Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad

by Malachy McCourt

A history of the significance of the popular song "Danny Boy" discusses the origins of the melody, also known as "Londonderry Air," the words as written by Frederick Edward Weatherly, and various interpretations of the song since the early twentieth century. Reprint.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ireland, Irish Literature, Music, Poetry

118 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2001

About the author

Malachy Gerard McCourt was an American-Irish actor, writer and politician. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Limerick, McCourt appeared in several films and soap operas, including The Molly Maguires, Brewster's Millions (1985), and Another World. He also wrote three memoirs, describing his life in Ireland and in the United States. McCourt was the 2006 Green Party candidate for governor of New York, losing to the Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer. He was the younger brother of author Frank McCourt.

Reviews

[Dan Hickey · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Daniel and an Irishman, I feel a deep connection to the song, but there just isn't a lot of information about its genesis. So McCourt uses a lot of filler to draw things out and the book meanders around Irish history for a bit. This subject probably would have been better suited for an article than a book.

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the song Danny Boy and used to enjoy the wonderful performances of Malachy McCourt on several of my favorite soap operas. When I ran across this book at a flea market several years ago, I had to take it home. I really enjoyed it and read it over several times. I loved the information about the song that McCourt supplied but also enjoyed the little tidbits of history he supplied.

Several years later I included the book in a care package I sent to soldiers stationed in Kuwait. I got word from several of them how much they enjoyed the book also. Lately I have been thinking of picking up another copy.

Highly recommend it for anyone who loves the song, Danny Boy.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first and only time I had an opportunity to perform "Danny Boy" was in the basement of a Catholic church for a group of seniors who were celebrating St. Patrick's Day and wanted a touch of Irish in the program. At the exact moment I arrived at the line, "And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me," a thunderous stampede was heard overhead: the school had just released its students for the day.

Which has (or perhaps should have) almost nothing to do with this review, although that hilarious juxtaposition of lyrics and sound kept many eyes from misting up, which they normally would have given the powerful emotions often conjured by a performance of "Danny Boy," something Malachy McCourt, in his lovely little book, mentions repeatedly.

Who wrote the lyrics? Where did the Londonderry Air originate? Alright, it came from Londonderry but from whose pen--or possibly, in this case, from whose pipes or whose fiddle? Who is speaking/singing and what is her/his relationship to "Danny"?

No spoilers here, and McCourt doesn't necessarily provide a concrete answer to all these questions, but he does lay out enough information, both legendary and factual, to make this a very informative read for lovers of the song. McCourt's writing is sometimes humorous, often beautiful, and always informative as can be seen from a summarizing paragraph towards the book's end:

"While 'Danny Boy' will always be touted as an Irish ballad, it was truly the product of many different worlds meshing together. Let it be the tune of a blind, Irish fiddler drifting across the sea, reaching an English barrister who would finally marry words and melody to create a song capable of describing, at least in part, the contents of the human heart. The song depicts the human condition, about the unknown and the black cloud of finality that accompanies it. The message is available to all those who want to hear it. 'Danny Boy' has a profound effect on people from all corners of the world, a trait it shares with the truest of any work of art."

[Akanksha Chattopadhyay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 stars for the book which, though informative, wastes a lot of pages on trivial stuff.
+1 because it's about "Danny Boy".

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a brief history of the tune, lyrics, and cultural effect of the song, "Danny Boy." Such a tale isn't all that long, so the author pads things out with a look at Irish history. Reading this book feels like hanging out with an old Irishman who meanders his way through anecdotes, wry jokes, allusions to recent politics, and flat-out diatribes -- he seems almost as angry at the Catholic diocese of LA which, while still permitting Protestant hymns (to God), banned the (romantic) (pub) (also written by a Protestant Englishman though clearly about Catholics) song at funeral Masses ----as he is at the troops who shot 13 unarmed protesters on Bloody Sunday. It's all good fun and a quick read, but I often wanted him to delve a little deeper into some of the historical details. The story telling aspect is entertaining, though. Any time he quotes someone, he uses a large, all-caps font, I think to look more Celtic. These crazy font choices add to the sensation of being cornered by your granddad, who has got the urge to read you excerpts from wikipedia while throwing in his own commentary.

Sometimes that is just the kind of book you want to read!

[Allen Steele · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was ok, History of the song, Danny Boy. How it was made, and who. I did enjoy the list of different renditions in the appendix.

[Lela Roby]

DNF

[Kathleen Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a light little read by Malachy McCourt, Frank McCourts brother, telling the tale of the origin of the lovely song, "Danny Boy". It tells the story of who wrote the words, where did the tune originate, and who was it written for? By the end of the book I knew about as much as I did when I started the book. We can only guess who it was written for, a mother watching her son leave for war or leaving Ireland for America? The tune, was it a blind musician playing on the streets near Derry when a musician's friend heard the tune and share it with him? Who knows? All I know is I love to hear it well sung!

