The Dublin City Ramblers   •   Rare Ould Times

• Rare Ould Times
  • 1980 - Dolphin DOLM 7025 LP (IRL)

• Side One
  1. Salonika (Trad.)
  2. My Green Valleys (Glen Reid)
  3. Nancy Spain (Barney Rush)
  4. Danny Farrell (Pete St. John)
  5. Paddy Lie Back (Trad.)
  6. Phil's March (Trad.)
  7. The Rare Ould Times (Pete St. John)

• Side Two
  8. "P" Stands for Paddy (Trad.)
  9. Come By The Hills (Gordon W. Smith)
  10. Kidnapped (David's Song) (Vladimir Cosma)
  11. The Crack Was Ninety in the Isle of Man (Barney Rush)
  12. Mary's Song (E. Bogle)
  13. Punch and Judy Man (J. Connolly)

• Dublin City Ramblers
  • Patsy Watchorn: Lead Vocals & Banjo
  • Seán McGuinness: Mandolin & Tenor Banjo
  • Kevin Molloy: Vocals & Guitar
  • Philip McCaffrey: Fiddle

• Musicians
  • John Sheahan: Whistle and Electric Piano
  • Des Moore: Bass Guitar

• Credits
  • Recorded at Lombard Studios, Dublin 1980
  • Produced & Arranged by Eamonn Campbell
  • Sleeve Design: Cathal Sweeney
  • Photography: Dave O'Hehir

Sleeve Notes

Few will deny that in the last five years the Dublin City Ramblers have established themselves as one of the major talents on the Irish ballad scene. Considering how wide and competitive a field this, their achievement must be seen as nothing less than formidable. Their musical competence and fine vocal ability have won them the respect and admiration of a discerning audience here, on the Continent and in North America.

The range and originality of this, their latest selection, must surely represent the Ramblers' best album to date. It includes the definitive version of Pete St. John's poignant ballad of Dublin — the 'Rare Ould Times', the touchingly lyrical 'My Green Valleys' and the ever-lovely 'Come by the Hills'. By contrast a fine comic touch is introduced by the rousing 'Paddy Lie Back' and a frolicsome The Crack was Ninety in the Isle of Man'. Included also are two fine instrumentals—a lively march from Phil, the group's accomplished fiddle player, and a rendering of the Theme from 'Kidnapped'. This latter, which might appear at first sight to be a rather unlikely inclusion, is one of the highlights of the Album.

All in all this memorable collection of wide-ranging numbers reflects the consistency of the high standard we have come to expect from the Dublin City Ramblers.