Liam Weldon facts for kids

Liam Weldon (born October 15, 1933 – died November 28, 1995) was a talented Irish singer and songwriter. He was known for his unique folk songs. His music often shared stories about people's lives and important social issues in Ireland.

Liam Weldon's Life and Music

Liam Weldon was born in Dublin, Ireland. Like many families in the city, his family moved from central Dublin to Ballyfermot. This was a new suburb on the edge of the city.

Liam was always very interested in the songs of the Irish Travellers. These are a group of people with a nomadic way of life. His own songs often talked about important topics like poverty and unfairness. His special singing style had parts of other music types. However, his strong messages in his lyrics were always clear.

When Liam was 16, he worked in England for six years. This experience helped him understand more about social issues. Even so, his songs often had deep and sensitive words. He first sang at the Central Bar in Dublin. Later, he and his wife, Nellie, organized music events and clubs throughout the 1970s.

In Dublin, Liam started the Pavees Club. He also organized music gatherings, known as sessions, in places like the Tailor's Hall. In the early 1970s, Weldon sang and played the bodhrán (a type of drum) in a group called "1691". This group was named after the year the Treaty of Limerick was signed. Other members of the group included famous musicians like Tommy Peoples and Matt Molloy. Matt Molloy later helped form the well-known band, The Bothy Band.

Liam is especially famous for his songs "Dark Horse on the Wind" and "The Blue Tar Road". "Blue Tar Road" criticized the Dublin Corporation (the city council at the time). It was about how they moved Traveller families from Cherry Orchard in County Dublin.

"Dark Horse on the Wind" was written in 1966. This was 50 years after the 1916 Rising, an important event in Irish history. The song expressed sadness for the dreams of the 1916 Volunteers that were not achieved. It also strongly criticized society in Ireland after it became independent. The song also seemed to warn about future political problems across the island.

Documentary Film About Liam Weldon

In the summer of 2019, a film producer named Lorraine Kennedy started making a documentary film about Liam Weldon. She asked musician and filmmaker Myles O'Reilly (Musician) to direct the project.

The film, called Dark Horse on the Wind, tells the story of Liam Weldon's life and songs. It was finished in January 2022. The film first showed on March 5, 2022, at the Dublin International Film Festival.

Liam Weldon's Music Albums

• Sixteen Ninety-One — Irish Folk Songs, 1973 (Arfolk, France)
• Dark Horse On The Wind, 1976 (Mulligan, Ireland) (re-released on CD in 1999)
• Elixir - Liam Weldon, Seán Howley, Brian O’Donoghue, David Hopkins and Pol Huellou (Goasco, 1984). Liam Weldon sings two songs on this album.
• Liam Weldon with Pol Huellou (cassette only, Goasco, 1990)
• The album Sixteen Ninety-One Irish Folk Songs was re-released on CD in the 1990s. It was called A Way For Ireland - Irish Traditional Pub Music. This CD also included another album from 1973 by the Castle Ceili Band.

See also

• Traditional Irish Singers