Ron Kavana & his songs

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana & his songs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 07:28 PM

Hello, mate. That's bad news. If you could tell us any more, I'd much appreciate it. Not wishing to breach any confidences and all that...

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana & his songs
From: GUEST,Learaí na Láibe
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 04:49 PM

I believe Ron is ill at the moment. Say a prayer for him if you're that way inclined.

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana & his songs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 10:23 AM

You should catch the song Maria de la Rosa, Jim. It's a wonderful song (I think it's on YouTube). I posted it some years ago in the thread about songs in English about the Spanish Civil War.

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana & his songs
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 08:59 AM

I'd heard of Ron Kavana, but never met him- a pal of mine, Paul Stubbs i'm sure played banjo with his band in London. Paul came to a sad end in a house fire many (30 plus?) years ago.
Rod Stradling thought Ron's songs would suit me & sent a cassette of his songs- he particularly mentioned the 'Reconciliation' as I lived in Irelan at the time. I did sing it a few times, but his words to 'Midnight on the Water; are still in my repertoire.
I do like the look on folks' faces who didn't know there were words to this lovely tune when I break in halfway through the tune!
I've met Ron a couple of times since then, but he must be one of the most creative songwriters to come out of Ireland?

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 06:32 PM

1st October 1993. Tree Inn Folk Club, Bude. Ron, Miriam, Fran Byrne. Best bloody gig I've been to in my whole life. The pub was supposed to shut at 11 but Ron was still going at 1am and no-one even dreamed of stopping him. At the time, Ron was on a roll. He had the Alias Band and he had his "Ron Kavana and Friends" lineup as well. We saw Ron in Bristol, Exeter (twice, second time with Gino Lupari and Brian McNeill), Sidmouth and Bude. Mrs Steve and I, and both our kids, adore Ron, and his albums are the soundtrack of our lives. I have a cassette recording (with Ron's blessing) of the first 90 minutes of that Tree gig. They did Midnight On The Water "for the Shaw family." Guess who was stupid enough not to take a spare C90 cassette... I love all of Ron's albums, but his finest, in my book, was one that hardly saw the light of day at all, called "Galway To Graceland." So many amazing tracks, but my favourite is the song "Watch Out Willie" which they followed with Trip To Durrow and Gravel Walks. Miriam, that bloody fiddle... It's the severe bad luck of almost the whole of the human race who haven't heard that album. But I possess it! But Ron effectively packed it all in in order to pursue a quieter life away from the music industry and in academia. All power to his elbow. But what a star.

Subject: ADD: The Men That God Made Mad (Ron Kavana)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 06:01 PM

The Men That God Made Mad
(Ron Kavana)

Far far from Clifden's rocky shore o'er the broad Atlantic sea
The Battalion of St. Patrick tired of harsh brutality
No more abuse or bigotry, their angry cry wholehearted
Near Matamoras lives were lost that's when the fighting started

Who were those men, what was the crime
For which their lives were wasted
Did they rob or rape, or was their fate
As the poet once related
Were those great Gaels of Ireland
The men that God made mad
Their wars were never merry
But all their songs were sad

Land of the Free meant liberty to the U.S. Army's Irish
Till James K. Polk he sent them south to civilize the Spanish
In a war to extend slavery and unjust exploitation
They'd not repeat what Cromwell did to their poor Irish Nation

Who were those men, what was the crime
For which their lives were wasted
Did they rob or rape, or was their fate
As the poet once related
Were those great Gaels of Ireland
The men that God made mad
Their wars were never merry
But all their songs were sad

At L'Angustura, Irish blood drenched the sun-baked clay
And Mexico still honours those brave men who died that day
But the worst was yet to come in the hour that war was ended
When General Scott hung the Irishmen to celebrate with vengeance

Who were those men, what was the crime
For which their lives were wasted
Did they rob or rape, or was their fate
As the poet once related
Were those great Gaels of Ireland
The men that God made mad
Their wars were never merry
But all their songs were sad

recorded by Niamh Parsons

https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=39317

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana
From: Emmie
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:51 PM

Probably!! Spelling is not my strongpoint!! Emmie

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana
From: Brakn
Date: 09 Dec 99 - 08:34 PM

Alias Ron Kavanagh?

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana
From: Emmie
Date: 09 Dec 99 - 07:31 PM

yes, it is!Will you be going? Emmie

Subject: RE: Ron Kavana
From: Micca
Date: 09 Dec 99 - 07:24 PM

Is that "The Swan" opposite the Stockwell Tube ??

Subject: Ron Kavana
From: Emmie
Date: 09 Dec 99 - 06:16 PM

If you live in London mudcatters, just thought I would tell you about my latest discovery. Ron Kavana plays at the Swan in Stockwell every Wednesday night at about 9.30 Pm and its free!! Hurray!! I went along last night and had a great time, he was playing with a fiddle player (Miriam Kavana) and a bodhran player (Eddie?) Very good atmosphere in there and cheap beer. What more can you want for a night out? Emmie