1. What year did you write the Fields of Athenry?
2. Where in Ireland is Athenry ?
3. Isn’t the song a traditional song and re- written by you?
4. What is the Mero?

Answers!

1. I wrote the Fields of Athenry in the middle 1970’s and it was finally recorded and released in 1979 by Danny Doyle and became a top 10 hit and the rest is history !

2. The Athenry in question is Athenry in Galway and if you do happen to get the chance to visit, you will notice the ‘Low lying fields’ as you approach this beautiful town.

Do visit the Cultural centre and say Pete sent you !

3. No, the song is not a traditional song even though it is written in that traditional style it is a modern composition by myself, both lyrics and music.

4. The Mero was an old cinema at Mary street in downtown Dublin in the 1940’s – 1950’s. The characters like Jonny 40 coats and Bang Bang were street people of that era, a more gentle and simple time. And while we queued up in the street for the cheap afternoon seats (called Woodeners), we would jokingly jeer and taunt ‘The Characters’ who happened to pass by. Many of the people in the song are now gone and forgotten but not by me ! They were a vital part of my childhood in the ‘Rare Oul Times in Dublin’ !! The song is a little social diary of the times but even today the memories of ‘The Mero’ days are still with me big time. Thanks to everyone who was interested enough to ask about the song.

Dia ghuit !
Pete

Writing a song to commemorate a great Dublin writer like Brendan Behan is no easy task, even if it is a labour of love. My good friend and award winning sculptor John Coll did an excellent depiction of Brendan, to be set in pride of place by his much loved Royal Canal, that was the standard I was up against. When my song was written and tested on some Dublin audiences (with thumbs up approval) the next chore was to find some singers to sing it in live performance on the day of commemoration in Dublin’s northside environs. My luck held and more friends, namely The Celtic Tenors, did the honours. What great voices in harmony! Singing to a huge crowd, including members of Brendan Behans family and friends, Taoiseach Bertie Aherne and Dublin City manager John Fitzgerald and many VIP’s on a beautiful sunny day, The Celtic Tenors did my song proud. A great day was had by all and made Brendan’s memory be forever on song.

Brendan Behan Remembered © 2004 Saint Music

In the Dublin of the Living
His name will never die
Twas the Fickle Jar, eclipsed his star
And fools will ask you why
Dublin was his city
He was Dublin born and bred
That’s why they christened him Brendan Behan
With a Green Flag O’er his head

Pete St. John (Saint Music)

Click here for photos

Well you will remember that I wrote a book entitled “The Beggar at the Window” and launched it in the USA. It is currently available through Waltons Music in Dublin and New York. This is what we call a ‘slow burner’ and people are beginning to realise what it’s all about, particularly due to the fact that The Northern Ireland political situation still is an unsolved dilemma. The book is about the Ireland of today with its recent past pushing it to an uncertain future. The truth is the stories of  ‘The Troubles’ we’ve had around for the last 30 years in our little green island. Maybe its veracity is a kind of reality check?

Pete on the centenniary year of Joyce’s epic masterpiece “Ulysses” presents an everyman’s tribute to this great icon of  Irish literature.  Just a simple, easy to follow guide to Joyce’s times in his hometown of Dublin.  Pete St. John’s mythical anti-hero, Dubliner Gargler Keogh tells you in his purest Dublinese, what every visitor to our Capital City should know when tracing the Bloomsday phenomenon.  Little insights, gossipy hearsays and street guide storylines make the Pete St. John offering a true collectors piece for any James Joyce fam or new afficionados.

The new CD is now in the shops in Ireland or order by mail from this website.

We launched the James Joyce lives on CD at the Publicity Club of Ireland Annual lunch in the Martello Tower on Bloomsday 16th June. A wonderful Joycean day was had by all.

Pete on the centenniary year of Joyce’s epic masterpiece “Ulysses” presents an everyman’s tribute to this great icon of  Irish literature.  Just a simple, easy to follow guide to Joyce’s times in his hometown of Dublin.  Pete St. John’s mythical anti-hero, Dubliner Gargler Keogh tells you in his purest Dublinese, what every visitor to our Capital City should know when tracing the Bloomsday phenomenon.  Little insights, gossipy hearsays and street guide storylines make the Pete St. John offering a true collectors piece for any James Joyce fam or new afficionados.

The new CD is now in the shops in Ireland or order by mail from this website.

We launched the James Joyce lives on CD at the Publicity Club of Ireland Annual lunch in the Martello Tower on Bloomsday 16th June. A wonderful Joycean day was had by all.

