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Tributes to Eamon Friel
Eamon Friel, who died last week following a short illness, was a cherished member of the music and broadcasting fraternity in his native Derry. In his 60s, Eamon commanded huge respect across all strands of society and for three decades presented Friel’s Fancy on Radio Foyle.
He also presented Songbook with Eamon Friel on BBC Radio Foyle and BBC Radio Ulster. A colleague of his on BBC Radio Foyle said: "Eamon will be remembered among his peers as one of the finest broadcasters and songwriters of his generation."
Eamon, a former history and English teacher, recorded a number of originals albums and also penned a musical comedy, The Music Makers, which was staged at The Playhouse in Derry in 2010.
One of his albums of all originals songs, Stepping Stones, remains a classic. “Four of the songs are about music itself - Showband Man, Elvis, Latin American Music and Rock and Roll’s Been Dead Years. Music, musicians, styles of music tend to create their own mythologies,” he opined in the sleeve notes.
“My two favourite songs on this collection are January Nights and Farewell Mayo. January Nights is about me and Farewell Mayo is about my childhood. Every summer I went down to Mayo in the west of Ireland to spend the holidays with my mother’s people. I was lucky and happy.”
Farewell Mayo is a haunting and evocative song about a young schoolboy from Derry leaving The Troubles for a few weeks in the 1970s and “heading for the place that I love best”. The song concludes with the powerful and emotional line about “the splendour and the silence and the wonder of Mayo. Farewell Mayo”.
Eamon is survived by his wife Caitlín and their son Colum.
Clap Your Hands with Joe
Joe Davitt is keeping it country with his new release, Clap Your Hands. The song was first recorded here in Ireland many years ago by Ian Corrigan from Cavan and was later recorded by Mick Flavin.
The man from Ferns in Wexford has revived the catchy song again as he maintains the strong Davitt family musical tradition. Joe is also doing an amount of work with the Enjoy Travel Company including their overseas promotions in Spain.
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