Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem perform ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’ on stage at the National Stadium.

In 1976 Irish traditional/folk musicians Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy embarked on their first concert tours together. Liam Clancy is one of the Clancy Brothers, the traditional music group which also included Tommy Makem.

When RTÉ producer Noel Greene heard Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy were touring Ireland he asked to record their show at the National Stadium in Dublin on 20 February 1977. This request was granted and resulted in two one hour specials broadcast as ‘Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy.....at Home’ on 10 March and 11 April 1977.

‘Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy.....at Home’ features the duo at their best performing a range of songs including Paddy Kelly’s Brew’, ‘Down by the Sally Gardens’, ‘Nikita Khruschev’ and ‘The Sound of the Piobrach’. Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy’s relaxed mood and naturalness in front of a live audience are evident.

‘Rocky Road to Dublin’ is a 19th-century song about a man’s experiences of leaving Tuam, County Galway in search of fortune in Liverpool in England. The lyrics were written by DK Gavan for the English music hall performer Harry Clifton who popularised the song.

This episode of ‘Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy.....at Home’ was broadcast on 10 March 1977.