Luke Kelly is/was the most widely acclaimed Irish folk singer. Hailed as "The king of balladeers" and one of the original members of the hugely popular and influential band "The Dubliners". Most people who are familiar with Irish folk music and singing would acknowledge that Luke Kelly is the greatest that ever was, or likely will be. If you heard "The Rocky Road to Dublin" on the soundtrack to the 2009 Sherlock Holmes Hollywood adaptation, you've heard Luke Kelly's voice. Luke was the first person to record that song who was able to keep time with the fiddle. "The Rocky Road to Dublin" is a notoriously difficult song to sing well, in this live version Luke introduces the song as a test of English diction....and then amusingly at 1.18 you can see him realise he's repeated a verse. Happens to the best of us.

What made him so good? He was able to use his voice walked to convey passionate emotion with great depth, range and intensity, while maintaining clarity and perfect timing. He combined this with a love of the music and a genuine working class social/political conscience, something that we might feel poorer for having lost.

Hear him recite the first verse of "Dublin" by Louis MacNeice, here.

Another poem, set to music. "Raglan Road" by Patrick Kavanagh.

A funny one, "Monto" written by George Hodnett.

"Scorn not his simplicity" written by Phil Coulter.


1940-1984, Dublin.