By Ray Lenarcic
The other day, while finishing my speech for the commemoration of longtime Herkimer County Legislator John Brezinski’s glorious tribute to working military dogs and their handlers (October 14th at 2 PM at the thruway entrance in Herkimer), it dawned on me to finish with a song often performed at ceremonies like these. Danny Boy-the classic written in 1910 by English lawyer Fred Weatherly and set to the traditional Irish melody of Londonderry Air in 1913. Question was-whose rendition? Only one answer as far as I was concerned. John McDermott.
You’re probably wondering who? Once you hear him sing, you’ll never ask that question again. The Scottish-born tenor with Irish roots whose family relocated to Canada has become the foremost crooner of Celtic music (e.g. Rose of Tralee; Loch Lomond ). A graduate of St. Michael’s Choir School, he formed the Irish Tenors, later leaving to tour solo throughout the world. The Tenors are still performing (do a great rendition of Danny Boy as well). If you’ve ever attended a Toronto Maple Leaf game, you undoubtedly heard him singing the Canadian national anthem. What I really love about him is that he wasn’t afraid to stir the pot. The ballad that most effected me was Willie McBride (aka Greenfields of France). As an aside, this moving condemnation of war was performed locally by the Irish Balladeer Vince Colgan at several of our charity concerts.
As the song portrays, McBride was a 19-year-old soldier killed in 1916 in the “war to end all wars.” The final stanza of this classic says it all.
Now Willie McBride I can’t help wonder why
Do those who lie here do they know why they died
Did they really believe when they answered the call
Did they really believe that this war would end wars
Forever this song of suffering and shame
The killing the dying was all done in vain
For young Willie McBride it’s all happened again (WWII)
And again (Korea) and again (Vietnam) and again (Iraq-Afghanistan) and again
I added the wars in parentheses. In this vein, check out his versions of Waltzing Matilda and Dreamers.
Take a few minutes, and on your Alexa or computer, bring up Daughter of Mine, One Small Star, and My Old Man. Daughter ought to be performed at every wedding reception while the proud dad is dancing with his daughter. Guarantee when it finishes, there won’t be a dry eye in the house. One Small Star provides someone who has lost a loved one with soothing, assuring words of comfort. My Old Man reminds listeners of the love our fathers held for us. There are so many other McDermott numbers that have a message conveyed in a manner not soon forgotten.
John’s altruism also rings a loud bell with me. He’s often spoken about the importance of remembering our veterans, and like John Brezinsky, he translated those words into action. In 2000, he dedicated McDermott House in Washington, D.C. It’s a transitional home for homeless vets. He also recorded Bringing Buddy Home to raise money for Fisher House Boston and to launch an initiative for an outreach center for Canadian veterans.
I know for me, music affords an opportunity to temporarily escape this world with its political divisiveness, escalating violence, and the destructiveness of a wrathful Mother Nature. As long as ole “McD” (a.68) is still crooning to the delight of anyone in love with his brogue and renditions of Celtic classics, I have something to look forward to on the morrow. Erin Go Braugh!