Liam Clancy ( ga, Liam Mac Fhlannchadha; 2 September 1935 – 4 December 2009) was an Irish

folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

from

Carrick-on-Suir Carrick-on-Suir () is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It lies on both banks of the River Suir. The part on the north bank of the Suir lies in the civil parish of "Carrick", in the historical barony of Iffa and Offa East. The part on the s ...

County Tipperary County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after ...

. He was the youngest member of the influential folk group

the Clancy Brothers The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music group that developed initially as a part of the American folk music revival. Most popular during the 1960s, they were famed for their Aran jumper sweaters and are widely credited with popu ...

, regarded as Ireland's first pop stars. They achieved global sales of millions and appeared in sold-out concerts at such prominent venues as

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

and the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

. Liam was generally considered to be the group's most powerful vocalist.

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

regarded him as the greatest ballad singer ever. In 1976, as part of the duo Makem and Clancy, he had a number one hit in Ireland with the anti-war song "

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is a song written by Scottish-born Australian singer-songwriter Eric Bogle in 1971. The song describes war as futile and gruesome, while criticising those who seek to glorify it. This is exemplified in the s ...

" (written by Scots-Australian

Eric Bogle Eric Bogle (born 23 September 1944) is a Scottish-born Australian folk singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to Australia at the age of 25, to settle near Adelaide, South Australia. Bogle's songs have covered a variety of ...

). Upon his death ''

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 ...

'' said his legacy was secured.

Early life

He was born at

, Ireland on 2 September 1935, the ninth and youngest surviving child (two died in childhood) of Robert Joseph Clancy and Joanna McGrath. As a child, he was known as William or Willie, named after his mother's hero Willie Doyle. He later acquired the nickname 'Liam' from

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his in ...

as 'William' was "too English". He displayed an artistic disposition at an early age, while growing up in

. The first song he learned was " The Croppy Boy". He received a Christian Brothers education before taking a job as an insurance man in Dublin. Whilst there he also took night classes at the

National College of Art and Design The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) is Ireland's oldest art institution, offering the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the country. Originating as a drawing school in 1746, many of th ...

. Still in his teens, Liam explored writing and painting, though he was particularly drawn to the theatre. In his early performing days, he began to call himself Liam. Before he was twenty years old, Liam had founded the local dramatic society now called "Brewery Lane Theatre and Arts Centre", and had produced, directed, set-directed, and starred in

John Millington Synge Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play '' The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly ...

's ''

The Playboy of the Western World ''The Playboy of the Western World'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907. It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (o ...

''. Liam also performed at the renowned Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. He encountered Diane Hamilton Guggenheim when she came to his hometown to visit his mother, and set off on a tour of Ireland alongside her. During her 1955 trip to

Keady Keady () is a village and civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is south of Armagh and near the border with the Republic of Ireland. It is situated mainly in the historic barony of Armagh with six townlands in the barony of Tirann ...

, Clancy encountered

Tommy Makem Thomas Makem (4 November 1932 – 1 August 2007) was an internationally celebrated Irish folk musician, artist, poet and storyteller. He was best known as a member of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He played the long-necked 5-string banj ...

for the first time. He later moved to New York City and referred to Greenwich Village as "the island for people escaped from repressed backgrounds".

Singing career

Clancy Brothers

Liam Clancy began singing with his brothers,

Paddy Paddy may refer to: People *Paddy (given name), a list of people with the given name or nickname *An ethnic slur for an Irishman Birds *Paddy (pigeon), a Second World War carrier pigeon * Snowy sheathbill or paddy, a bird species *Black-faced s ...

and

Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of his novels have b ...

, at fund-raising events for the

Cherry Lane Theatre The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running off-Broadway theater in New York City. The theater is located at 38 Commerce Street between Barrow and Bedford Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, ...

and the Guthrie benefits. The Clancy Brothers and

began recording on Paddy Clancy's

Tradition Records Tradition Records was an American record label from 1955 to 1966 that specialized in folk music. The label was founded and financed by Guggenheim heiress Diane Hamilton in 1956. Its president and director was Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, who was soon ...

label in the late 1950s. Liam Clancy played guitar in addition to singing and also recorded several solo albums. They recorded their seminal '' The Rising of the Moon'' album in 1959, giving live performances in the American cities

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Chicago and New York. A record-breaking sixteen-minute-long performance on American TV's ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'' on 17 March 1961 launched the group into stardom. They were supposed to only play two songs but the main act cancelled at short notice. There were international tours, which included performances at

