Keepsake by Elaine Flannery

In 2007 my late mother released an album of some of her favourite songs. Sadly the title “Keepsake” became poignant a lot sooner than we would have hoped. I loved my mother very much, as did all my family, her family and her friends. She was a kind, sensitive and thoughtful woman who ought to be playing with her grandchildren, but instead she, among many other Irish women, was terribly let down, and suffered unnecessarily.
Her album will be available now here, with all proceeds going to Marymount hospice. Thank you


“Keepsake” is a collection of songs performed by singer Elaine
Flannery.

Its genesis is from an incident that happened in Co. Kerry almost 85 years
ago. “The Lament for Michael O’Sullivan” is a song about Elaine’s grandmother’s brother, who was shot, aged 23 years, having defiantly broken his rifle and refused to surrender, during the Irish Civil War in November 1922. “The song was in my family but nobody was singing it,” Elaine Flannery explains. “So it would probably have died, had it not been recorded.”

Elaine Flannery was raised Elaine O’Sullivan in the town land of Ballyhar in
Killarney. The O’Sullivan family believe that “The Lament for Michael O’Sullivan” was written by Michael’s sister, but cannot be definite. Naturally, the family were ripped apart by the event and all witnessed the body being brought home by the black mare and farm cart, events all captured vividly in this fine song, sung by Elaine on this album with heartfelt feeling and gentle sensitivity. As she remarks, “it’s a song that is very difficult to sing without being in tears by the end”.
Blessed with a beautiful voice, Elaine loved singing for
as long as she can remember.

“Keepsake takes its title from a line in “The Lament for Michael O’Sullivan. With an eclectic selection embracing a double helping of Bob Dylan, as well as songs from Emmylou Harris, Julie Miller, Peggy Seeger, two Irish
language songs, established classics “Lord Franklin” and ”Sweet Kingwilliamstown” (from the Irish and English traditions respectively), and an original from Elaine’s son, (Cork singer/songwriter Mick Flannery)

Elaine presents the listener with a wide range of musical styles.
“I like to sing different styles of song, and have tried to reflect those styles in this collection”, she says. Produced by Pat “Herring” Ahern, this fine album features the playing of some of Cork’s finest folk and traditional musicians. Elaine's son Mick plays piano and takes on vocal duet duties on Dylan’s “Oh Sister"

mickflannery.com