Brendan Phelan facts for kids

Brendan Phelan, born in 1946, is a talented songwriter from Dublin, Ireland. He is famous for writing many songs, with "Dublin in My Tears" being one of his most well-known. Many popular Irish bands like the Barleycorn, The Fureys, and the Dublin City Ramblers have recorded his songs.

Brendan Phelan: An Irish Songwriter

Early Life and Education

Brendan Phelan was born in Dublin. His father, Michael, was a barber, and his mother, Carmel Kelly, was a tailor. However, Brendan grew up in his grandmother's house in the Dublin suburb of Drimnagh.

He went to school at Ard Scoil Éanna in Crumlin. In 1959, he started spending time in Slough, England, where his father lived. While there, he attended St. Joseph's Catholic High School. For several years, he traveled back and forth between Dublin and Slough.

A Career in Songwriting

Brendan got married in Bristol, England, on St. Valentine's Day in 1966. He settled there and began writing songs around this time. Later, he became involved in politics, joining a group called Clann na hÉireann. In 1975, he returned to Dublin and continued his political work with the Workers' Party. This party works to improve things for people in Ireland.

Famous Songs and Recordings

Many of Brendan's songs have been recorded by different artists. For example, "Seven Sober Nights," "The Equalizer," "Easter Lily," and "Four Sons" were recorded by a band called the Beer Mats. Tim Dennehy recorded "Paddy's Walk to China" on his album A Thimbleful of Song.

One of Brendan's songs, "Cavan Always Follows Me Around," won the Cavan International Song Contest in the early 1990s. This song was sung by Jerry Crilly. The very first song he had recorded was "Paddy On The Screeve" by Na Seanchai in 1979. A famous writer, Dominic Behan, once said Brendan was "Potentially, the finest songwriter Ireland has ever produced."

His Album: Bristol In My Tears

In March 2015, Brendan released his first album called Bristol In My Tears. It was a double album, meaning it had two discs. This album featured songs he had written over five decades, which is 50 years! The music on the album covered many different styles. These included Folk, American Country, Sixties Pop, Traditional Irish style, Blues, and even semi-classical music.

Soon after the album was launched in Dublin, Brendan faced some health challenges. This made it hard for him to promote his new album. He had to cancel or postpone many radio interviews both in Ireland and in places like Bristol and Slough. These towns were important in the stories and lyrics of his songs.

What's Next?

Brendan Phelan is currently busy writing a memoir about his childhood. A memoir is like a true story about a person's life, written by themselves.

Images for kids

• 

  Album launch 6/3/2015