I found Luke Kelly recently, listening to him sing “The Kerry Recruit,” which is an old keen about a Kerryman who gets his leg blown off fighting in the Crimea. It struck a chord with me, having heard some of the same style of singing/chanting in church as a boy on a few occasions. But then I found “Come My Little Son,” and it had an even deeper resonance for me as a father.
I think I ought to let the song speak for itself, but it’s worth noting that one of the comments under the video on YouTube shows I’m not the only one it touched:
Dedicated to my son luke whos being robbed from me in the most cruel way…. i love you luke hayes benn xxxxxxxx
Perhaps in this day of state-sanctioned removal of fathers from their children’s lives, the song is more relevant than ever.
