Last original member of The Dubliners dies

Folk musician Barney McKenna passed away while having a cup of tea

Barney McKenna, the last original member of folk group The Dubliners, has died.

The banjo player passed away at the age of 72. Known as ‘Banjo McKenna’, the musician died earlier today (April 5) “while having a morning cup of tea” at his home in Howth, reports AP via NPR.

“What a lovely way to go,” commented The Dubliners current singer Eamonn Campbell. McKenna had been in the band for 50 years, which was formed in 1962 in a Dublin pub called O’Donoghue’s. His fellow three founding band members, Ronnie Drew, Ciaran Bourke and Luke Kelly passed away in 2008, 1988 and 1984.

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He had just finished a UK tour with the current line-up of The Dubliners and yesterday evening performed at a funeral in Dublin.

McKenna was known for singing ‘I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day’, which was later covered by The Pogues. Listen to the song below. The Pogues collaborated with The Dubliners on the 1987 Top Ten single ‘The Irish Rover’.


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