(a sell-out in 1962) and the

. Their trademark attire was Aran geansaí—these were sent across the water by Mrs. Clancy for her sons to wear against the unforgiving American climate. The quartet recorded numerous albums for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

and enjoyed great success during the 1960s folk revival. Liam was a close friend of

when they both were going out with two sisters in New York. He performed live for United States President John F. Kennedy.''The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy'' In 1964, thirty per cent of all albums sold in Ireland were Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem records. Although better known for their full-length albums, the Clancy Brothers' single, "

The Leaving of Liverpool "(The) Leaving of Liverpool" (Roud 9435), also known as "Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love", is a folk song. Folklorists classify it as a lyrical lament and it was also used as a sea shanty, especially at the capstan. It is very well known in B ...

" (from the album, ''

The First Hurrah! ''The First Hurrah!'' is a collection of traditional Irish folk songs performed by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It was their fifth album for Columbia Records and was released in 1964. The album's title is likely a play on Edwin O'Connor ...

''), which featured Liam in the lead, reached the number six spot on the Irish charts in 1964. Liam played the guitar in almost all the recordings of the Clancy Brothers, and he took lead vocals in many songs, including "

The Wild Rover "The Wild Rover" (Roud 1173) is a very popular and well-travelled folk song. Many territories have laid claim to have the original version. History In 2015 the English Folk Song and Dance periodical "Folk Music Journal" vol 10 No 5 had an articl ...

", "

The Shoals of Herring "The Shoals of Herring" (Roud 13642) is a ballad, written by Ewan MacColl for the third of the original eight BBC ''Radio ballads'' ''Singing the Fishing,'' which was first broadcast on August 16, 1960. Ewan MacColl writes that the song was based on ...

", "Port Lairge", "

The Juice of the Barley ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

", " The Patriot Game", " The Gallant Forty Twa", "The Jolly Tinker", "The Nightingale", "

Peggy Gordon "Peggy Gordon" is a Canadian folk song that has become popular in many English-speaking countries. As a folk song it was first collected in the 1950s and 1960s in Canada, mainly in Nova Scotia. History In the 1820s and early 1830s, a song called ...

", "Old Maid in the Garrett", and "

The Parting Glass "The Parting Glass" is a Scottish traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It has also long been sung in Ireland, enjoying considerable popularity to this day and strongly influencing the style in which it is often ...

", which closed every Clancy Brothers concert. Liam Clancy was the last surviving member of the original Clancy Brothers. Tom Clancy died on 7 November 1990, Patrick Clancy died on 11 November 1998, and Tommy Makem died on 1 August 2007. Bobby Clancy, who had joined the group in 1969, died on 6 September 2002. Liam said of his status as the last of the brothers: "There was always a pecking order, especially when you're working with family. But they all died off, and I got to the top of the pecking order, with nobody looking over my shoulder. There's a great sense of freedom about that".

Solo career

After The Clancy Brothers split up, Liam had a solo career in Canada, where he made several television performances on the CBC's national television variety program, '' The Irish Rovers Show'' from

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

, British Columbia. He had a hit with " The Dutchman" at this time, and he presented his own television show in

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...

, also appearing on the CBC concert series ''Summer Evening'' in 1976. In 1975, he was booked to play a festival in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

, Ohio, US, where Tommy Makem was also playing. The two played a set together and formed the group Makem and Clancy, performing in numerous concerts and recording several albums together until 1988. The original Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem line-up also got back together in the 1980s for a reunion tour and album. After the death of Tom Clancy in 1990, Liam sang with Paddy and Bobby Clancy and nephew Robbie O'Connell as part of The Clancy Brothers and Robbie O'Connell. He also performed alongside his Fayreweather Band and the

Phil Coulter Philip Coulter (born 19 February 1942) is an Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was awarded the Gold Badge from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in October 2009. Coulter ha ...

Orchestra. With Coulter, Clancy had a top four hit single in 1989, "Home from the Sea". In later life, Liam maintained a solo career accompanied by musicians Paul Grant and Kevin Evans, whilst also engaging in other pursuits. He lived in

Ring, County Waterford Ring (, its official name) or Ringagonagh ( ) is a parish within the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht na nDéise area in County Waterford, Ireland. It lies on a peninsula about south of Dungarvan. The main settlement is the village of Ring or Ringvi ...

at this stage. His home in Waterford was designed by the celebrity architect Duncan Stewart and featured solar panels which were innovative at the time. He subsequently converted his large garage into a recording studio. He received an honorary doctorate from the

University of Limerick The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a public research university institution in Limerick, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in 1989 in accordance w ...

in 2001. In 2001, Liam Clancy published a memoir titled ''The Mountain of the Women''. He also was in ''

No Direction Home ''No Direction Home: Bob Dylan'' is a 2005 documentary film by Martin Scorsese that traces the life of Bob Dylan, and his impact on 20th-century American popular music and culture. The film focuses on the period between Dylan's arrival in New ...

