Remembering Eamonn Campbell - a great son of the class of 1964 at St Joseph’s

Dear Sir,

WHILE driving in from Baltray a deep sense of nostalgia came over me on hearing the death on the radio of proud Drogheda Legend and member of the world famous “The Dubliners Ballad Group” Eamonn Campbell.

I was among the 48 students with Eamon, who sat the Leaving Certificate Examination at St. Josephs CBS Drogheda in 1964.

This was prior to Minister for Education Donagh O’Malley, introducing free secondary education for all. It was the only boys secondary school in the town, with students from a twenty-mile radius attending. Due to a teacher strike our “Leaving” was supervised by a son of the school’s most famous past pupil TJ Whitaker.

In 2014, I was privileged to be invited on the organising committee with Paddy Clarke at the helm, ably assisted by Ivor Cooney, John Pentony, Luke McGuirk and John Hanratty for the class of ‘64/’62 reunion. Fr. Brian Corcoran flew in from San Diego to celebrate the reunion mass.

This was one occasion Eamonn relished and went out of his way to ensure the Dubliners schedule didn’t clash with the occasion. The banter and stories that followed that evening, will live forever with everyone gathered.

I was on my way home in the early hours with John Collier, when Eamonn said a “sing song” is starting and no ones leaving. We made a hasty retreat to the bar. The beautiful rendition by Eamonn of a couple of the Dubliners numbers, was a real treat with Louth legend Paddy Clarke, Pat Cooney and Eamon Reay, keeping it going lovely.

We were all immensely proud of Eamonn on that memorable night on The Late Late Show in 1987, for his stunning arrangement of “The Irish Rover” with the Dubliners and Shane McGowan and The Pogues – it brought the house down.

The attendance on that unique evening included Nicholas Carolan of R.T.E’s ‘West Along The Road’ , St Nicholas G.F.C. stalwart Felix Hackett, Teachers Johnny Gregory, Noel Keane, Willie Gaynor and Brother Paddy McShane. Cecil Pobjoy, residing in Newfoundland, has the rare distinction of being capped for Ireland at both Schoolboy and Youth level. Commandant Colm Doyle of The United Nations Peace Keeping Force, brought great pride to the class of ‘64

Eamonn has poignantly for those of us remaining, gone on to his eternal reward, meeting up once again for a reunion, with the eleven stout-hearted sons of the class of ’64, who have gone before.

Ar Dheis Dé Go Raibh A Anam Dílis.