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.
Rambles of Spring
Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blowing through the budding trees
And I button up my coat to keep me warm
But the days are on the mend
And I'm on the road again
With my fiddle snuggled close beneath my arm
[Chorus]
And a strong pair of brogues
I have rosin in my pocket for my bow
O my fiddle strings are new
And I've learned a tune or two
So, I'm well prepared to ramble and must go
I'm as happy as a king
When I catch a breath of spring
And the grass is turning green as winter ends
And the geese are on the wing
And the thrushes start to sing
And I'm headed down the road to see my friends
[Chorus]
I have friends in every town
As I wander up and down
Making music at the markets and the fairs
Through the donkeys and the creels
And the farmers making deals
And the yellow headed tinkers selling wares
[Chorus]
Here's a health to one and all
To the big and to the small
To the rich and poor alike and foe and friends
And when I return again
May our foes have turned to friends
And may peace and joy be with you until then
[Chorus]
The song "Rambles of Spring" by Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy is a lively and upbeat tribute to the arrival of spring, and the joy that it brings their gypsy-like lifestyle. In the verses, the singer describes the cold and wintry conditions that precede spring, but then he becomes elated when he sees the first signs of spring - green grass, geese flying, and thrushes singing. He uses music to bring him close to people in every town as he travels and works his way through markets and fairs. He is equipped with his felt hat, strong brogues, rosin in his pocket for his bow, and a fiddle that he keeps snuggled close beneath his arm. The chorus expresses his love of the traveling life and his eagerness to leave on his next adventure. The final verse ends with the singer wishing good health and joy to everyone, even his foes, as he looks forward to returning to the road.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a piercing wintry breeze
The cold wind is blowing hard and uncomfortable
Blowing through the budding trees
The wind is moving through trees that have just started to grow
And I button up my coat to keep me warm
The cold is making the singer wrap themselves warm in their coat
But the days are on the mend
The winter is ending and there will be warmer days soon
And I'm on the road again
The singer is traveling again after a long break
With my fiddle snuggled close beneath my arm
The singer has their fiddle close to them
I've a fine, felt hat
The singer has a good quality hat
And a strong pair of brogues
The singer has on sturdy shoes
I have rosin in my pocket for my bow
The singer has brought rosin to apply on their fiddle bow
O my fiddle strings are new
The singer has new fiddle strings to replace the old ones
And I've learned a tune or two
The singer has learned new music to play on their fiddle
So, I'm well prepared to ramble and must go
The singer is all set to go on their road trip
I'm as happy as a king
The singer is very happy
When I catch a breath of spring
The singer is delighted to get a whiff of spring
And the grass is turning green as winter ends
Winter is almost over and the grass is starting to grow
And the geese are on the wing
The geese are migrating
And the thrushes start to sing
The thrushes have started to sing
And I'm headed down the road to see my friends
The singer is going to see their friends
I have friends in every town
The singer has friends all over
As I wander up and down
The singer travels frequently
Making music at the markets and the fairs
The singer performs at local markets and fairs
Through the donkeys and the creels
The singer sees donkeys and baskets around
And the farmers making deals
Farmers are busy selling their produce
And the yellow-headed tinkers selling wares
Tinkers are selling their goods with yellow caps on their heads
Here's a health to one and all
The singer is wishing good health to everyone
To the big and to the small
The wish of good health is extended to people of all sizes
To the rich and poor alike and foe and friends
The wish is broadened to include rich and poor, as well as enemies and friends
And when I return again
The singer is looking forward to coming back
May our foes have turned to friends
The singer is hoping that their enemies become friends
And may peace and joy be with you until then
The singer wants everyone to be peaceful and happy until they come back
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
K.E.L. •
I have a feeling this'll be on loop for most of my spring break.
Evelyn O'Connor
WHAT A GREAT GROUP. OF WORLD RENOWNED MUSICIANS /VOCALISTS !
Konstantine Guruli
I love this song from Magic Sovereign. Thank you for putting the lyrics on.
Peter Lynch
Thanks for this glorious rendition!
Roy Royston
Sitting on the floor of the family room in my parents' house, listening this on my Dad's vinyl LP, in about 1984 when I was 10 years old. Loved it then, love it now.
Danny Eyheralde
same, I didn't have to go very far to hear it as both my parents AND my maternal grandparents had the Makem & Clancy Collection album and my grandparents ALSO had the double LP of the "Makem & Clancy Concert" (one of only 2 sources to have "Peter Kagen & The Wind" the other source being the CASSETTE of the album (Shanachie got cheap and only made a single CD of the album and STUPIDLY decided to cut it)
Bartoniusz
Irish culture is known all around the world, they are ancestors of the celts, as are the others countries in the europe, and their gaelic accent is so lovely :)
Gallowglass
No my son. We're descendants not ancestors. ( :
BG McPike
Such a good -natured song.
1busybeekeeper
Whilst I like this rendition of a lovely song I prefer the same song sung by "The Houghton Weavers", but Iguess until I find either through Youtube or some where else I will carry on listening to it by these two fine singers