Dolores Keane the legendary Irish vocalist and folk singer passed away earlier this week at the age of just 72. A founder of traditional group De Dannan, she recorded their debut album and sang with them for two years before turning her thoughts to a solo career. It seemed like a given that she would find success but perhaps even she was not quite prepared for the level of fame she achieved. Early albums such as ‘Broken Hearted I Will Wander,’ were jointly credited to her then husband John Faulkner when they relocated to the UK for a while. A reunion with De Dannan produced ‘Anthem’ and ‘Ballroom’ before further solo ventures beckoned.
It was ‘A Lion In A Cage’ that gave her a number one in the Irish charts when released as a single in 1989, written about Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, from the record of the same name. She sang the song later at a party to celebrate his freedom. Around this time she also began a theatre career playing as part of Brendan Behan’s ‘The Hostage’ in Dublin. Later recorded works which increased her profile even more were participation in ‘A Woman’s Heart’ a series of albums which spotlighted the gifted female vocalists of Ireland and how their music was breaking the boundaries normally associated with Irish music. She gained yet further exposure with ‘Bringing It All Back Home’ a TV production looking at how Irish music had flourished with the daispora in the United States, again shed loads of albums were sold on both sides of the pond which gave Dolores a firm fan base in the US, the UK, Europe and of course Ireland.
‘Night Owl’ was her final traditional recording, again she toured with her former De Dannan friends before she took to a quieter life, admitting to battles with alcohol and cancer. She possessed a soulful voice, a fact noted by Nanci Griffith who also called her vocal “sacred.” In 2022 she was honoured with a Life Time Achievement presentation at the Irish Traditional Music Awards. A fitting tribute and reward for a lady who achieved so much and was seen as a reflection of her home and crusader for its ever evolving music.
Her music stands as testament to her achievements.
