George Desmond "Hoddy" Hodnett (25 February 1918 – 23 September 1990) was an Irish musician, songwriter and long-time jazz and popular music critic for the ''

Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

''.Hodnett, George Desmond
Dictionary Of Irish Biography

Life

Hodnett was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, who came from a prominent Cork legal family, became a colonel in the Irish Army after 1922. His mother, Lauré Faschnacht, came from

Murten Murten (German) or Morat (French, ; frp, Morât ) is a bilingual municipality and a city in the See district of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It is located on the southern shores of Lake Morat (also known as Lake Murten). Morat is si ...

, Switzerland. He was educated at the

Catholic University School Catholic University School ''(C.U.S.)'' is a private (voluntary) secondary school for boys in Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1867 by Bartholomew Woodlock as a preparatory school for the Catholic University of Ireland, the predece ...

(Leeson Street, Dublin) and at Coláiste na Rinne at An Rinn, County Waterford. He studied law at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

, Dublin but preferred the music and theatres of the city to a legal career. He played jazz piano, trumpet and zither (he was probably the only zither-player in Ireland at the time). He became part of the bohemian milieu that congregated around the Catacombs in Fitzwilliam Place, which included

Brendan Behan Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) ( ; ga, Breandán Ó Beacháin; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English an ...

and Gainor Crist (the original Ginger Man). In the 1950s, Hodnett was composing satirical tunes for revues at the Pike Theatre in Herbert Lane (where he was also the residential pianist) and for other Dublin theatres. After folk and traditional music became popular he reviewed this music. He was still reviewing jazz and Irish trad music for the ''Irish Times'' shortly before his death. In 1969 he took part in the occupation of

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

buildings in Hume Street (which became known as the Battle of Hume Street). He sustained injuries when being forcibly removed. His best-known song was "

Monto (Take Her Up To Monto) "Monto (Take Her Up To Monto)" is an Irish folk song, written in 1958 by George Desmond Hodnett, music critic of the ''Irish Times'', and popularised by the Dubliners. Frank Harte was also known to sing the song. Lyrics Well, if you've got a wi ...

". It was composed for a revue in 1958.

Ronnie Drew Joseph Ronald Drew (16 September 1934 – 16 August 2008) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He is most recognised for his lead vocals on the si ...

The Dubliners The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personnel over their fifty-ye ...

knew of the song and sang it at the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochlai ...

in 1966. It was an immediate hit.

References

1918 births 1990 deaths Musicians from Dublin (city) Zither players Irish songwriters Irish jazz musicians Irish pianists 20th-century Irish pianists {{Ireland-musician-stub