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Red Sails in the Sunset, Ireland - the Lyrics of Jimmy Kennedy
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Red Sails in the Sunset, the famous song penned by Irishman Jimmy Kennedy in 1935 has been recorded by dozens of artists in its 89-year history including Bing Crosby, Vera Lynn, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Earl Grant, Fats Domino, Connie Francis, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Frank Patterson, Engelbert Humperdinck and most recently by Van Morrison.
That's an impressive list of musicians, and to top it off even The Beatles covered Red Sails in the Sunset.
Kennedy came from County Tyrone but lived for some time in Portstewart, County Derry and there he is said to have watched a ship with red sails called Kitty of Coleraine, itself named after an old song by Edward Lysaght, composed in the 18th century. There was also a steamship with the same name that made journeys from Coleraine upstream on the River Bann to Toome on the edge of Lough Neagh but this was not a vessel with sails. Interestingly, Bing Crosby also performed Kitty of Coleraine on film in 1949's Top O' the Morning.
The lyrics go:
Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh, carry my loved one home safely to me
He sailed at the dawning, all day I've been blue
Red sails in the sunset, I'm trusting in you
Swift wings you must borrow, make straight for the shore
We marry tomorrow and he goes sailing no more
Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh, carry my loved one home safely to me
Swift wings you must borrow, make straight for the shore
We marry tomorrow and he goes sailing no more
Red sails in the sunset way out on the sea
Oh, carry my loved one home safely to me
But Kennedy didn't just write this one well-known song, he also penned The Isle of Capri covered by Gracie Fields, Frank Sinatra, Frankie Laine, Fats Domino and Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney; South of the Border first recorded by Gene Autry and later covered by Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Patsy Cline, Mel Tormé, The Shadows, Dean Martin, Fats Domino, Herb Alpert, Bing Crosby (lol), Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson and Chris Isaak; Istanbul (Not Constantinople) covered by Frankie Vaughan, Bing Crosby (as if you had to ask), Bette Midler and perhaps most famously by They Might Be Giants; Teddy Bears' Picnic covered by, you guessed it, Bing Crosby again and so many others; and that Hokey Cokey (widely disputed), please don't!
Of course there are many that I haven't mentioned, including Harbour Lights, first recorded by Frances Langford and later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Engelbert Humperdinck, Willie Nelson and Vera Lynn. What, no Bing Crosby for this one? Of course, Bing Crosby recorded Harbour Lights in 1950 reaching #10 on Billboard.
Jimmy Kennedy certainly has an impressive catalogue. Here, in this post are some images inspired by his songs.
There are some red sails from Ireland and Scotland, the Isle of Capri and lovely Harbour Lights from County Down.
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Cloud Fills the Valley, Photographing Landscapes in the West of Ireland
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Morning sunlight somewhere behind the clouds in the west of Ireland. Before the heat of the day, low cloud and fog sit in the valley in front of the heather-clad mountains.
Photography in Ireland is always a mystery, the weather forecast may say good weather or bad weather but the day, and a journey through the countryside, often reveals a difference.
I'm rarely disappointed though.
Here, on a photography workshop in the west, JK from Virginia in the USA wanted to spend time photographing typical (but not boring) Irish scenes so we headed for somewhere that I knew would have good visuals like this for the first location.
Thick cloud blanketed the rest of the landscape but here we had a view beyond, to the mountains and, in the foreground, sheep dotting the hillside.
A good start to the day despite a negative weather forecast.
From here we headed on to photograph coastal scenes as the low cloud lifted from the western countryside.
Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph - improve your photography, in the west of Ireland, in Dublin or somewhere else in the Irish countryside throughout 2024 and 2025.
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Blue Hour Over the Atlantic, Ireland
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
A bright sunset behind deep cloud over the Atlantic fades to blue as night sets in on Ireland's west coast, the Wild Atlantic Way.
And it was a wild night on the Atlantic with the wind blowing, clouds forming and the cold spread of night after a long day of photography of Ireland's wild landscapes.
This was not a disappointing scene, rather one of joy and delight as the texture and colour of the Irish sky at blue hour made for fine scenes to finish a day of photography.
Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way with a Panoramic Ireland Photography Workshop / Tour in 2024 or 2025.
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Sophie Ellis-Bextor at Electric Picnic 2024
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
There was Murder on the Dancefloor as English pop sensation Sophie Ellis-Bextor took to the main stage at Electric Picnic 2024 for her picnic debut in Stradbally.
And what a way to get the Electric Picnic party started, Ellis-Bextor rarely stood still during her energetic performance dressed in silver sequins and tassels.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor heads to North America for a tour in the USA and Canada in early September.
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor at Electric Picnic 2024
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- Sophie Ellis-Bextor at Electric Picnic 2024
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Noah Kahan at EP24 Electric Picnic 2024
Written by Darren McLoughlin
Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.
Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic
Cancer survivor.
Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.
Electric Picnic moved to a mid-August slot in 2024, away from it's usual early September placement. Friday saw American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan take to the Main Stage to headline the opening night.
The Grammy-nominated artist performed to a rapturous crowd in Ireland's County Laois, so much so that he took a pit walk at the start of his set.
A set that included Dial Drunk, New Perspective, Northern Attitude and finishing with Stick Season.
Kahan is continuing to tour with upcoming concerts in Berlin on August 27th before heading back to the USA and Canada.
- Noah Kahan at EP24 Electric Picnic 2024
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- Noah Kahan at EP24 Electric Picnic 2024
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