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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.

Thurles Marked St Patrick’s Day With Strong Community Turnout.

As we already stated on Tuesday last March 17th, Thurles was alive with atmosphere and community pride as the town celebrated St Patrick’s Day with a well-attended parade that brought people together from across the area.

Video: Courtesy G. Willoughby.

Despite cold and cloudy conditions, large crowds gathered along the streets of Thurles, creating a vibrant and welcoming scene throughout the day. Families, friends, neighbours and visitors turned out in great numbers, with a strong sense of occasion evident from beginning to end.

The parade was a fitting reflection of the spirit of Thurles and the wider mid-County Tipperary community. It showcased the town’s warmth, resilience and pride, while also highlighting the importance of St Patrick’s Day as one of the most significant dates in Ireland’s cultural and civic calendar.

People of all ages joined in the celebrations, lining the route in good spirits, applauding participants and embracing the event with enthusiasm. The day offered a strong expression of local identity and community togetherness, as residents and visitors alike came together to celebrate Irish heritage and shared belonging.

Thurles continues to be a thriving and proud town in County Tipperary, and this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade once again demonstrated the strong community values for which it is so well known. The lively crowds and positive atmosphere underlined the town’s reputation as a friendly, welcoming and united place.

The celebration was a reminder of the enduring importance of community events in bringing people together and strengthening local connections. In Thurles, St Patrick’s Day 2026 was marked not only with colour and festivity, but with a genuine sense of pride, unity and shared celebration.

Thurles Celebrates St Patrick’s Day In Strong Community Spirit.

Thurles Co. Tipperary came alive today as the rural heart of mid-County Tipperary marked St Patrick’s Day with a parade that reflected the warmth, pride and community spirit for which the town is so well known. Despite the cold and cloudy conditions, large crowds gathered along the streets in great numbers, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere from start to finish. Thurles is a thriving town in County Tipperary, and St Patrick’s Day, celebrated each year on 17th March, remains one of the most important occasions in Ireland’s civic and cultural calendar.

Families, friends, neighbours and visitors of all ages turned out in good spirits, wrapped up against the chill but full of enthusiasm and festive cheer. The parade offered a proud display of local identity, bringing together a broad and mixed population in a shared celebration of Irish heritage, community and belonging. The sight of the crowd lining the route, applauding participants and waving flags, captured the very best of Thurles; resilient, friendly and united.

Video: Courtesy G. Willoughby.

Today’s event was a reminder that even under grey skies, the spirit of St Patrick’s Day shines brightly in towns such as Thurles. The success of the parade is a credit to the organisers, volunteers, participants and all those who attended and supported the celebration. Their contribution ensured a memorable occasion that honoured tradition while strengthening the bonds of community that continue to define Thurles.

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.

Mammy’s Day – March 15th.

Today, Sunday 15th March 2026, is Mother’s Day in Ireland, and that feels especially fitting for a nod to the legendary “Irish Mammy” energy Brendan Grace made so memorable; the woman who could find your lost jumper, your manners, and your future all in one sentence.
So let us begin by honouring the queens of the side-eye, the guardians of “Were you raised in a barn?”, and the fearless women who could heal any illness with tea, toast and a threat.

**Late, Great, Commedian Brendan Grace** *(1951- 2019)*.

Mothers don’t just bring us into the world; they spend the rest of their lives asking why we went out without a coat and whether we’ve thanked them properly for the privilege.

The Irish Mother.

And as we close, let’s raise a cup of tea, hide the good biscuits, and salute the women who somehow managed to keep the whole show on the road, while making it look like we were the hard work.

Happy Mother’s Day to every mammy, mum, mother, and maternal legend, may your compliments be plentiful, your feet be up for at least ten minutes, and may nobody dare say “What’s for dinner?” unless they’re the one cooking it.