Ronnie McGinn's Poetry Page

Described by American writer Steve Winnick as "the spiritual godfathers" of today's Irish music groups, The Dubliners were to the fore of the Irish ballad boom of the Sixties and went on to became one of the most successful Irish Ballad groups in the world.

Tragedy struck when Luke Kelly collapsed on stage in Cork with a brain tumor.

Luke returned to the stage and struggled to maintain his profile. Sadly he died four years later.

It is hard to believe twenty seven years have elapsed since that tragic event.

John Sheehan, violin player with the Dubliners, sent us this poem to commemorate Luke's 21st anniversary.

As this week we celebrate Luke's anniversary we though it might be fitting to re-print it and rekindle a few golden memories.

LUKE KELLY ... 21ST ANNIVERSARY

You've come-of-age in death,
Keeper of a golden key;
Forever young, since you
Abandoned time,
While we've aged visibly
Weathering the scar.

We linger in your shadow,
A legacy of songs to savour,
While you have risen
To a new consciousness
Where music is imagined, and words
Are scattered among the stars.

© John Sheahan