I've a few words to say here, short story I guess.
When I lived in Ireland we used to play a gig every two
months at Sean Lucy's pub, 'An Crois', in the village of
Kilnamartyra, high up in the west Cork mountains, not
too far from Co. Kerry border.
'Twas always a good night, always a late one. Hardest
thing there was trying to get out of the place, sure they
locked the doors at closing time alright, but with most of
the people on the inside.
Mikey was one of the regulars who got people going,
his love of music often overflowing as often as his pint
would be emptyin'.
Mikey had a great hat, Aussie made, a real ol' beat up
Akubra and we joked about each others hats, for I wore
a cap a lot in those days too. Anyway the point of the bit
about the hat is that one night we turned up to play and
Mikey was hatless. I asked what had happened but he
was reluctant to elucidate and it was near a year e're I
got a story about a wild and windy night, lads burning
gorse and Mikey staggering home from the pub. I
gather the hat flew off in the wind and appeared to be
consumed by the flames or such like. Some weeks later
I had a notion that it would make a good song, so I put
a few bits and pieces together and before the next gig
discussed it with Mikey over a Whiskey an' a pint. He
was happy with the words I had put together and my
thoughts went to the recording I would do when I
returned home. At the end of the night he added a bit of
information which was to alter the song substantially.
The hat had re-appeared. A man had gone walking with
his dog and gun, through Mikey's farm, and found the
hat, leaving it on the doorstep, along with a case of
beer in thanks for the walk he'd enjoyed.
During the next two months I put the song together, in
the form it is now. I was so looking forward to playing it
live for Mikey, or as he called himself, Loony Cooney.
Shortly before we were to leave for the gig a phone call
informed us that the gig was off, due to a death of
someone in the area. It happens from time to time in
Ireland and we never mind, I was just disappointed as I
was unable to play the song for Mikey.
A month and a half later, we played the song in a pub
at Durrus; a girl from Kilnamartyra was there that night.
She told us, at the end of it that Mikey had died, it was
his passing away that had caused the previous gig to
be cancelled. What a shock! By that stage I had
recorded the song, albeit roughly enough, but I stopped
playing it for a while. During the next gig at
Kilnamartyra I mentioned to Ellen that I had recorded a
song for Mikey and word got around. The following gig,
loads of Mikeys relatives were there and wanted to hear
the song, so we played it and I gave them copies of the
recording. We'd a great night, for they were a lot like
Mikey too.
Mikey helped us through many nights and though he
never got to hear his song, I've decided to publish it
here for free download. I've no picture of his hat so I'll
put in a photo of the one I used to wear at Kilnamartyra.
It's the link to 'Mikey's hat.'
For Mikey, a big man with an even bigger
heart. A man with the Music in him!
When I lived in Ireland we used to play a gig every two
months at Sean Lucy's pub, 'An Crois', in the village of
Kilnamartyra, high up in the west Cork mountains, not
too far from Co. Kerry border.
'Twas always a good night, always a late one. Hardest
thing there was trying to get out of the place, sure they
locked the doors at closing time alright, but with most of
the people on the inside.
Mikey was one of the regulars who got people going,
his love of music often overflowing as often as his pint
would be emptyin'.
Mikey had a great hat, Aussie made, a real ol' beat up
Akubra and we joked about each others hats, for I wore
a cap a lot in those days too. Anyway the point of the bit
about the hat is that one night we turned up to play and
Mikey was hatless. I asked what had happened but he
was reluctant to elucidate and it was near a year e're I
got a story about a wild and windy night, lads burning
gorse and Mikey staggering home from the pub. I
gather the hat flew off in the wind and appeared to be
consumed by the flames or such like. Some weeks later
I had a notion that it would make a good song, so I put
a few bits and pieces together and before the next gig
discussed it with Mikey over a Whiskey an' a pint. He
was happy with the words I had put together and my
thoughts went to the recording I would do when I
returned home. At the end of the night he added a bit of
information which was to alter the song substantially.
The hat had re-appeared. A man had gone walking with
his dog and gun, through Mikey's farm, and found the
hat, leaving it on the doorstep, along with a case of
beer in thanks for the walk he'd enjoyed.
During the next two months I put the song together, in
the form it is now. I was so looking forward to playing it
live for Mikey, or as he called himself, Loony Cooney.
Shortly before we were to leave for the gig a phone call
informed us that the gig was off, due to a death of
someone in the area. It happens from time to time in
Ireland and we never mind, I was just disappointed as I
was unable to play the song for Mikey.
A month and a half later, we played the song in a pub
at Durrus; a girl from Kilnamartyra was there that night.
She told us, at the end of it that Mikey had died, it was
his passing away that had caused the previous gig to
be cancelled. What a shock! By that stage I had
recorded the song, albeit roughly enough, but I stopped
playing it for a while. During the next gig at
Kilnamartyra I mentioned to Ellen that I had recorded a
song for Mikey and word got around. The following gig,
loads of Mikeys relatives were there and wanted to hear
the song, so we played it and I gave them copies of the
recording. We'd a great night, for they were a lot like
Mikey too.
Mikey helped us through many nights and though he
never got to hear his song, I've decided to publish it
here for free download. I've no picture of his hat so I'll
put in a photo of the one I used to wear at Kilnamartyra.
It's the link to 'Mikey's hat.'
For Mikey, a big man with an even bigger
heart. A man with the Music in him!
