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.
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.
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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