Lord Franklin Micheál O'Domhnaill

Many have tried including Dylan, Sineád O' Connor, Pentangle and John Renbourn but none have matched Micheál Ó'Domhnaill and Kevin Burke's version of Lord Franklin. Ireland lost a great perfomer with Micheál's untimely death in 2006. This is my tribute to a man I first saw perform in the Odeon Cinema in Tuam in the mid 70's alongside Mick Hanly. The following is an extract from his biography by Earle Hitchner
Even now, listening to "Lord Franklin" sung by him with his sister Triona adding harmony and Donal Lunny adding bouzouki, I am swept away again by the strength in fragility found in Micheal's uniquely evocative voice as he recounts Lord John Franklin's tragic expedition to find the Northwest Passage in the 1840s. Without question, this is the version of "Lord Franklin" against which all others will forever be judged.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Micheál
• O'Domhnaill
• Kevin
• Burke
• Bothy
• Band
• Paddy
• Glackin
• Johnny
• Cunningham
• Mick
• Hanly

[bonzodog47]

Beautiful version to be sure but aren't we forgetting Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick's rendition? If any performace deserves to be called 'definitive' then surely it was that one.

[frankmck45]

I have yielded on the definitive version to miceal22 above. In my opinion and I have the Carthy version the late Michéal O'Domhnaills version is the best but I respect all other opinions

[pjotr60dvd]

@frankmck45 This recording is by the Bothy Band. Besides Micheál and Kevin, you hear Dónal Lunny on bouzouki and harmony vocals by Triona (Micheál's sister). (Matt Molloy and Paddy Keenan are around somewhere but don't participate in this song).

[frankmck45]

@pjotr60dvd I borrowed this version from Celtic Graces:A best of Ireland. In the sleevenote it says "Two former members of the Bothy Bandturn in this version of the ballad.... It does indeed creditDonal and Triona but it is from Promenade an album released as a duo by Micheál and Kevin

[frankmck45]

@pjotr60dvd I borrowed this version from Celtic Graces:A best of Ireland. In the sleevenote it says "Two former members of the Bothy Band turn in this version of the ballad.... It does indeed credit Donal and Triona but it is from Promenade an album released as a duo by Micheál and Kevin

[miceal22]

Lovely version, but there is no 'definitive' version of any song imho.

[frankmck45]

Semantically you are correct. But I think you know what I mean. I have around 8 versions of this on CD but this one , for me, is the one that plants the pictures in my head and the intro is amazing

[JesuswearsAsics]

Amazing interpretation of a wonderful song.

[Lisnageeragh]

Great memories of the 70s....Micheal and others...RIP

[FredJ51]

The just-released CD covering Micheál's complete vocal contribution carries a version of this played by him on what appears to be electrified guitars and it is not a patch on this.

[tbturpentine]

Fav of the day on MOANIN and GROANIN Radio

[boodawn]

The Martin Carty version is done with basic rolling chords and sang as a narrative ballad. This version is sung as a lament with guitar, bazouki and fiddle embellishments. Burkes fiddle playing is beautiful and would add to any tune he chose to play. This version will appeal more to us Irish and any version after the original will, by definition, be an iterpretation. I'm a huge fan of Martin Carty but I'm with frankmck on this one. A beautiful, musician, composer and singer. Micheál is the man

[19bcm56]

when i lived in dublin in 1979 -83 -this was the one for me.

[74bomayemcfc]

love and respect,

[seanieizcool]

@pjotr60dvd No this is from a lovely record called Promenade, by Micheal and Kevin B, and is definitely the difinitive version of this beautiful song.