Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?

Subject: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: wes.w
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 08:21 AM

I've just looked at a copy of Peter Cooper's "Mel Bay Irish Fiddle Tutor". He quotes a bit of Junior Crehan's verse as a "song". Did Junior write any songs? Words and tunes please?

Subject: Add: Tribute to Willie Clancy (Junior Crehan)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:02 AM

This from "Farewell to Junior Crehan", by Muiris Ó Rochaín:

"Junior composed many songs, many of them of a personal nature and two which he always claimed were very special to him.  To quote Junior, One was for my music master Scully Casey, the other my friend Willie Clancy.  When Scully Casey died there passed away a wealth of fiddle lore because for my generation Scully represented a connection with the great fiddle players of the past; and when Willie Clancy died the link with such great pipers as Garrett Barry and Johnny Doran was broken."

The full text of the speech is at the  Willie Clancy Summer School web site


TRIBUTE TO WILLIE CLANCY

(Words:Junior Crehan  Music: Bruach na Carraige Báine)

I am writing these lines with tears in my eyes
For a comrade who now has departed
And my soul is heavy with grief and woe
And I'm almost broken hearted,
For the voice of the one that we'll surely miss
A voice that is gone forever
Oh! Willie asthore we'll see you no more
Oh! never, never, never.

There's a gap in tradition that ne'er will be filled
A wide gap that ne'er shall be mended
On the hill o'er town we laid you down
'Twas sad that your young life ended.
Let's hope that we'll meet in that brighter land
With music and song forever
Aroon, aroon you were taken too soon
And your music we'll hear again never.

You are up in high heaven I hope tonight
With your father and mother who bore you
And the Dorans and Rowsome and Scully and Tadg
The musicians who went before you
By night and by day for you I will pray
To the Blessed God above you
That His Angels may gather you under their wings
Is the prayer of one who loved you.

This appeared in The Clare Champion, 2 February 1973, on the occasion of Willie's death.

The following was quoted in an obituary of Junior by Tom Munnelly:

When my last days have come I'd like to be assured
To let me walk through the fields that I drained and manured.
An' lie in the bed where I got sick and got cured.
And in that same bed let me peacefully die
And give up my soul to my Maker on high.
An' lay me down easy with music galore
By the side of the chapel near Caisleán an Óir.
Yes, leave me down easy with music that I prize
By the side of the chapel where I was baptised

The full obit. may be seen at  .

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:05 AM

...sigh.  Italics should, of course, end with line 4, and that last bit, but for a typo in the html, would have read:
Musical Traditions.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: wes.w
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 09:21 AM

Thanks Malcom,
Peter quotes a verse of 'Scully Casey', and a friend has a small verse of Junior's that goes with his tune 'The Otters Holt'. Your quote has given me a bit more about the tune An Caislean Oir (The Golden Castle), possibly the best known of his tunes in the UK, but nothing else has yet come to light. ..wes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: 8_Pints
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 09:28 PM

We attended a moving memorial gathering this week for Junior's 3rd anniversary of his passing away.

This was held at Coore, Miltown Malbay, Co Claire organised by the local community.

There was a wonderful feast of traditional music, dance and song to celebrate his achievements and memory.

Our thanks go to Jimmy Carroll for inviting us whilst we were on holiday in Ireland.

Bob & Sue vG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 01:36 AM

You might be interested in Junior Crehan.

Found this trying to trace a couple of tunes someone attributed to him.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 09:55 AM

One of his daughters (?) lives in the US and occassionally posts on rec.music.celtic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From:
Date: 29 Nov 01 - 04:13 PM

Wes, Just saw your post requesting information on songs written by my uncle Junior Crehan.

Junior wrote the following songs: Tribute to Scully Casey - 1955

A Quilty Man's Dream

Lament for Willie Clancy 1 - 1972 Lament for Willie Clancy 2 - 1972 Lament for Willie Clancy 3 - 1997

Lament for my dear brother Dr.Tony Crehan MD - 1973 This was written for my dad who died Christmas Eve 1973

Gleeson's - 1989

How I lived to be '90 January 1998

Junior also wrote introductary poems for each of his tunes. Each poem had one verse and it was his practice to recite the verse before he played the tune. The only one of these he sang that I can remember was,the verse that lead into The Luthardawn's Jig.

My cousin Angela Crotty (Junior's daughter)is currently working on a book that will include Junior's Tunes and songs. once it is published,this material will be available to all.

Elizabeth Crehan Anderson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Junior Crehan Songs?
From: wes.w
Date: 05 Dec 01 - 08:23 AM

Thanks to all,
I'll keep a look out for Angela's book, and I hear Tony's son (Junior's grandson) has made a CD recently.

..wes