'', the 2005 Bob Dylan documentary directed by

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...

. In 2006, Clancy was profiled in a two-hour documentary titled ''The Legend of Liam Clancy'', produced by Anna Rodgers and John Murray with Crossing the Line Films, and screened on the Irish channel RTÉ. In February 2007, this documentary won the award for best series at the

Irish Film and Television Awards Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

in Dublin. In 2008 Liam performed in a filmed concert titled '' Liam Clancy and Friends: Live at The Bitter End'' which featured the last filmed performance of his friend Odetta, as well as songs from Tom Paxton, Shane MacGowan, Gemma Hayes,

Eric Bibb Eric Charles Bibb (born August 16, 1951) is a Grammy-nominated American-born blues singer and songwriter. Biography Bibb's father, Leon, was a musical theatre singer, who made a name for himself as part of the 1960s New York folk scene; his ...

, and Fionn Regan as well as members of Danú. The same director

Alan Gilsenan Alan Gilsenan is an Irish writer, filmmaker and theatre director. His most recent work include the cinema documentary ''Meetings with Ivor'', the feature film ''Unless'', based on a novel by Carol Shields and ''The Meeting,'' which he wrote and ...

went on to direct a full-length biography of Liam Clancy, '' The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy''. This was released at the 2009 Dublin Film Festival and went on to have a theatrical and DVD release in Ireland the UK. The film includes appearances by

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notabl ...

Jean Ritchie Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way (orally ...

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

, and many others as well as much unseen archive such as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem at Newport Festival. ''

'' praised the film and director Gilsenan who it said had "tracked down an impressive number of secondary sources, and his use of other performers' music is often inspired". His final album ''

The Wheels of Life ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' was released in 2009. It included duets with Mary Black and

Gemma Hayes Gemma Hayes (born 11 August 1977) is an Irish musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments, including the piano and the harmonica. She is also a m ...

as well as songs by Tom Paxton and

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

. Liam was an ardent proponent of political views and often outspoken on matters of social injustice until his death. He criticised both Gulf Wars and the grim, harsh economic climate which gripped Ireland during his last months. Clancy told ''

'' in September 2009 that he was on his "last legs". He had already given his final performance, at the

National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...

the previous May, during which he recited the

Dylan Thomas Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems " Do not go gentle into that good night" and " And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Und ...

poem " And death shall have no dominion". He was unable to perform a full-length show on the closing night of a two-night sold-out run but put in a 40-minute appearance nonetheless. His manager described it as "...a very profound moment. He expressed his fear of dying, but he did it with great dignity".

Death

Liam Clancy died from

pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing. Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failu ...

on 4 December 2009, in Bon Secours Hospital in Cork, Ireland. His brother Bobby died of the same disease seven years previously. He was buried in the new cemetery in An Rinn, County Waterford, where he spent the last years of his life, owning a successful recording studio. He was survived by his wife, Kim, and their four children: Eben, Siobhán, Fiona and Donal, as well as three previous children: Sean, Andrew and Anya. His son Eben was in the process of coming over from the United Kingdom and he had a last telephone chat with his son Donal who was in the middle of a tour of California. The other three sat beside him as he died. Liam had intended to give another interview at the time but succumbed to the disease. The leader of

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil É ...

Enda Kenny Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, Leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2017, Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 2017, Leader of the Opposition fro ...

, mourned the loss of a "brilliant musician". Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism

Martin Cullen Martin Cullen (born 2 November 1954) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism from 2008 to 2010, Minister for Social and Family Affairs from 2007 to 2008, Minister for Transport from 2004 to ...

said, "Liam Clancy was a nationally and internationally renowned folk singer and was an example of an absolutely dedicated artistic craftsman. This generous and life-giving person enriched all of our lives with memorable songs and was part of the fabric of Ireland's proud traditional music culture". Alan Gilsenan described the death as the "end of an era". Radio disc jockeys in New York paid tribute to the man who, according to the ''

New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ...

'', "played a major role in defining how Americans heard Irish popular music over the last half century", with one DJ saying The Clancy Brothers had "broke down a wall that was long overdue".

