Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Felipa
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 02:16 PM

I've been looking through Chordstrangler Mudcat messages. Here is one that caught my eye: "I have had the distinction of having two songs banned from the playlists of both RTE (Irish National Radio) and BBC Northern Ireland. The first song was "Only Our Rivers Run Free" and the second one was called "The Famous Five".
In relation to "The Famous Five" I got a letter from the BBC saying that it could cause offence to the British Army, gays, animal lovers, reformed criminals, persons of diminished intellectual capacity, South Africans, persons with addictions and those involved in the anti-apartheid movement.
Could this be a record?" (https://mudcat.org/detail.cfm?messages__Message_ID=1123061 ; discussion topic: Banned Songs)

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Felipa
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 01:47 PM

I retract my previous statement. MacConnell took the story of The Tinkerman's Daughter from Sigerson Clifford, shortened it and rewrote the lyrics without copying any lines from the original.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Felipa
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 01:40 PM

Mickey only adapted The Tinkerman's Daughter from the original by Sigerson Clifford, Pete and Johnny J. He penned plenty of original lyrics though.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 11:20 AM

Mickey MacConnell was a gold mine of songs. Many well known songs came from his pen. One particular favourite is "The Tinkerman's Daughter" which has travelled around the world. He will be missed. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread and send my condolences. RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Johnny J
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 07:23 AM

Aha, just noticed that this is the alternative video which is even funnier.

Thanks for that.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Johnny J
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 06:52 AM

Not too early at all, TB.

In fact, I included it in my first post.
;-)

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 06:20 AM

Ok, thanks for the explanation : he is Mc in this video (hope it’s not too soon to post something quite so hilarious, but Mickey will definitely be remembered for it!)
The Lidl and Aldi song

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Johnny J
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 04:54 AM

Yes, most references to Mickey seem to be "Mac"(even on his own website) and Cathal is "Mc" as you might expect as "Mc" is the more usual Irish spelling.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 04:40 AM

In his own post, Chordstrangler identifies himself as Mickey MacConnell aka "chordstrangler." Cathal apparently identifies himself as Cathal McConnell, but yet it's clear that they're brothers.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)-Chordstrangler
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 04:29 AM

Sorry to hear this news too.
And if we’re trying to be as correct as possible, how did he spell his surname? Was it Mac or Mc? Cathal is definitely Mc.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 08:38 PM

People interested in what Cathal is up to might want to join "The Cathal McConnell Appreciation Society" on FB - there have been recent posts about Mickey as well.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)
From: Johnny J
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 06:30 PM

"The Tinkerman's Daughter"

The correct title of "The Red headed Anne" which I mentioned earlier.

A great song altogether.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 03:14 PM

17 is still incredibly young to write a song like that one. I wasn't quite sure what the sge was and didn't have time to look it up.

I sort of recall seeing a bit on RTE ot tg4 about him but can't remember if it wad part of something else, a dedicated doc on him or perhaps an episode of Aistear an Amhráin about the song or yet something else.

I do rememberan interview with the man behind the bar in John B's telling how MM came into the bar, sat down and wrote aldilidlyaldi in something like fifteen minutes, so perhaps there was a documentary   or wlse I am conflating several things I have seen in the past.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell (1947-2025)
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 01:41 PM

Peter and Johnny, McConnell died at hospital in Cork - I think that was what caused the confusion. In any case, the thread heading has been edited.

According to Mark McGoldrick, writing in "The Fermanagh Herald" newspaper, Mickey McConnell was 17 years old when he composed Only Our Rivers Run Free. McConnell's website says he wrote the song in 1965 (when Mickey would have been 17 or 18), earlier than I would have expected in terms of events in N Ireland.

When I mentioned other McConnell songs which would be familiar in Irish singing circles, I should also have mentioned The Tinkerman's Daughter (which McConnell adapted from an older song by Sigerson Clifford) and The Man Who Drank the Farm https://mickeymacconnell.com/LyricsTheManwhoDranktheFarm.html

Subject: RE:Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 10:33 AM

Here he is, from the Begkeys' travelogue:

Only our rivers..




Not a lot of people realise how ridiculously young he was when he wrote that song, something like fifteen.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 10:23 AM

I know it's not your fault Johnny. The forum team has been known to alter thread titles half cooked in the past. I suppose Cormac McConnell is down in Cork, which caused the confusion.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: Johnny J
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 08:04 AM

Not my fault as I started with a simpler heading "Mickey MacConnell R.I.P."

