R.I.P.s

[Fr. McGreer]

It's nearly over now, and now i'm easy......

RIP

[Eckhard]

Sad, sad news.

[IrishRover]

my Goid, oi've just doiscoivered
sad news, Ronnie always looiked loike hes goinna be woith us foirever
RIP Ronnie Drew, gloiry to ye, yer musoic woill loive oin centuroies to coime!

[johnfoyle]

Coming home from a party last night through semi-flooded Dublin streets the taxi driver went on about how it had been a dark day for Dublin. The floods, Tyrone beating Dublin in the Gaelic Football semi-final and Ronnie Drew dying.

In yet another case of not availing of something 'cos it's so easy to get, I never saw Ronnie in concert with The Dubliners. He was, of course, a constant presence , the way certain characters who are so popular will be. I kind of know his son Phelim (a actor), through his being an occasional customer of my newsagents shop. He'll greet me on the street, though I'll not presume to think he knows exactly who I am. It's a courtesy that, accounts suggest, he shared with his father.

I did see Ronnie is one his last appearances. Last Dec. the Irish Film Institute had a one-off screening of a 1960's short film featuring The Dubliners ( details below). After it Brendan Gleeson ( In Bruges etc) did a q.and a. with three surviving original members, Ronnie, Barney McKenna and John Sheehan. Ronnie arrived into the cinema ( hat , scarf, coat - perhaps his medical treatment meant he had to stay wrapped up) just before the screening. The others were in reserved, elevated, seating at the back. He said 'I'm not climbing steps' and was put in a aisle seat, about two rows in front of me.

After the film he joined the others at a table in front and ably and humorously engaged in the discussion. Everyone laughed when someone commented that he never thought he'd see the day when all that would on a table in front of the Dubliners would be bottles of mineral water. The ending was the highlight. A question reminded them all of a song and the three of them spontaneously - it just could not have been rehearsed - sang a verse or two. So unexpected was the rendition and so perfect the unison of the voices that there was a moment of silence at the end before loud, long applause.

http://www.loopline.com/htm/08_odonoghues_opera.htm

http://www.ifi.ie/cinema/dispfilm_07.as ... &PageID=15

[Behan]

Ronnie Drew will truly be missed!!!

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0816/drewr_av.html

[bfg]

I didn't see a thread for this but just saw on the Medusa homepage that Ronnie Drew passed away on Saturday....What a loss...I loved the Dubliner's for a long time but unfortunately never got to see them while Ronnie was still with the band. I did get to see him once though, when he came out to do the Irish Rover in Dublin with the Pogues in 2001 and it remains a treasured memory.

What a voice, what a legend...you will be missed.

[Jon]

I've been without the internet for a couple of days so I've just picked up on Ronnie Drew and chalk up Johnny Moore from the Skatalites dying at 70, both from cancer, what a pisser!

[pogues24]

Another one of the greats has fallen. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones, you will be missed Ronnie Drew. "May the road rise"

Iain

[MacRua]

Remembering the ultimate Dubliner

[kgrunt]

Coming home from a party last night through semi-flooded Dublin streets the taxi driver went on about how it had been a dark day for Dublin. The floods, Tyrone beating Dublin in the Gaelic Football semi-final and Ronnie Drew dying.

In yet another case of not availing of something 'cos it's so easy to get, I never saw Ronnie in concert with The Dubliners. He was, of course, a constant presence , the way certain characters who are so popular will be. I kind of know his son Phelim (a actor), through his being an occasional customer of my newsagents shop. He'll greet me on the street, though I'll not presume to think he knows exactly who I am. It's a courtesy that, accounts suggest, he shared with his father.

I did see Ronnie is one his last appearances. Last Dec. the Irish Film Institute had a one-off screening of a 1960's short film featuring The Dubliners ( details below). After it Brendan Gleeson ( In Bruges etc) did a q.and a. with three surviving original members, Ronnie, Barney McKenna and John Sheehan. Ronnie arrived into the cinema ( hat , scarf, coat - perhaps his medical treatment meant he had to stay wrapped up) just before the screening. The others were in reserved, elevated, seating at the back. He said 'I'm not climbing steps' and was put in a aisle seat, about two rows in front of me.

After the film he joined the others at a table in front and ably and humorously engaged in the discussion. Everyone laughed when someone commented that he never thought he'd see the day when all that would on a table in front of the Dubliners would be bottles of mineral water. The ending was the highlight. A question reminded them all of a song and the three of them spontaneously - it just could not have been rehearsed - sang a verse or two. So unexpected was the rendition and so perfect the unison of the voices that there was a moment of silence at the end before loud, long applause.

http://www.loopline.com/htm/08_odonoghues_opera.htm

http://www.ifi.ie/cinema/dispfilm_07.as ... &PageID=15

Thank you for very nice post. A voice like his will live forever in our hearts and our music collections. I thank the Pogues for the wonderful songs with Mr. Drew; otherwise I probably would never have heard him sing. Deepest condolences to his family, collaborators and the people of Ireland, who on that day lost a national treasure…cancer is robbing us all blind.

[Mark_Wafc]

http://www.herald.ie/photo-galleries/fr ... html?ino=1

[dublinrambler]

thats a good collection of pics. Very sad event obviously. Good to see Shane and Joey there....and even Michael D. Higgins.

[CraigBatty]

RIP Ronnie.

I can't believe I just found this out. I am so sad. Words fail me.

[EricV]

RIP Ronnie.

I can't believe I just found this out. I am so sad. Words fail me.

I just read this myself. I loved the man's voice.

EV

[Mike from Boston]

A tribute that was in the Boston Herald, includes the a YouTube link of the Ballad of Ronnie Drew.

http://bostonherald.com/entertainment/m ... id=1113898