Christy Moore Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his significant success as an individual, he is one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts. His first album, ...

, on
prescheduled appearance
on '' The Late Late Show'' aired live on the night of Liam's death, said, "I would have been listening to

Radio Luxembourg Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg). The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...

and

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

as a young fellow and then I got to hear of the Clancy brothers, when I was 16 I came to Dublin to hear them in a concert. It was about 1962, I think it was the Olympia, it was the most exciting concert I had ever attended. It was Irish, it was rock 'n' roll, it was funky and it was even sexy". Clancy's mid-day funeral at St. Mary's Church,

Dungarvan Dungarvan () is a coastal town and harbour in County Waterford, on the south-east coast of Ireland. Prior to the merger of Waterford County Council with Waterford City Council in 2014, Dungarvan was the county town and administrative centre ...

, on 7 December was attended by hundreds of mourners, including both the Aides de Camp of the

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the of ...

and

President of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Ireland and the supreme commander of the Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms.Constitu ...

, Minister Cullen and various musicians and artists. He was later buried in An Rinn.

Discography

Solo recordings

*1965 – ''Liam Clancy'' – Vanguard LP/CD ''*re-released with bonus tracks as 'Irish Troubadour' on Vanguard CD'' *1974 – ''Farewell to Tarwaithie'' – Plainsong LP ''*on Shanachie CD as "The Dutchman"'' *2007 – ''Yes Those Were The Days'': ''The Essential Liam Clancy'' Dolphin Records *2008 – ''The Wheels of Life'', Dolphin Records

Guest recordings

*1955 – '' The Lark in the Morning'' – Tradition LP/Rykodisc CD *1956 – ''The Countess Cathleen'' – Tradition LP *1989 – ''Phil Coulter: Words and Music'' – Shanachie CD *1992 – ''Phil Coulter: A Touch of Tranquility'' – Shanachie CD *1994 – '' Joanie Madden: Whistle on the Wind'' – Green Linnet CD *1999 – ''Cherish the Ladies: At Home'' – RCA CD *2000 – '' The Girls Won't Leave the Boys Alone'' – Windham Hill CD *2002 – ''Danú: All Things Considered'' – Shanachie CD

Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

Tradition Records *'' The Rising of the Moon'' (or ''Irish Songs of Rebellion'') (1956, 1959 second version) *''

Come Fill Your Glass with Us ''Come Fill Your Glass with Us: Irish Songs of Drinking & Blackguarding'' is a collection of traditional Irish drinking songs that first brought The Clancy Brothers and their frequent collaborator Tommy Makem to prominence. It was their second a ...

'' (or ''Irish Songs of Drinking and

Blackguard Blackguard is an old-fashioned term for a scoundrel. Blackguard or Black Guard(s) may refer to: * Black Guard, a corps of Black African soldiers in Morocco * Black Guard (Brazil), a militia of former slaves intended to protect the monarchy * Bla ...

ing'') (1959) *''

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (self-titled) – (1961) Columbia Records *''

A Spontaneous Performance Recording ''A Spontaneous Performance Recording!: The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem'', sometimes simply called ''A Spontaneous Performance'', is a 1961 collection of traditional Irish folk songs performed by The Clancy Brothers with frequent collaborat ...

'' (1961) *'' Hearty and Hellish! A Live Nightclub Performance'' (1962) *''

The Boys Won't Leave the Girls Alone ''The Boys Won't Leave the Girls Alone'' is a collection of mostly traditional Irish folk songs performed by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It also includes several songs from other countries, such as the Scottish folk song, "Marie's Wedd ...

'' (1962; plus several subsequent re-releases, including on

Shanachie Records Shanachie Records is an American, New Jersey-based record label, founded in 1975 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. The label is named for the Gaelic word '' seanchaí'' (anglicised as shanachie), an Irish storyteller. It was previously distrib ...

) *''

In Person at Carnegie Hall ''In Person at Carnegie Hall'' was the seminal Irish folk group The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's most successful album. It was recorded in Carnegie Hall on 17 March 1963 at their annual St. Patrick's Day concert. In the documentary, ''The S ...

'' (1963) – also on Columbia CD *''

'' (1964) *''

Recorded Live in Ireland ''Recorded Live in Ireland'' is a 1965 album of Irish folk songs performed by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It was the first live album to be recorded in stereo in Ireland. It was their sixth LP for Columbia Records and, unusually for the ...

