighten and I said "boo
She got scared, but I told her, "boo"
Aarah, don't be afraid mam it's only Johnny Dhu"
"Don't be afraid mam, it's only Johnny Dhu"
I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day
One day, I met a little girl with flaxy hair
"Good morning little flaxy-haired girl" I did say
I greeted her, "Good morning little flaxy-haired girl"
"Good morning little beggarman, a how do you do
She replied, "Good morning little beggarman, how do you do
With your rags and you tags and you old rig-a-doo"
She pointed out my rags, my tags, and my old rig-a-doo
I'll buy a pair of leggings, a collar and a tie
I'll buy myself a pair of leggings, a collar, and a tie
And a nice young lady I'll fetch by and by
Then, I'll find a nice young lady
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue
I'll purchase blue-colored goggles
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too
And I'll make her an old-fashioned lady
Over the road with my pack on my back
I walked over the road with my pack on my back
Over the fields with my great heavy sack
I carried my great heavy sack over the fields
With holes in my shoes and my toes peeping through
My shoes had holes and my toes were visible
Singing skinny-me-rink a doodle o and old Johnny Dhu
I sang "skinny-me-rink a doodle o" as well as "Old Johnny Dhu"
I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night
I must go to bed for the night since it is getting late
The fire's all raked and out goes the light
The fire has been fully raked and the light is out
So now you've heard the story of my old rig-a-doo
That's the story of my old rig-a-doo
It's good-bye and God be with you says old Johnny Dhu
It's time to say goodbye, and I wish you farewell, says Old Johnny Dhu
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wrongwayup
Thank goodness for Pete Seeger and his tv show. I think some of the recordings from his show are quite unique, and if it wasn't for him, some of them might have never been recorded on video (or only like 20 years later, not like this with the artists in their prime). :)
videonut28
This is one of my all time favorite Clancy Brothers songs. It reminds me of my father. Thanks for posting.
Mr. Doogan
Tommy sings it as flowing as fast water through a clear spring creek.
Rahul Bery
I'm calling it: this is the best video on youtube. Priceless treasure.
dweml258
Classic! Even with one Clancy missing. REAL nice intro Pete! Hope you have more shows on the "Tube". The beautiful "Butcher Boy" must be from the same show...with the 4 of them.Nice jig Tommy. I miss you all...Your music is for all time.
Jessie Murkin
who the first man
Frederick Wemyss
That they could sing those tongue-twisting lyrics, whistle and clap and do it while step-dancing is proof that they loved what they did.
Joe Byrne
Best version of 'The Little Beggarman' I've ever heard.
Alex McGuigan
I remember them from the 60s. I couldn't play the guitar or sing but I did buy the sweater. God it was hot, especially indoors.
Daniel Munder
Also bought the sweater. It's been hard fending off all the women though.