Mickey MacConnell
Encyclopedia
Mickey MacConnell is an Irish musician and song writer.
in County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
. He is the youngest member of a musical family. He worked in Dublin for Irish Press Group and, later, with The Irish Times
.
Mickey began writing songs very early in his life. In 1965 he wrote Only Our Rivers Run Free about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland
; it became an instant hit in Ireland. This encouraged him to seriously devote himself to writing music when he moved to Listowel, County Kerry
where he lives with his wife Maura.
His first album "Peter Pan and Me" http://www.rambles.net/macconnell_peter05.html ; was released in 1992 to critical
acclaim and included the haunting ballad
"Lament
for Judy Garland
".
Many of his songs have been recorded internationally by such artists as Christy Moore
, The Wolfe Tones, Mary Black
, The Kelly Family
and many more including The James Last Orchestra
.
The album "Joined Up Writing"; features many new songs and takes
a wry look at life and politics, not just in Ireland but worldwide.
MacConnell's work has been greatly influenced by The Troubles
in Northern Ireland and his songs reflect that there are those who suffer on all sides. "Follow the Flag" is an example of this. "The Little Drummer Boy" is a song that uses the story of the drummer boys of the old days (similar to the sentiments evoked by the more famous Minstrel Boy by Thomas Moore
) to remind us of the influence of the poets and singers on public opinion.
Life and work
Mickey MacConnell was born in Bellanaleck near EnniskillenEnniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
in County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He is the youngest member of a musical family. He worked in Dublin for Irish Press Group and, later, with The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
.
Mickey began writing songs very early in his life. In 1965 he wrote Only Our Rivers Run Free about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
; it became an instant hit in Ireland. This encouraged him to seriously devote himself to writing music when he moved to Listowel, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
where he lives with his wife Maura.
His first album "Peter Pan and Me" http://www.rambles.net/macconnell_peter05.html ; was released in 1992 to critical
acclaim and included the haunting ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"Lament
Lament
A lament or lamentation is a song, poem, or piece of music expressing grief, regret, or mourning.-History:Many of the oldest and most lasting poems in human history have been laments. Laments are present in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and laments continued to be sung in elegiacs accompanied by...
for Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
".
Many of his songs have been recorded internationally by such artists as Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
, The Wolfe Tones, Mary Black
Mary Black
Mary Black is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland, and in many other parts of the world....
, The Kelly Family
The Kelly Family
The Kelly Family is an Irish-American-European music group consisting of a multi-generational family, who play a repertoire of rock, pop and folk music. They have had chart and concert success in Europe and other parts of the world, especially in Germany, the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, Eastern...
and many more including The James Last Orchestra
James Last Orchestra
The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...
.
The album "Joined Up Writing"; features many new songs and takes
a wry look at life and politics, not just in Ireland but worldwide.
MacConnell's work has been greatly influenced by The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland and his songs reflect that there are those who suffer on all sides. "Follow the Flag" is an example of this. "The Little Drummer Boy" is a song that uses the story of the drummer boys of the old days (similar to the sentiments evoked by the more famous Minstrel Boy by Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
) to remind us of the influence of the poets and singers on public opinion.