[Novel Destination · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malachy McCourt tries to parse out the truth between all the legends and lore surrounding the popular ballad "Danny Boy". I confess that I was drawn to the book because it is a signed edition, I liked his previous work, and I have fond memories of a special old dear who won many karaoke contests with his rendition of the song. Finding out the lyrics were likely penned by an English barrister would have probably broke my friend's Irish heart. Much discussion about the possible meaning of the lyrics s covered but I don't think we will ever know for certain...perhaps it does not matter much. The ballad remains powerful for many.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

One hundred pages seems like a lot to basically say: "We know who wrote the lyrics, but not who wrote the tune." However, McCourt's writing style is engaging and the various snippets of Irish history are interesting. The book is accompanied by a list of various recordings of the song and a somewhat random timeline, which includes the claim that the Irish were sent as slaves to the Indes. I wonder if McCourt is aware that this false equivalence of indentured servitude to chattel slavery is used by white supremacists to justify their worldview?

[Clint Putman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is interesting, but most of the information within is more of an overview of the song's influence rather than any real insights. It reads like an extended essay. You can probably find just as much information with a quick web-search.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short book about the history of the ballad Danny Boy. Can distill the book down to one line: Danny Boy was written (the words) by an Englishman, not an Irishman.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

That mine is signed by Malachy himself makes it all the sweeter.

[Denise Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

PBB-SHAWN

[Pam Bierbaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very difficult to follow. Font was distracting and I really didn't learn much.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Amy Bunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Our book group was reading books with Irish themes, and two days before the meeting, I realized that the group leader (me!) hadn't yet read a page. Since this book is less than 100 pages, I thought I could plow through it quickly and still keep up with my various other commitments. I'm a fast reader, and even faster when I'm interested, so I assumed it would take no more than one sitting for me to finish.

Not so! I had to force my eyes to stay on the page, and I soon found there were a million things I'd rather do. It was drudgery, and by the time I'd sat down with it the third time, I started to wonder if I'd ever make it to the end. I persevered, but it was only for the sake of my book club.

Quite frankly, stretching this subject to 100 pages would be a miraculous accomplishment; there's not much to be said about the topic in question. To summarize and hit most of the main points: A) The original melody is of indeterminate origin and probably came out Londonderry County, and B) Many people tried to write lyrics for it, but the most beloved were written by an Englishman named Fred Weatherly, who penned his version in the beginning of the 20th century. (Mr. Weatherly is alternately referred to in this text as "Fred," or "Weatherly, apparently depending on the whims of the author.)

For me, the most odious section was McCourt's attempt to analyze the meaning behind the words. He throws out a bunch of theories, some ridiculously farfetched (A gay lover addressing his boyfriend?), then dismisses them or muses on them. Pretty much everything he shared I'd already established from a basic reading of the verses. "The lines don't ask for a prayer, but for an Ave... [so] all of the participants in this epic... are of the Catholic faith." Really? Well, who'da thunk??

Most of this book is filler, and while there's the occasional interesting gem, most of it is uninteresting filler... even the quotes pulled from other sources. Very disappointing. I know Ireland has better to offer than this!

[Melissa Conner · Rating 3 out of 5]

We’ve all heard it at one time…this beautiful ballad sung in both mourning and celebration. It’s been recorded hundreds of times by hundreds of artists…and chances are, no matter who is singing it, it never fails to raise a lump in the throat of all the listeners.

While “Danny Boy” is known the world over as the ultimate Irish song, the history of this beloved ballad is anything but rooted in Ireland. In his fascinating little volume Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad, Malachy McCourt (brother of Angela’s Ashes and ‘Tis author Frank McCourt) explores the orgins of “Danny Boy”, going back to the lyricist, the possible meaning of the song, and the impact of “Danny Boy” in modern culture.

Written in the wake of September 11th, this book is especially meaningful to those who have lost family or loved ones in the armed forces. There is a beautiful dedication at the end of the book to those who lost their lives when the Twin Towers fell, including a full list of every member of the NYPD, New York Fire Department, and participating squads from New Jersey.

If you’re a fan of “Danny Boy”, I highly suggest reading this little book (it’s only 88 pages). Read the lyrics before the book and then after and see if your opinion or understanding of the song has changed at all. It certainly changed mine.

Read more at: http://thehobbeehive.wordpress.com

[Argum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malachy McCourt is always fun to read, very conversational like a chat on a barstool. I never gave much thought to Danny Boy and where it came from so I certainly never knew it was written by an English lawyer. Throws in interesting look at Derry v Londonderry and being Catholic in Northern Ireland.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative, but nothing I couldn't have gotten from a well-written article, and I could have gone with a less artificially-imposed structure. Just watch this, really: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbuRA...

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love "Danny Boy" so naturally, I was interested in picking this one up. While the book itself was informative and well-meaning, the writing was a bit dull. After a little bit, it was almost difficult to remain fascinated with the story and I honestly grew bored. It was an okay book overall.

[Alaine]

I don't want to rate it because I didn't pay much attention to the description before downloading it. It's possibly a delightful read if you know the song or have an interest in it. I thought it was going to be McCourt storytime. Nope. Not interested.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bad term paper. Too wide margins and space between the lines. Mostly other people's writings compiled here in a terrible amateurish way. Shame on the publisher for capitalizing on the McCourt name.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

A so so book on the origins of the song Danny Boy - meanders a bit, but readable.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book loved how it talks about the legend of the Danny boy song which is an Irish ballad will re read at some point.

[kelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Went from 'meh' to 'why am I reading this?' with the turn of a page.