A Tribute to
LIAM CLANCY
We at Lionheart Press are posting the Lyrics of the Traditional Closing Piece of each
CLANCY BROTHERS and TOMMY MAKEM CONCERT
THE PARTING GLASS
Oh, all the money that e'er I spent
I spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done
Alas, it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To Memory now I can't recall
So fill to me
The Parting Glass
Good Night, and Joy be with you all
Oh, all the Comrades that e'er I've had
Are sorry for my going away
And all the Sweethearts that e'er I've had
Would bid me one more day to stay
But since it falls
Unto my Lot
That I should rise
And You should not
I'll gently Rise
And I'll softly call
"Good Night . . . and . . . Joy
Be with You All"
This is especially poignant in light of Liam's passing in December, 2009
Before there was "Auld Lang Syne" there was "The Parting Glass". Both were sung at all kinds of family and public occasions, be they happy or sad. "Auld Lang Syne" has outlived "The Parting Glass" in most corners of the world. The Clancys and Makem resurrected it. It deserves to be remembered.
We miss Liam very much
Ron Leonard
Ailidh, in the following poem is Liam Clancy's Granddaughter. On his 2005 Irish Music Cruise we were talking about our Grandchildren who are about the same age. It came up that both Ailidh and Caroline were going through many of the same "Phases". That same night I wrote this poem. Liam loved her dearly.
By the way, the name Ailidh is the Irish equivalent of "Alice".
AILIDH And CAROLINE
"ACTUALLY"
They think we don't know
But we hear them talking
Our parents, that is
And our Grandparents, too
They say things like . . .
"What're they up to now?"
Or . . . "Is this another 'Phase'
That they're going through?"
The major cause
Of their latest concern
At least as far as
We can learn . . .
"Actually"
Is the alleged over-use
We've even heard
The term "abuse"
Of one little word
It's . . . "Actually"
We think the whole thing's
A bit absurd
Such a "Big Deal"
For such a little word
But we'll spell it for you
"Fo-net-ic-al-lee"
This way you can clearly see
The word they're so worried about is
Pronounced . . . "Ak-chew-al-lee"
And this talk about "Phases"
There's nothing much in it
Why . . . we can start a new "Phase"
In an "Irish Minute" . . .
"Actually!"
We think their concern
Has gone on for too long
There are too many other things
In this world that are wrong . . .
"Actually!"
Like war and Poverty
Hunger and Waste
And lots of other things
That leave a bad taste
This business of "Phases" makes us
Want to stand up and shout
"We haven't the faintest idea
What you're all talking about!" . . .
"Actually!"
This whole matter of "Phases"
Has been Over-rated
Just plain . . . Over-blown
Not to mention . . . Over-stated
We would even say
"Fo-net-ic-al-lee"
It's been
"Eggs-aj-er-ray-ted" . . .
"Actually!"
SIGNED: AILIDH And CAROLINE (BOTH AGE 5) "ACTUALLY "
COPYRIGHT 2005 AND 2010
RONALD L. LEONARD
All Rights Reserved
Ailidh and Caroline have never met, so the above is all "Make-Believe".
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