Back in the early 1980's in Cork, Ireland the local Gaelic Football organisation built a brand new stadium for the local area which left them very heavily in debt.  To try and pay it off, someone had the bright idea of staging a yearly Pop Festival, with an well known America artist as the Headliner, and the rest of the bill made up of Irish bands.  And so 'Siamsa Cois Laoi' was born.  The words, in Irish, literally mean "music beside the Lee", the 'Lee' being the River Lee which flows through the city of Cork.

In 1984, Don McLean was top of the bill on a glorious sunny day in mid July and thousands of people packed the new stadium to see him and Irish bands such as the Furey Brothers and the Wolftones.  

Don was backed by three musicians, two on electric guitars and one on drums. Irish national TV (RTE) recorded the day's events, and broadcast a series of short programs, including 25 minutes of Don McLean in concert.  The 'video stills' on this page are taken from that program.

The songs featured in the TV program were -

Everyday - Great bluesy version

Dreidel

Mountains Of Mourne - Don's rewritten version of the Percy French song with a nice extended electric guitar solo in the middle of the song.  A real highlight.

Molly Malone - Sometimes known as 'In Dublin's Fair City'. Once again Don had rewritten the lyrics though it didn't stop the massive crowd singing along .

No Irish Need Apply - An old Irish song which gripes about how the huge discrimination in employment Irish People faced when they went to England in the 40's, 50's etc. - just because they were Irish.  There were signs everywhere of 'No Irish Need Apply'.  The richest part of this song has to be hearing Don (an American, as everyone knows :-) singing the line "But to me it is an honour to be born an Irishman".

Johnny McEldoo - An Irish song which I'm not familair with, though I have heard it sung by Don at several concerts in Ireland.  He sings it 'acappella' (voice only - no musical backing).

Working On The Railway - Another song about working away from Ireland, and the tough unpleasant jobs they were given.  Don switched to the banjo for this song.

This Little Light Of Mine - One of Don's favourite sing-a-longs (after Babylon) and this really got a good reaction from the audience.