It is interesting that "Peter's Song" by Tommy Sands gets a mention in this thread. It is a song of importance in the history of music and politics in the North of Ireland. The location for the song was Mark and Maeve McLaughlin's bar in Crowe Street, Dundalk, Co Louth. It was just across the border from Northern Ireland and a convenient watering hole for those travelling to and fro in those troubles times. Mark's Bar was a mecca for folk and traditional musicians in the 1960s and 70s. In 2010 Mark was the recipient of the Ceol Chairlinn Award for Outstanding Contribution to Traditional Arts. It was also a location strongly associated with the Official Republican movement of which Mark, an ardent socialist and republican, was a lifelong supporter.
Peter McArdle was the 'Peter' in the song. He was a constant fixture in the pub and reputedly sold his farm in the early 1960's and resided in the bar until his death in 1974.
At the very beginning of the Tommy Sands recording of his song there is the sound of coins rapping on a window, and in the last verse there is a mention of "knocking with a penny on the golden gates". This refers to the practice of the door being locked in the evening and admittance to Mark's being requested by rapping on a small pain of stained glass alongside the door. It's many's the year since I rapped on that window, and the pub is now called Toale's, but Mark's death on Christmas Day 2014 was a sad moment for all those who spent happy hours in that wonderful place amongst comrades and friends.

PETER’S SONG

By Tommy Sands

CHORUS
There was Peter sitting in the corner fiddle in his hand
Playing away like you never did hear and you'll never hear again
Charlie on the banjo, Shorty on the bodhran, everything was grand
Come on Mark and let me in I want to join the band.

Then Maeve would come and she would let me in and I made my way along
The rafters rang with the reels and jigs and someone sang a song
There were flying bows and bodhran sticks you hadn't room to turn
But there was always a chair and a couple of drinks for the lad who came to learn.

But then the time said "Gentlemen please" and the gentlemen would go
Some of us might stay a while and sing songs very low
Then Peter he'd play one last tune then put away the bow
But his fiddle is still playing no matter where you go

It was in Springtime 74 that Peter he did die
And Fergie played the death march to his grave in Tallanstown
And as we stood there silently it seemed from out the grave
"Jenny's chickens" could be heard and I could see it all again

The day that Peter passed away we always will regret
Well the things he said and the tunes he played we never will forget
Now the heavenly choirs have dropped their lyres and the angels hung their harps
They're knocking with a penny on the golden gates and this is their remark

FINAL TWO CHORUSES
There is Peter sitting in the corner fiddle in his hand
Playing away like you never did hear and you'll never hear again
St Paul on the banjo, Moses on the bodhran, and everything is grand
Almighty God would you let me in I want to join the band.

Ah, there was Peter sitting in the corner fiddle in his hand
Playing away like you never did hear and you'll never hear again
Charlie on the banjo, Shorty on the bodhran, everything was grand
Come on Mark and let me in I want to join the band.