Damien Dempsey

[downredblack]

Anyone hear To Hell or Barbados yet ? I have only heard it through  once and I'm hoping it is a grower  . The single is pure class and Dempsey at his best . Any thoughts on it ?

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Is it to do with the Famine???

[downredblack]

Cant really comment on the lyrical content only hearing her the once , but I pulled this review of the net .


Damien Dempsey returns with his 4th studio album, and arguably his most accomplished recording yet. The titles comes from a book by Sean O'Callaghan -'To Hell or Barbados: The Ethnic Cleansing of Ireland', which tells of 50,000 Irish men, women and children sent to Barbados as slaves during Oliver Cromwell's conquest in Ireland.

[Hollow Man]

Talentless in my opinion, sings like he is retarded

[balladmaker]

Talentless in my opinion

Agree with that.  No disrepect to the fella, but imo he hasn't a note!  He has been very lucky that he has been taken under the wing of the powers that be in RTE, such is the publicity he receives.

I was embarrassed watching him on the recent Luke Kelly DVD - Luke Kelly, The Performer.  Dempsey was trying to sing a Luke song, was like something you would hear in your local coming from a boyo plastered about 1.30am on a Sunday morning - awful!  He then had the neck to go on and say that he puts the Luke Kelly infuence into all of his songs...ffs!

Horses for courses I suppose.  He's getting away with it so good luck to him.

[STREET FIGHTER]

i reckon dempsey a pretty good song writer.  Been to afew of his gigs now.  everyone is entitled to their opinion but it was top drawer stuff.

[rosnarun]

what can you save to such negitivity but in the words of the bard himself

Were no use, verbal abuse
That's all you have to give
You preach nil, you're so cynical
Jesus, wake up and live

[Hardy]

Is he really rhyming 'nil' with 'cynic-ill'? 

[The Real SlimShady]

the same way the Wolfe tones rhyme-

guts to say with ricochet.

you're some craic balladmaker, a man that worships the ground in front of The 'Tones' yet has the audacity to whinge about someone elses singing! 

[westmayo]

I've never really liked Dempsey much, but I've met a lot of people that think he's fantastic as was said earlier horses for courses. Fair play to him though for making it this far and obvioulsy he's making a few bob out of it. Was it him that brought out that awful "Rolling down to Dublin town" song a few years ago.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

An acquired taste perhaps, but well worth it for the energy and passion he exudes, and his gigs are electrifying 

[Declan]

Is he really rhyming 'nil' with 'cynic-ill'?

In the true donaghmede vernacular they are pronounced the same

[balladmaker]

the same way the Wolfe tones rhyme-

guts to say with ricochet.

Slim...I was wondering when you would crawl out from under your stone and once again display your ignorance.  The above lyrics have nothing to do with The Wolfe Tones...they didn't write them and never recorded them.  So try again....

Regarding Damian Dempsey, I expressed my personal opinion.....I can understand why some may like him, but he is an acquired taste in my opinion and not for me.  His lyrcis may be ok, but I just don't like his vocals.  So am I allowed to have an opinion Slim?  Regarding your attempt at a jibe at the Wolfe Tones, ffs, people of your ilk have been attempting to knock them down for the last 44 years, with no success.  Get over it.

[The Real SlimShady]

I have listened to them for the past 20 odd years (not through choice) and imho they haven't a note in their heads. imho it is the most depressing sh1te imaginable. They have been playing the same stuff for all of that time, does it never get old like?

Damien Dempsey is an acquired taste, and a very talented lad.

Note: i do not make money off Damien Dempsey, as you do off your beloved Tones.

[balladmaker]

Note: i do not make money off Damien Dempsey, as you do off your beloved Tones.

...and The Dubliners, and Christy Moore, and Mary Black, and The Furey's etc. etc.  Imagine a music promoter trying to make money....