The auld triangle

Today’s post for National Poetry Month got me thinking about the Behan boys again.

I mentioned before that Dominic has written songs, including the widely-known “Patriot Game”. But thinking about that college paper I wrote on Brendan (and Dylan Thomas) reminded me of his play, The Quare Fellow, set in Dublin’s Montjoy Prison. It’s not a completely uplifting work, but Behan certainly knew prisons, having served time in a British borstal for his IRA activities.

The thing I really recall from the play is the song “The Auld Triangle”, which Dominic wrote; I’m sure that the first version I heard of it was by the Clancy Brothers.

It had been a long time since I’d heard it by the time I got to Dublin, but when I found myself walking beside the Royal Canal, I went ahead and sang what I remembered of it anyhow. It’s not meant for a solo soprano voice, but what the hell; it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Here’s a version that’s spot on. I love the harmonies hit on the words, “Royal Canal”.