The famed ‘Carlow Septet’ were
invited to sing all over Ireland. They even featured on national
radio. In this picture, taken in 1936, we see:
Left to right: Pearse
Prendergast, Billy O’Connor, Stan Reynolds and Jack Kirwan.
Seated: Tom Meighan, Aidan
Murray and Joe Donohue.
It was reported that Tom Meighan
had a perfect voice, ‘beautifully placed with absolute pitch’.
They were offered a contract but declined because of family and
work commitments. Their signature tune was ‘Gaudeamus igitur’, a
medieval student song with the following verse:
Let us rejoice, therefore,
when we are young.
After our joyful youth:
after care—ridden old age:
We all come to the clay.
Source: Carlow in old pictures volume 2 by Michael Purcell
c1999
