Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?

Subject: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Jim Clark poetryreincarnation youtube channe
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 08:50 AM

I was wondering if any Mudcatters know anything biographical about the Irish poet Michael B Mannion who was recorded for several LP records in the 1980's. Annoyingly the Records themselves dont have any notes and the internet yields nothing on the subject of this interesting man who recited numerous famous poems on at least a couple of records produced by what appears to be a short lived independant record label called "Tuba Records" on one of the records Michael B Mannion was refered to as "The Bard of Kensington" if this info helps jog any memories.

Heres a virtual movie i have produced oh him reading "Devil May Care"

"Devil-May-Care" Recited by Michael B Mannion

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 08:57 AM

No sign of him in the Oxford Concise COmpaNion to Irish Literature (1996)

Regards

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Jim Clark poetryreincarnation youtube channe
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 04:58 PM

Thanks Martin.

I wonder do any other mudcatters know anything about him ?

"To Althea, from Prison" Recited by Michael B Mannion Poem animation

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 08:29 AM

Serendipity. I was remembering Michael Mannion fondly and decided to Google his name where I found this site.
I knew Michael in the 1980s when I lived in Notting Hill in London. He was an habitué of the pubs in Campden Hill, which is the part of Kensington sandwiched between Notting Hill Gate and Kensington High Street.
He was fond of whisk(e)y, especially Jameson, but never had to pay for it – he had a charming manner, was a wonderful and erudite conversationalist, and people knew he had no money. When I first got to know him I used to buy him single measures, but I soon realised that to gain his attention and get him to sit down for ten minutes it had to be doubles. It was always money well spent, and I regret my stinginess in not investing far more.
I remember once using the f***k word in his presence. He was shocked beyond measure, not expecting words like that from me, and delivered the most severe dressing-down I had received since my schooldays in the 1950s. Inter alia, he said: "You are well educated, come from a good Irish family, and should not need to use words like that. You should be setting an example to these ignorant people." i.e. the English.
This was in the Windsor Castle at the top of Campden Hill Road, in the old Sherry Bar, which has since, sadly, been knocked through to create a more open environment. This was his favourite haunt – I wonder what he would think of the new layout. He would normally be seen in the corner wearing a plum coloured velvet jacket, obtained from another old friend, Bill Kellough, during the course of a drunken evening.
Other favoured watering holes in Campden Hill were the old Johnson Arms in Hillgate Street (renamed The Hillgate) and the Elephant and Castle in Holland Street. Other spots probably included The Uxbridge Arms (Uxbridge Street) and The Churchill Arms (Kensington Church Street), although I never saw him in either of these. Gerry, who runs the Churchill, is probably a good source of information – I think he has a long memory.
I know very little of his earlier life. I know he studied to become a Jesuit priest. My memory of our conversation is that he went nearly all the way before deciding it was not for him – which could mean anything up to 14 years. Memory might play me false. I think he spent a lot of time in the Far East, probably south-east Asia, but I am unsure of my facts.
Poetry – again, memory might be false. I never read any of it, but I think he wrote poetry mainly for children. If he did, he probably wrote more serious stuff as well, but I have no knowledge of it.
He suffered from a serious blood disorder (don't know what it was). I went to see him in hospital, where he looked very ill indeed – very pale and fragile. I asked him if there was anything I could get for him. In a tiny voice he said "yes", then a long pause. I had to bend close to hear him say "Italian fruit bread (he told me where to buy it)" – long pause – "and Frank Cooper's Thick Cut marmalade." A great actor.
I delivered the goods, and a week later he was back in the Sherry Bar, right as rain. Two months later he was dead.
I will check with some of the older Kensington denizens to see if they can fill in some of the gaps.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 08:54 AM

Thanks for that, GUEST.

Regards

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 12:21 PM

Michael B. Mannion, The Bard of Kensington, lived here 1965 to 1986

from

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/41416319

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Conor (Guest - forgot to give my name before
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 12:34 PM

He must have known Maria

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 01:22 PM

Can you possibly find out what part of Ireland he came from? If there's a town or location to focus on, it shouldn't be hard to track down more info. There's a great poetry network here, and the general guy-who-knows-a-guy-who-knows-a-guy grapevine still works wonders too.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Robert Holmes
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 04:23 PM

There is a brass plaque with his name on it in the Sherry bar of the Windsor Castle where he used to sit.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Jim Clark aka poetryreincarnationsatyoutube
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 05:16 AM

Thankyou for all that about this fascinating but enigmatic reader of poetry on record.

I hope to read more about him as your memories are jogged.

