Art « Thurles Information

Blue Bayou.

Lyrics: Co-written by American singer, songwriter and guitarist the late Roy Orbison and award-winning American singer/songwriter Joe Melson.
Vocals: The late Roy Orbison (1936–1988).

This song hereunder; written by Orbison and Joe Melson, was released in 1963, and is known for its longing, nostalgic tone about returning to a peaceful place and a lost love.

Blue Bayou.

I feel so bad, I got a worried mind.
I’m so lonesome all the time,
Since I left my baby behind on Blue Bayou.
Saving nickels, saving dimes,
Working till the sun don’t shine,
Looking forward to happier times on Blue Bayou.
I’m going back someday, come what may to Blue Bayou,
Where you sleep all day and the catfish play on Blue Bayou.
All those fishing boats with their sails afloat, if I could only see,
That familiar sunrise through sleepy eyes, how happy I’d be.
Go to see my baby again,
And to be with some of my friends,
Maybe I’ll be happy then on Blue Bayou.
I’m going back someday, gonna stay on Blue Bayou,
Where the folks are fine, and the world is mine on Blue Bayou.
Oh, that girl of mine by my side, the silver moon and the evening time,
Oh, on some sweet day, gonna take away this hurtin’ inside.
I’d never be blue, my dreams come true,
On Blue Bayou.

END.

Atta Way To Go.

Lyrics and Vocals: American country music singer/songwriter , the late, great, Don Williams. [Donald Ray Williams (1939- 2017) ].

The song “Atta Way To Go” is a quietly powerful country ballad that captures the emotional aftermath of a broken relationship. The song reflects on love, loss, and resignation, as the narrator responds to a partner who has chosen to walk away.
Rather than anger or bitterness, Williams conveys a restrained sadness, highlighting the emotional distance that follows a breakup and the quiet acceptance of things left unsaid.
The understated lyrics and gentle melody exemplify his ability to turn everyday experiences into deeply relatable moments.
“Atta Way To Go” stands as an early example of Don Williams’ enduring appeal; his talent for expressing complex feelings with simplicity, sincerity, and a uniquely soothing presence that would define his career throughout the 1970s and beyond.

Atta Way To Go.

Atta Way To Go.

Atta way to go you finally broke it off.
Atta way to go we can’t even talk or cry,
Or even wonder why that a way to go.
Didn’t you believe me when I loved you.
I guess you thought we were playing games.
All this time I tried to think I’ve known you,
I guess I really only knew your name.
Atta way to go you finally broke it off.
Atta way to go we can’t even talk or cry,
Or even wonder why that a way to go.
I thought you knew I lived my life just for you.
There was just no price to big to pay,
And even though I know I still live for you,
The feeling’s that you show won’t let me stay.
Atta way to go you finally broke it off.
Atta way to go we can’t even talk or cry,
Or even wonder why that a way to go.
END

A Song For A Sunday.

Far Side Banks Of Jordan.

Lyrics: Amereican songwriter and singer, the late Terry Smith.
Vocals: American country music singer and guitarist Lester James Fortune Snr. (Jimmy Fortune)

Few voices in gospel and country music carry the heart and sincerity of singer Jimmy Fortune, who has continued to bless audiences with songs that speak of faith, family, and the promise of heaven. The beautiful song, ‘Far Side Banks of Jordan,’ has touched so many hearts through its message of hope and reunion beyond this life.

Far Side Banks Of Jordan.

I believe my steps are growing wearier each day,
Still I’ve got a journey on my mind.
Lures of this old world have ceased to make me want to stay,
And my one regret is leaving you behind.
But I’ll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan,
I’ll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand,
And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout!
And come running through the shallow waters, reaching for your hand.

If it proves to be his will that I’m the first to cross,
And somehow I’ve a feeling it will be.
When it comes time to travel likewise don’t feel lost,
For I will be the first one that you’ll see.
And I’ll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan,
I’ll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand,
And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout!
And come running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand.

Through this life we’ve laboured hard to earn our meager fare,
It’s brought us trembling hands and failing eyes.
So I’ll just rest here on this shore and turn my eyes away,
And then you’ll come then we’ll see paradise.
And I’ll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan,
I’ll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand,
And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout!
And come running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand.
And I’ll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan,
I’ll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand,
And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout!
And come running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand.
And I’ll be running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand.

END.

Death Of Irish Folk Singer Dolores Keane.

A great hush has fallen over Irish music with the passing yesterday of Ms Dolores Keane, one of the most cherished and soul-stirring voices this country has ever known.

Dolores Keane died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Caherlistrane, Co Galway, aged 72 years, leaving behind not only a body of music of rare beauty, but a deep sense of gratitude among all who were moved by her singing. Current reporting remembers her as one of the defining voices of Irish folk and traditional music.

**Late Ms Dolores Keane** *(26th September 1953 – 16th March 2026)* **R.I.P.**

For decades, Dolores sang as though she were carrying the memory of a people. In her voice lived the tenderness of home, the ache of longing, the strength of women, and the old unbroken thread of song handed down through family and place. She did not merely perform music; she inhabited it, and in doing so gave something timeless to Irish culture.

Born into the renowned Keane family, Dolores was shaped by a house full of songs, stories and visiting musicians. From those early roots in Galway grew an artist of extraordinary grace, first known for singing with her aunts Rita and Sarah Keane, and later celebrated through her work with De Dannan, her collaborations with John Faulkner, and a solo career that brought her voice far beyond these shores.

There was a haunting honesty in Dolores Keane’s singing that could stop people in their tracks. Whether singing a sean-nós air, a love song, or a modern folk ballad, she seemed to reach beyond performance and touch something more intimate and enduring. Her beloved interpretation of “Caledonia” remains one of the songs most closely associated with her; a recording carried for years in the hearts of listeners who found comfort, beauty and home in her voice.

To speak of Dolores Keane is to speak of more than acclaim, recordings or applause. It is to speak of feeling. Of truth. Of a voice that seemed to rise not just from the singer, but from the soil, the hearth, and the generations who sang before her. She gave the old songs new life, and gave contemporary songs an ancient depth. In every phrase, there was humanity.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Jessie Buckley Wins Oscar, Inspiring Pride In Thurles & Across Ireland.

The Ursuline Secondary School community here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, is celebrating with great pride, following the news that former student Ms Jessie Buckley has won the 2026 Academy Award for Best Actress for her powerful performance in the film “Hamnet”.

The Academy’s official results confirm Buckley’s win, while multiple reports noted that she became the first Irish performer to win the Oscar for Best Actress.

Jessie Buckley’s success has been warmly welcomed in Thurles, where she is remembered as a talented and creative former Ursuline secondary student whose journey from the classroom to the world stage continues to inspire immense local pride. Recent local reporting has also identified Buckley as a past pupil of Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles.

Her Oscar-winning role in “Hamnet” has been widely praised by critics and audiences alike, with Buckley earning acclaim throughout the 2026 awards season before securing Hollywood’s highest acting honour. Her performance as Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare, has been described as emotionally powerful and deeply memorable, helping to cement her place among the most respected actors of her generation.

For the Ursuline school community, Jessie’s achievement is a moment of enormous joy and celebration. It is a reminder to current and future students that talent, dedication and belief in oneself can lead to extraordinary opportunities. Her story reflects the strength of ambition nurtured at local level and realised on the international stage.

Everyone at Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles, extends heartfelt congratulations to Jessie on this remarkable achievement and wishes her continued success in all future projects.