Read this and have a laugh on me! This is what we Irish call a good one! Gibneys is a truly legendary pub in the beautiful seaside village of Malahide on Dublin’s northern shoreline. Celebrated for its food, drink and live music entertainment, and only 8 miles from Dublin city centre, it is hugely popular. The bonus is that they sing a lot of my songs and have honoured me by displaying framed Pete St. John memorabilia on the walls of their ultra modern Hall of Fame. A big honour for me, so in return, I wrote a Gibneys drinking song! This was to launch their new exclusive members only G3 club. The song received a rousing reception where the big boss Tony Gibney declared me the official Writer in Residence! The bottom line is that I am now a Gibney Guy surrounded by lovely Gibney Girls at the G3 club- membership is free but you must be vetted by the boss! So please learn the song and keep me happy!

From Lorraine O’Reilly, singer and songwriter: It was an honour and privilege for me to accept the IMRO “Contribution to Songwriting Award” on behalf of Pete at this Gala night which highlighted the plethora of Irish talent this country has. The audience was entertained throughout the evening with live performances from the Chieftans, Dolores Keane, Eleanor McEvoy, Mary Coughlan, The Kilfenora Ceili Band, Karan Casey, Mairead Nesbitt, Kate Rusby and Teada together with Niall Toner and his great country blues band. The evening was rounded off with the Dubliners and Paddy Reilly paying tribute to Pete by singing “The Fields of Athenry.” see below;

I thought you might like to read a quote from this eloquent piece written by Sean Laffey, Editor of Irish Music Magazine:

“The awards are our chance to thank those musicians who have brightened our lives over the past year and for some, to honour them for a long lasting and changing impression on our culture. Pete St. John’s the “Fields of Athenry” has become an anthem for the masses (after being brilliantly interpreted by Paddy Reilly) in much the same way as the Corrie’s “Flower of Scotland” is now almost the unofficial National anthem of the Scots. Remember these were written when pop music was at its most pervasive, yet the folk quality of the songs has triumphed over the ephemeral fashions of ‘Golden Oldies’. The power that folk song has goes beyond the merely popular, because not only does it take stock of the real human condition, it can by various ciphers write its own shorthand for a culture. The value of songs like the “Fields of Athenry” is truly priceless, with accessible memorable melodies and words that mean something they connect to a body of ballads that are waiting to be discovered.”

I beat upon the anvil of my mind
Making ringing sounds no other hears
Relieving pent-up pressures of the day
So they won’t make my night all dreaming fears.
To take me painlessly outside myself
I ride the magic carpet on my desk
That silver blue escape hatch to a world
Of make believe where nothing is at risk.
Where everything is secret and a mask
In chat rooms, total strangers act like friends
Sharing all the tales of lonely hearts
That surf and seek a haven of Amens.
But I know there’s a spider in the web
Of pixels, dots and dashes darkly hid
Watching for me like I was a fly
Who will submit, no matter what I did.
I see the spiders’ face and smile hello
But I know there’s a mouse to set me free!
Before escaping, suddenly I see
The stupid spider looks a lot like me !

Pete St. John in silly mode!

The Helix theatre centre on the campus of DCU is a state of the art complex and the pride of the citizens of Dublin’s Northside. Putting together a Pete St. John concert in the main theatre (there are 3 theatres) was an exciting project for all concerned. All my usual team of artists joined me and it was like a revamp of the Broadway USA show. Lorraine suggested that we add a Gospel choir to the mix and low and behold she found the Enniskerry Gospel choir in great voice. This added a new dimension to the whole production wherein we presented a short program of songs set in Northern Ireland to great effect. Everything went superbly with a Full house, Standing ovation and now, more great memories. If you are a local Dublin resident or a visitor to our fair city, it is worth visiting the Helix theatre which is winning a huge following with a varied and exciting string of professional productions.

Another April Fools Day !

For over twenty years I have been Writing and Preaching on gigs about the dangers of CO2 emissions by humans on our planet. And at times boring people to death with news on Environmental issues that they did not want to hear about! Now I have the world wide web to use for another effort ( in my own small way) to create awareness of our earth in a fever. YES! A fever ! all hot and bothered !!!! there’s an old Irish saying ‘ that you might as well sing grief as cry it ‘ and maybe that’s true! So now I ask you to take a few minutes to listen to an mp3 of my song ’Waltzing on borrowed Time’© sung by Lorraine O’Reilly.

CHORUS:
We go Waltzing, waltzing, waltzing on borrowed time,
When will we learn to show concern
For our world on borrowed time.

‘Waltzing on borrowed Time‘© sung by Lorraine O’Reilly.