Hi all,

I was reading the In Memoriam list, and clicked on the Derek Bell link to remind myself of the date that he passed away.

Coincidentally it's fifteen years ago tomorrow (it's early morning 16 October here in Oz). Is it really so long ago?

Derek Bell's Carolan's Receipt is the first album of his that I ever bought. On vinyl, and then upgraded to CD many years later. It is still one of my all time favourite albums in my collection. Over the years I have added other CD's by The Chieftains and by Derek Bell and I am amazed at their individual and collective skills.

This is my current obsession, which I rediscovered when I recently and belatedly upgraded my vinyl record to CD of Boil the Breakfast Early:

The Chieftains - Mrs. Judge

The tune changes in the second half to a different time signature, and Derek starts it off with a lively harp rendition and is then joined by the other instruments. The more I listen to this tune, the more I love it.

Derek Bell is gone but never forgotten.

Just imagine how it was before we had music recordings. Imagine hearing such beautiful music only once or a few times in your life and never hearing it again. You would have to try to keep it in your memory and wish with all your heart that you could hear it even just once more.

We are blessed with the joy of being able to hear it over and over again, and that's what I do. I play the Derek Bell and The Chieftains CD's over and over in the car, at work and at home. I never get tired of them. I am constantly discovering new joys in listening to them.

Vale Derek Bell - now teaching the angels how to play the harp.

Helen