Mick Brown Folksinger

I can’t stop writing songs, I suppose it’s a good complaint and I always did like a fresh challenge. I met Evelyn, a nun who started writing in her 80’s at a Spiritual talk recently and she told me that she had a book launch coming up. I asked her what the name of her new book, and she said: ‘Like the River Flows’. Instantly I said, I’ll write a song for you as I loved the title. She scuttled off and came back with the book, I brought it home, that night I had a song written. A couple of days later I had another song written, all inspired by her book. My words go as follows;

“Swift – the river flows, gushing down the mountain, Through the rushy glen, where the blackbird sings Amen. Dancing with delight, an orchestra of light, nourishing the land where the hare and pheasant stand. Flow river flow gently she goes back into the ocean of love, Flow river flow, gently we go back into the ocean of love.”

So we have met since, and she read from the book and I sang the songs and she is happy that the songs are complementing her text. She is launching her book in Ballinasloe Library on 30th Nov 2019 and in Croí Nua, Galway city on 7th Dec 2019. Looking forward to it, that’s what I love about songwriting, it always leads me down unusual and wondrous paths where I meet some really interesting people.

This year 2019 will be the 11th year that I’ve been involved in organising a Christmas Busk to support local charity COPE Galway in their work with the homeless in Galway. Every Year, come hail, rain or shine, we have a large group of musicians who busk on Shop St Galway. It is always a great atmosphere and a very heart filled occasion and the generosity of the people of Galway always lifts my heart with the real meaning of Christmas. This year the annual Christmas Busk for the Homeless will take place on Shop St on Wed 4th Dec 2019 2pm to 6pm, as always, if you sing, dance, play an instrument, shake a bucket, tell jokes you will add to the occasion, all welcome.

Song – Hope is the Answer

Looking for Musicians, Singers, Dancers Bucket Shakers for our annual Christmas Busk for COPE Galway Homeless Resettlement & Tenancy Sustainment Service

This is a song I wrote about homelessness in Ireland. It is performed at a fundraiser for Cope Galway Homeless Resettlement team on Shop Street, Galway on 6th December 2017. We raised over 900 euros for Cope Galway and the great work that they do on the day. Thanks to all the Galway musicians/buskers who turn up every year for this annual event and especially this year where it rained so heavily – non stop in a Galway fashion. We had every instrument guitar, banjo, tin whistle, flute, pipes, bodhran, accordian, dancers and singers all for a great cause, well done everyone

I dedicate this song to my beautiful sister Gemma who died 7 days before Christmas 4 years ago, and to her wonderful daughter Orla and to all, family and her many many friends who loved Gemma so dearly. There is a tradition in Ireland that when a robin visits it is a sign that their relatives are still around and in the spiritual community. I had one such visit from a Robin in a time of difficulty, which inspired this song as did the annual Children’s carol service which Gemma started and is still held in Gemma’s name every year in Ballymore Eustace, county Kildare. Thanks to all who keep this wonderful carol singing tradition alive. Ar dheis Dé go raibh anam dilis, Contae chill mhantáin abú.