Barney McKenna …a Farewell! -Pete St John ©
Monday, April 9th, 2012
The Dubliners are untamed balladeers
And Barney was the coolest of them all
This banjo master simply lived apart
In a secret world beyond our call
Days of friendship in his Howth retreat
Always ended in the Cock so near
When his banjo talked of other things
That only men who paid their dues could hear
For Barney McKenna was no simple man
He hid his Dublin intellect with guff
And when it came to knowing what was what
You found a Barney made of sterner stuff
On stage his banjo wizardry would blend
With John’s subtle fiddle to create
That sound we knew was Dubliners at large
When Luke and Ronnie’s voices made them great
For 50 years the Dubliners marched on
As some founder members left the scene
So Sean and Eamon came with Patsy now
To fill the shoes of heroes they have been
I’ve no fear of being sentimental
For what you feel is real and so I say
I’ll miss Barney when a banjo rings
Across the noise of life in every day.
The Dubliners are what we know they are
A force of nature that we feel we own
Tomorrow I will join the Dubs again
To be a part of Barney going home.
Pete St John ©
April 6th 2012 .





We’re all looking forward to the festivities on the big day tomorrow, there will be St.Patrick’s Day parties in the four corners of the Earth. What better way to get the celebrations started than with some great 





