Pictured at the presentation of proceeds from the launch of ‘My Hometown Borrisokane’ at The Green Bar to North Tipperary Hospice Movement are Seán Egan, Paddy Heffernan (hospice), Christina Starr (hospice), Mick Tunney, Melissa Slevin (The Green Bar), Brendan Carroll and Pat Nevin.

‘My Hometown Borrisokane’

YouTube ode fetches widespread appeal

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A music video of reminisces about growing up in Borrisokane has fetched widespread appeal since its recent release on YouTube.

‘My Hometown Borrisokane’ is a song based on a poem written a few years ago by local man Brendan Carroll. Well known for his love of songwriting, Brendan composed the lyrics at a time when he was reflecting on how much the town has changed over the years from when he was growing up in the 1950s and ‘60s.

He started writing down the things he remembered from those days, and then decided to compile them all into a poem for his granddaughter. The poem - which was published in the Nenagh Guardian - referenced the shops, pubs and characters that have disappeared over the years and those that remain.

42 SHOPS AND 14 PUBS

There were 42 shops and 14 pubs in Borrisokane when Brendan was growing up. Many of them are mentioned in the hometown ode, along with the likes of the creamery, ball alley, dances in Brereton's hall and “the convent down the lane”.

There are some great stories interwoven in the lines, some of which will mean more to some locals than others, such as the reference to Leonard Cohen singing in Doorley's pub. Many will be familiar Brendan's memories of meat hanging on hooks in Corcoran's butcher shop, or the smell of fresh bread emanating from Quigley's bakery.

The idea of bringing ‘My Hometown Borrisokane’ to visual life was conceived this year after Brendan sang his poem for the first time at The Green Bar on the occasion of Michael Doorley's birthday. It went down a storm with the local crowd, among them Pat Nevin, who was inspired to record the song and put a video to it.

Pat began filming scenes of the town with his drone and adding photographs to complement Brendan's lyrics. The imagery takes in all aspects of the town and its surrounding countryside. Borrisokane Community College, the playing fields, workhouse graveyard and town park feature in addition to the filmed street footage.

TEAM EFFORT

Also interspersed in the film footage are stills of people and places of old, supplied by local historian Eamon Slevin. Eamon - who is presently working on a history of pubs in Borrisokane and its hinterland - provided some true treasures to include in Pat's video.

Brendan enlisted the help of his good friend in music, the very talented Mick Tunney, in adding instrumentation to the song. Mick took music from a song he had previously written - ‘Searching the Winds of Home’ - and the lads recorded ‘Hometown’ in an “ad hoc” studio of sorts in Brendan's daughter's house.

The result was a beautiful tribute to Borrisokane, one that evokes a great sense of pride in the town. The lads decided to formally launch the song and video in The Green Bar - on a thoroughly enjoyable night that raised over €400 for North Tipp Hospice - ahead of its YouTube release in September.

Feedback since then has been very positive with some comments of glowing praise left by those who have watched the video. It has attracted more than 3,000 views and has struck a particular chord with Borrisokane people living abroad, many of whom were taken with the changes in their town over the years, all of whom can identify with the reminisces penned by Brendan.

VIEW THE VIDEO

If you haven't seen it yet, you can do so now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqCoLwhkuHk

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