Heres the google links to my 3 videos of Mannion reading 3 poems at my poetryreincarnations youtube channel


Michael B Mannion at poetryreincarnations at youtube

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,jennifer granddaughter of paddy mannion
Date: 03 Feb 12 - 05:53 AM

he was my granduncle, the brother of paddy mannion from co galway

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Peter Coltelli
Date: 04 Jun 14 - 07:18 AM

I came across a signed copy of one of Michael B. Mannion's poetry recital LPs just the other day at 'Flashbacks' in Islington, London.
Quickly flicking through the cast out sale albums on the concourse I came across the album which I took no notice of at first, and yet it was as though it spoke to me. I had never heard of Michael B Mannion so the white LP Cover of the Tuba Label album - with a sketch of a the poet dated 1976 on the front and a dedication in his own fair hand - meant nothing to me...and yet I swear it sang to me, a kindred poet, and I had to buy it. And so I did.
The album sold for a princely 99p - yet uncovering the old price labels when I got home I saw that it was originally priced at £39.99.
The album is now one of my treasured possessions and I enjoy listening to this poet whose gentle homely voice still sings to us across the ages with unfailing sincerity.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Jun 14 - 07:31 AM

Nice one, GUESTPeter

Regards

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Peter Coltelli
Date: 05 Jun 14 - 10:03 AM

Michael B. Mannion seems to have led me to this blog ...I am not sure what Mudcat is all about but it does feel rather homely here...

I think Michael would have liked my long ballad with opens with

There is a little gate,
In a little lane,
Where I'd meet my true love,
Again and again and again,
Where I'd meet my true love,
Again and again and again.....

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Peter Coltelli
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 11:36 AM

I have now acquired another LP featuring Michael B. Mannion and it is even more intriguing than the first one I found a couple of weeks ago.

It was produced by Tuba Records in 1978.

The cover sleeve reads:

Bobby Jordan
with
Michael B. Mannion,
The Bard of Kensington

Side one

Stornaway
She's far from the land (Moore)
Selection of Scottish waltzes
Beyond the East, the Sunrise (Masfield)
The jug of punch
The Waster
Selection of Scottish jigs
Love if Teasing

Side two

The Holy Ground
Nursery Rhyme (Anon)
Dougal McGlachen
Lament (Mannion)
The Croppy Boy
The Irish Rover
Dangerous Dan McGrew (excerpt) – (Service)
Selection of Irish Marches

Notes
This record is dedicated to Colleen & Alana Quinn

Cover drawing of Bobby Jordan (with accordion) and a smiling Michael B. Mannion by Kevin Geary

Record Producer: Luke Kelly

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Gealt
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 05:42 AM

I knew Michael Mannion very well from the time he came down the hill (from Winsor Castle to the Prince Albert, Pembridge Road W11 c1973) until he died in 1986.
He came from a farming family in the parish of Tyrnascragh, East Galway. He spent some time as a brother in a religious order.
At the outbreak of WW2 he joined the London Fire Brigade & was stationed in Chelsea. He subsequently volunteered for the Indian fire service. Later he "took the King's shilling whilst under the influence", well so he claimed. He was commissioned & left the army with the rank of captain. He was a salesman after the army, vacuum cleaners & I have heard that he sold watches for Selfridges, Oxford Street.
He had a fantastic memory for poetry which he would recite at the drop of the proverbial.
He drank in most of the Notting Hill Gate pubs including the Churchill Arms. The Prince Albert was different in many ways to the Camden Hill pubs but mainly because Mick was one of many caracters that frequented the boozer. Among these were Jack Doyle, former boxer & wrestler, the actors Oliver McGreevy & Harry Webster & Gerry Quinn who was a patron of Mannion's. Hence the record is dedicated to Gerry's daughters. Btw the producer of that album was not a Dubliner.
One of Michael's friends was Brendan Lynch writer & habitué of the Winsor who wrote an obituary. He was photographed & interviewed by John Cullen (Irish Post,London) & John Minahan (London Evening Stanard)
Michael B Mannion is buried in Fahy Graveyard, in his native parish.
Reply, Reply all or Forward | More

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Gealt
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 11:13 AM

I wish we could correct posts after publication as I have done other sites. The Castle is on Campden Hill Road.
Reminds me of the time there was glass pane broken in the main door to to the Windsor. When the replacement pane was made & fitted it was some time before it was noted that the new glass said CAMDEN BAR.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Niece, Valentine
Date: 11 Mar 19 - 07:07 PM

I would love to know more about my uncle Michael, from those who knew him and were friends with him in London. If anyone has stories that they could share with me, I would really appreciate it.

Subject: RE: Michael B Mannion Irish poet ?
From: GUEST,Barman, Windsor Castle.
Date: 24 Dec 24 - 07:33 PM

I worked in the Windsor Castle, Camden Hill Rd, W8. As a summer job in 1985. I remember Michael, he was looked on as a mascot for the pub. Various people would put their heads in the door and enquire "is Michael in?" If not they would go on to the next of his regular haunts.

There was, in the Sherry Bar, a framed one dollar bill, with the words "Michael B Mansion went to America, and returned with only this dollar bill"

He was very kind friendly to this homesick young Irishman.