Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Jul 15 - 06:46 AM

a.k.a. a "ninety nine".

Regards

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: GUEST,Gealt
Date: 04 Jul 15 - 06:01 AM

A friend told me of driving whit her husband through his home county, Donegal. She said her hubby announced that he'd "love a poke". I completely misunderstood and could not understand why I was receiving this rather intimate information. Eventually I discovered that in those parts a 'poke' is an ice cream cone with a Cadbury's Milk Flake stuck in it.

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: Megan L
Date: 04 Jul 15 - 05:19 AM

aye lad ahm a Glesca hen it does mean bag unless you are talking aboot a pokie hat which is an ice cream cone.

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jul 15 - 03:14 AM

Megan L
poke of chips outside the theatre in renfield street

interesting word "poke", is that a *Glasga expression, a *Renfrew colloquialism or "lalland Scorts"? Does it mean "bag" (as in pocket and "a pig in a poke")?

He did seem genuine. Loved his TV shows.


FWIW the only 2 Renfield Streets I can find.

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: GUEST,Alan Ross
Date: 03 Jul 15 - 04:46 PM

People forget that Val Doonican straddled different genres, and that the MOR crooning was only one aspect. He took American Country, Irish and Folk songs into his repertoire as well as the Crooning and Pop covers. Like Cliff, when a person records so many albums and singles people forget the less obvious material and in his case they get remembered just for the sweater and rocking chair TV presentation.

I suppose Daniel O' Donnell took over Val's mantle in many ways, but with a much lighter type of voice.

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 03 Jul 15 - 03:34 PM

The news had come through just a wee bit before last night's session in Linlithgow: so we did indeed have the tributes - Paddy McGinty's Goat and Delaney's Donkey: some speculation as to who would get the rocking chair and the sweaters!

Subject: RE: Obit: Irish Singer Val Doonican (1927-2015)
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 03 Jul 15 - 08:43 AM

With my family our most enjoyable times were spent watching his wonderful TV series every one of it's 21 years, a marvellous entertainer and a lovely man R.I.P

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 02:19 PM

Sometime in the mid-seventies, one of the American TV networks ran the Val Doonican show, I think, as a summer replacement for another show, and that's how I first became acquainted with him. Not, strictly speaking, a folk singer, but he sang some folk songs and other good stuff. Good singer.   Very personable and enjoyable.

He had some good guests on his show. It was there that I first heard Julie Felix. She sang some solos and they did a few duets.

And he had Burl Ives on one evening. Doonican and Ives swapped some pretty good songs, and there was one sequence in which a young woman guest (can't remember who) started dancing the "Funky Chicken." The looks on Ives's and Doonican's faces as they watched her was priceless!

Good entertainer! I'm glad I saw him when I had the chance.

To be a genuinely nice guy, spend your life entertaining a lot of people, then pass away peacefully at a ripe old age. That's the way to do it….

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 12:19 PM

A man you couldn't dislike. Walk Tall Mr. Doonican.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 09:51 AM

Its the Daily Wail - but nice photos...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3147046/Irish-singer-television-personality-Val-Doonican-dies-peacefully-home-aged-88.ht

A genuine nice guy - good family entertainment - and no hint of a scandal in his life.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: GUEST,The good ship
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 09:10 AM

Lovely man with a relaxed singing style he taught me alot about entertaining just by watching him R.i.p.Val

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: Megan L
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 09:08 AM

I remember as a teenager holding his poke of chips outside the theatre in renfield street when he came out between shows to sign autographs, a wonderful man.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: GUEST,Musket
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 09:05 AM

Yeah, a big part of my childhood too.

In later years, I decided you can't sit in a rocking chair and play guitar at the same time.

He lived to entertain. Can't say fairer than that.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: jacqui.c
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:50 AM

RIP Val - part of my childhood.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:48 AM

Not my cup of tea either, but a good friend and fellow band musician of mine in London had worked for many years as a studio manager for BBC TV. He had many anecdotes of the people he'd worked with and Val Doonican came out top of the list - a gentleman, a professional, and a pleasure to work with.

You can't do better than that. Condolences to all in his circle.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:40 AM

I always enjoyed his performances as a youngster - Even in my teens! Not always my cup of tea but a consummate professional who will be sadly missed. He can now find out if the angel with the whiskers on IS Paddy McGinty's goat :-) Condolences to all his friends and family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: GUEST,Noreen at work
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:37 AM

Ah, shame. Nice way to go though- his "batteries had just run out".

Growing up we had his 45 with Delaney's Donkey b/w Paddy McGinty's
Goat. I could probably to this day sing them both all the way through...!

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: maeve
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:22 AM

Here's one: Delaney's Donkey: The Val Doonican Music Show 1982

Subject: RE: Obit: Val Doonican
From: maeve
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:20 AM

Hi, Terry. Here's a link:
Val Doonican, Irish singer, dies at 88
"His family said he died "peacefully" at a nursing home in Buckinghamshire. He had not been ill, but his daughter said his "batteries had just run out".

The performer was a regular fixture on TV with The Val Doonican show which ran on the BBC from 1965 to 1986, featuring his own performances and guest artists.

He was also rarely out of the UK charts in the 1960s and '70s with songs like Walk Tall and Elusive Butterfly.

In the album chart, he had five successive top 10 records.

In a statement, his family said: "He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by family, friends and his many fans."

Born in Waterford, Ireland, Doonican's career took off after he was booked to appear on Sunday Night at the Palladium in 1963.

It led him to be offered his own BBC show - for which he became known for his trademark rocking chair, colourful jumpers and cardigans - and kick-started his recording career.

His other hits included The Special Years, What Would I Be and If The Whole World Stopped Loving. He also sang the theme song for the film Ring of Bright Water.

Doonican stopped performing in 2009 after more than 60 years in showbusiness.

He is survived by his wife Lynn, daughters Sarah and Fiona and grandchildren Bethany and Scott."

Subject: Obit: Val Doonican
From: Leadfingers
Date: 02 Jul 15 - 07:09 AM

Just heard on BBC- Val Doonican has died at 88 - Posibly too M O R for a lot of Folkies , but was a very popular singer