Of course, Joe was correct to tidy things up but, maybe, the location could be changed?

---

I wasn't the one who added the location. I was leaving the space open until I could verify that this was indeed Chordstrangler. I wish the errant moderator who "tidied things up" would keep his/her meddling fingers out. There is a formula we have used for decades for obituary titles, to standardize them to make them more easily searchable.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 08:01 AM

He was a fixture in Listowel, the misplaced 'Cork' in the thread's heading grates.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 06:35 AM

some of Mickey McConnell's other songs such as The Lambeg Drummer and The Politician's Song and Peter Pan and Me would be fairly well-known in Irish singing circles ... I think the Lambeg Drummer is the one most often sung.

Re Johnny J's statement that Mickey's brother Cathal - traditional singer and flute and tin whistle player who played the Boys of the Lough - is still in Edinburgh, I thought Cathal returned to Ireland at least a few years ago now? He certainly has been playing in Ireland a lot. Cathal fronted a concert with other Fermanagh musicians at the County Derry fleadh this May. (a couple of these musicians now live in Derry) Update- George Duff says Cathal still lives in Edinburgh and often plays at his session in Edinburgh

"Mickey was a brilliant songwriter, one of the best in Ireland and, I would say, even worldwide. His work will live on." Cathal McConnell says.

Mickey was living in County Kerry https://rip.ie/death-notice/michael-mickey-macconnell-kerry-listowel-598691

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: Johnny J
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 05:39 AM

I think that's right although I haven't read too many of his posts but I'll have a look now though.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Jul 25 - 05:39 AM

It had never occurred to me to ask who wrote "Only Our Rivers Run Free" - it's embedded deep in the tradition of political song. There's no fame that means as much as becoming anonymous.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.(1947-2025)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jul 25 - 07:55 PM

Here's a brief obituary from RTÉ

'Only our rivers run free' songwriter Mickey MacConnell dies
Updated / Thursday, 3 Jul 2025 21:58
Evelyn O\u0027Rourke        By Evelyn O'Rourke
Arts and Media Correspondent

The death of the writer of the popular song 'Only our rivers run free', Mickey MacConnell, has been confirmed by his family in Cork.

Born in 1947, near Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh, MacConnell was a journalist whose work appeared in the Irish press, The Washington post and the Kerryman.

He was also an acclaimed songwriter, and he released a number of albums including 'Peter Pan and me', which included evocative songs about the Troubles.

Another popular album was called 'joined up writing' and 'Live at John B's'.

Mr MacConnell's close friend Billy Keane described him as "one of the finest and most courageous singers of his generation".

Mr Mac Connell is survived by his wife Maura, and his daughters Kerry and Clare.

---

from https://rip.ie/death-notice/michael-mickey-macconnell-kerry-listowel-598691

The death has occurred of Michael (Mickey) MacConnell
Feale Drive, Listowel, Kerry / Belnaleck, Fermanagh

MacConnell, Michael (Mickey), Feale Drive, Listowel, Co. Kerry and formerly of Belnaleck, Co. Fermanagh. 3rd of July, 2025, after a short illness, in the tender care of the SIVUH Cork staff and surrounded by his loving family. Pre-deceased by his brother Sean. He his deeply missed by his adoring wife Maura, daughters Kerry (Benard) and Claire (Martyn), brothers Cathal and Cormac, sons-in-law Francois and Paddy, grandchildren Molly, Padraig, Sally and Cormac, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and a large circle of friends.

UPDATE: This message verifies that this is the Mickey MacConnell who posted here as Chordstrangler. May he rest in peace.

Subject: Mickey MacConnell R.I.P.
From: Johnny J
Date: 03 Jul 25 - 05:49 PM

Just seen a FB post from Irish Music Magazine.

Sadly, Mickey has passed away. I don’t know much more.

I remember him from the early Edinburgh Folk Festivals when he used to visit. His brother Cathal is still Edinburgh based, of course.

A great singer and composer of classic songs such as “Only our rivers run free”, “The red headed Anne”, and…of course… The ballad of Lidl and Aldi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL7jyXCQ2Zc

Condolences to all Mickey’s family and friends.