'' (1965) *''

Isn't It Grand Boys ''Isn't It Grand Boys'' is a 1966 studio album by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It was the Irish folk group's seventh album for Columbia Records and their tenth album over all. Tommy Makem wrote the liner notes. The album reached #22 on ...

'' (1966) *''Freedom's Sons'' (1966) *''In Concert'' (1967) – also on Columbia CD *''The Irish Uprising'' (1967) *''Home, Boys, Home'' (1968) *''Sing of the Sea'' (1968) *''The Bold Fenian Men'' (1969) *''Reunion'' (1984) – Released on Blackbird LP/Shanachie CD *''Luck of the Irish – Columbia/Sony compilation. Contains 1 new song (Wars of Germany) and 3 new performances of previously released songs: (Home Boys Home, The Old Orange Flute and They're Moving Father's Grave To Build A Sewer)'' (1992) *'' The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (Bob Dylan)'' (1992) *''Irish Drinking Songs'' (1993) – contains unreleased material from the Carnegie Hall album *'' Ain't It Grand: A Collection of Unissued Gems'' (1995) – unreleased material from the 1960s era

The Clancy Brothers (Liam, Tom, Pat, Bobby)

*''Christmas'' – Columbia LP/CD (1969) *''Flowers in the Valley'' – Columbia LP (1970) Audio Fidelity Records *''Welcome to Our House'' (1970)

Lou Killen, Paddy, Liam, Tom Clancy

Audio Fidelity Records *''Show Me The Way'' (1972) *''Save the Land!'' (1972) *''Live on St. Patrick's Day'' (1973) Vanguard Records *''

The Clancy Brothers' Greatest Hits ''The Clancy Brothers' Greatest Hits'' is an original studio album of some of The Clancy Brothers' most popular hits re-recorded with Louis Killen. The Clancys had performed each of these songs previously with different arrangements with their f ...

'' (1973) – Vanguard LP/CD ''*This was reissued as 'Best of the Vanguard Years' with bonus material from the 1982 Live! album with Bobby Clancy and Robbie O'Connell.''

Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem

Blackbird and Shanachie Records *''Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy'' (1976) *''The Makem & Clancy Concert'' (1977) *''Two for the Early Dew'' (1978) *''The Makem and Clancy Collection'' (1980) – contains previously released material and singles *''Live at the National Concert Hall'' (1983) *''We've Come A Long Way'' (1986)

Bob Dylan

*'' The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (Pat, Liam & Bobby Clancy sing "When The Ship Comes In" with Tommy Makem and Robbie O'Connell)''

The Clancy Brothers (Tom, Pat, Bobby) and Robbie O'Connell

*''Mini CD (3 inch disc)''

The Clancy Brothers (Liam, Pat, Bobby) and Robbie O'Connell

*'' Older But No Wiser'' – Vanguard (1995)

Clancy, Evans, and Doherty

*1996 – ''Shine on Brighter'' – Popular CD

Clancy, O'Connell & Clancy

Helvic Records *''Clancy, O'Connell & Clancy'' – (1997) *''The Wild And Wasteful Ocean'' – (1998)

Filmography

*1984 – ''The Story of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem'' – Shanachie *1984 – ''Reunion Concert: Belfast'' – Shanachie *circa 1985 – ''Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest (1965)'' – Central Sun / Shanachie (reissue) *1997 – ''Farewell to Ireland'' – Pinnacle Vision *2007 – ''Yes...Those Were the Days: Liam Clancy – Live at the Olympia, Dublin'' – unknown distributor ''*originally released in 1992 as "In Close Up: Volumes 1 and 2"'' from a concert recorded in 1989 *2007 – ''The Best of 'Hootenanny – Shout! *2009 – ''The Yellow Bittern: The life and times of Liam Clancy''

References

External links

Official site

at ''

''
Obituary
in ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

''
Troubadour who didn't do justice to his talent- Saturday, 12 December 2009
''

''
Clancy Brother's Festival

The Yellow Bittern – The life and times of Liam Clancy (Documentary)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clancy, Liam 1935 births 2009 deaths 20th-century guitarists 20th-century Irish male singers 21st-century guitarists 21st-century Irish male singers Alumni of the National College of Art and Design

Liam Liam is a short form of the Irish name Uilliam or the old Germanic name William. Etymology The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: ''willa'' ("will" or "resolution"); and ''helma'' ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these e ...

Deaths from pulmonary fibrosis Respiratory disease deaths in the Republic of Ireland Irish folk singers Irish tenors Irish male guitarists Musicians from County Tipperary People from County Tipperary Tradition Records artists The Clancy Brothers members