“SONGS OF HOME AND MEMORIES” is available in all good record stores throughout the country through RMG/Chart

I have been a fan of the comedy series DAD’S ARMY for years and in November 2012 Clive Dunn who played the part of Corporal Jones in the series died. On radio they played a record he made in 1970 called GRANDAD and when I heard it that day, I decided to record that song with my own grandchildren. I got a copy of the record and during Christmas holidays 2012 we practiced the song and in January 2013 we all stood around the microphone in Denis Allen’s studio and recorded GRANDAD which was a very happy occasion for us all. I have nine grandchildren and in January 2013 they ranged in age from sixteen to fourteen months so, eight of them feature on the recording and Genevieve, the baby , hadn’t quite got the hang of singing so we left her in the capable hands of her mammy, Cynthia. On the recording of Grandad we have a 50/50 split of four girls and four boys. The girls are Emma Drennan, Laura Drennan, Alice McKeon and Anna Drennan and on the boys side we have Ben McKeon, Jack McKeon, Tom McKeon and Sean Drennan. Here’s hoping that between us all we have created some good memories for the future.
Also on this CD are some original songs written by Denis Allen which we recorded in 1973 when we were in the band business together and I took this opportunity, with modern technology, to take them from vinyl and have them heard again. Included is BEAUTIFUL PEACE which was very successful for us during Christmas 1973. Other originals from that time are YOU’RE GROWING UP, MELINDA, LOVE OF MY LIFE, GOODBYE IS A SUMMER SONG and DECEMBER SONG. Another original song on this CD was written only recently by Denis Carey and Linda Allen – daughter of Denis Allen. Denis Carey a talented composer and musician played all the piano parts when needed and I hope we captured the simplicity of their beautiful love song THROUGH IT ALL I HAD YOU.

During the making of this CD, Denis Allen discovered two backing tracks in his files of a time I was a guest on two television shows. One was the Bibi Baskin Show in the late 1980s in which I sang I’LL BE HOME SHANNON RIVER and the other was the wedding fair which was on Live at Three with Derek Davis and Thelma Mansfield in which I sang HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG. We put a new vocal to these and included them in the CD.
The making of this CD developed during the Limerick Year of Culture 2014 which has been a great success and wanting to make some small contribution, I recorded some popular songs of Limerick, the most popular of all being LIMERICK YOU’RE A LADY, written by Denis Allen. We also recorded THERE IS AN ISLE the popular anthem of the island parish of St. Mary’s, and finally a song of an emigrant wishing he were home …WHERE THE SHANNON RIVER MEETS THE SEA.
I hope you enjoy this selection of
Kindest regards,
Songs of Home and Memories
Tommy Drennan