Songs of Wexford
A regular feature on traditional songs of County Wexford. This week: The Saint Phelim
This song is about the last journey of the St. Phelim, an Aer Lingus Vickers Viscount, which plunged into the sea near Tuskar Rock lighthouse on 24th March 1968 while en route from Cork to London. All sixty-one people aboard the plane perished in what was the worst aviation disaster in Irish history. The cause of the accident was never established.
The song was written as part of the project ‘As I Roved Out’ which I devised and coordinated with my partner Michael Fortune in 2012 in association with the National Library of Ireland and with support from the Arts Council.
Over a period of twelve months we worked with a group of singers writing new ballads in the traditional style on the subject journeys. Brendan Kennedy, from Clondalkin, Co. Dublin, now living in Maynooth, chose to write about the final journey of the St Phelim. The song was first performed at a concert in the National Library in May 2012.
Recently, a brother of the last passenger to board the St Phelim made contact with us as he wished to pass on his thanks. He had come across the recording on Youtube of Brendan singing the song at the ‘As I Roved Out’ concert and regularly finds comfort listening to it.
A commemorative event to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy was held last Saturday 24th March in Rosslare Harbour Memorial Park.
The St. Phelim Lyrics: Brendan Kennedy
Air: Original
‘Twas in March 68 on a bright Sunday morning When Captain O’Beirne and his crew members three Crossed over the tarmac and boarded the airplane And prepared the St. Phelim for its trip o’er the sea
Twenty two people from four different countries To return to their homelands from Cork by the Lee Joined thirty five more from the island of Ireland On board the St. Phelim to fly o’er the sea
Some children were waving from the terminal building As the Viscount sped down the runway rapidly
And they cheered as it rose up into the blue sky
As for London St. Phelim set out o’er the sea
‘Twas just before noon the air traffic controller Heard the message that never would leave his memory “Five thousand feet descending spinning rapidly” The last words from St. Phelim as it fell towards the sea
For a few minutes more the plane it stayed airborne As the crew to control it they fought valiantly But near Tuskar Rock they were finally defeated And the stricken St. Phelim plunged into the sea
Their friends and relations were waiting at Heathrow
But the joy they were feeling soon turned to misery
When the dreadful news broke and ‘mid the cries and the anguish They prayed for St. Phelim as it sank in the sea
The rumours soon started, the whispers grew louder Some said a test missile from the British navy Was fired at a drone but acquired the wrong target And struck the St. Phelim flying high o’er the sea
But the witnesses all, on the Waterford coastline Though they were not believed, told a different story For they saw with their eyes that a piece of the tailplane Detached from St. Phelim and fell into the sea
What happened that morning could never be proven No black box to explain the great mystery
And the lost forty seven who were never recovered Still sleep with St. Phelim in the cold Irish Sea
Aileen Lambert is a traditional singer from Ballindaggin. She works with various communities on a range of song collecting, composing and performing projects and delivers workshops in Primary Schools as part of the Heritage-in-Schools Scheme. If you have further information on a subject or song featuring in this column, or a song or verse/recitation you’d like to share with Aileen, please contact her on aileenlambert@gmail.com or 087 7552593.