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‘Those who suffer write the songs’ an homage to Irish balladeer Frank Harte

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Irish Balladeer Frank Harte
Courtesy Frank Harte Festival
Irish Balladeer Frank Harte

Have you ever met someone for a fleeting moment but their spirit touched you so, that you were instantly enamored with them.

And yet, even though you never met up with them again, they and their spirit remained with you, forever? That’s how it was when I was covering the Elko, Nevada Cowboy Poetry Gathering way back in 1998.

I was introduced to Frank Harte who was a presenter from Dublin, Ireland, speaking on the legacy of Irish ballads and balladeers.

Dublin, Ireland downtown.jpeg
Tom Wilmer
in the heart of old town Dublin, Ireland

I never met up with Frank again, but his spirit and passion remained with me, forever, unabated.

When I thought of Frank the other day, I was confident that he was alive and kicking back in Dublin, regaling locals with his mesmerizing tales of Irish history’s intimate interconnection with the art and craft of the ballad and song.

Iconic Palladian entry in old town Dublin, Ireland
Tom Wilmer
Iconic Palladian entry in old town Dublin, Ireland

Out of curiosity, I logged onto the web and was shocked to discover that Frank had died of a heart attack way back in 2005. But I was elated to discover that an ardent fan of Frank started the annual Frank Harte Festival in 2006.

While going through my audio archives I came across Frank’s presentation at the Elko Cowboy Poetry Festival back in 1998. Come along for a listen as Frank regales the audience with passionate and poignant tales of Irish history melded with the art of the balladeer.

Frank Harte was born, raised, and lived in Chapelizod Dublin where his family ran The Tap Pub. He was introduced to traditional Irish songs at the age of fourteen, when he heard a tinker singing and selling ballad sheets at a fair in Boyle.

Since his teens, Frank was fascinated with songs that told stories and was an avid collector for many years.

Frank passed away in June 2005.

From Frank Harte’s Songs of Dublin“This is a far cry from Dublin street songs, but it was the first song I heard, sung by a travelling man, that made me aware that we had a tradition of songs telling about the joys and sorrows, the tragedies and battles of a people in a way that I found irresistible. From that first hearing I have been fascinated by the idea of the story told in song."

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Look for Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer on NPR's Podcast Directory.

You are invited to subscribe to the six time Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel podcast, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast DirectoryApple Podcast, the NPR One App  Stitcher.com and more than twenty other podcast hosting sites including iHeartRadio and Spotify

Tom Wilmer produces on-air content for Issues & Ideas airing over KCBX and is producer and host of the six-time Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR podcast Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer. Recorded live on-location across America and around the world, the podcasts feature the arts, culture, music, nature, history, science, wine & spirits, brewpubs, and the culinary arts--everything from baseball to exploring South Pacific atolls to interviewing the real Santa Claus in the Arctic.