I would like to clear something up in regards to Bobby Sands’ song, Back Home In Derry.
I was sharing a cell with Bobby when he wrote it. In fact I had asked him to write a song about Derry, which he did.
As we all know he put his own words to the tune of Gordon Lightfoot’s song, ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Bobby called it ‘The Voyage’ but Christy Moore changed it to ‘Back Home In Derry’ because he already had another song called ‘The Voyage.’
All this is referred to in Bobby’s biography, Nothing But An Unfinished Song.
Just over two years ago Colm Scullion sent me a message to let me know that he had a post in mind that he would put together and he’d include myself and Malachy, (referring to Óglach Malachy Carey, RIP, who, when he shared a cell with Bobby, told him the story about the poitín maker McIlhatton which inspired him to write the famous song.)
I was sharing a cell with Bobby when he wrote it. In fact I had asked him to write a song about Derry, which he did.
As we all know he put his own words to the tune of Gordon Lightfoot’s song, ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Bobby called it ‘The Voyage’ but Christy Moore changed it to ‘Back Home In Derry’ because he already had another song called ‘The Voyage.’
All this is referred to in Bobby’s biography, Nothing But An Unfinished Song.
Just over two years ago Colm Scullion sent me a message to let me know that he had a post in mind that he would put together and he’d include myself and Malachy, (referring to Óglach Malachy Carey, RIP, who, when he shared a cell with Bobby, told him the story about the poitín maker McIlhatton which inspired him to write the famous song.)
Colm was clearly going to write a post about Bobby writing the poem, ‘Rodaí Mac Corlaí’ for himself, ‘McIlhatton’ for Malachy and ‘Back Home In Derry’ for myself. For whatever reason it didn’t happen. In fact I’ve noticed that in a few interviews Colm is mentioned in regards to the poem, ‘Rodaí Mac Corlaí’, Malachy is mentioned in regards to, ‘McIlhatton’ and I am not mentioned in regards to ‘Back Home In Derry.’
I don’t blame Colm, but it is clearly about who controls the narrative and I’m not about to let that happen because that song was Bobby’s gift to me and I’m not going to let anyone take that away.
In fact Bobby’s songs, poetry and writings rightfully belong to his family but the so called, ‘Bobby Sands Trust’ continues to hold the rights to them. Anyone who was truly a friend of Bobby should be demanding that the rights are handed over to his family.
I am doing so and I hope that the others join me in adding their voices to that demand.
I don’t blame Colm, but it is clearly about who controls the narrative and I’m not about to let that happen because that song was Bobby’s gift to me and I’m not going to let anyone take that away.
In fact Bobby’s songs, poetry and writings rightfully belong to his family but the so called, ‘Bobby Sands Trust’ continues to hold the rights to them. Anyone who was truly a friend of Bobby should be demanding that the rights are handed over to his family.
I am doing so and I hope that the others join me in adding their voices to that demand.
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Thomas Dixie Elliot is a Derry artist and a former H Block Blanketman. Follow Dixie Elliot on Twitter @IsMise_Dixie |
Stealing the rights to Bobby's writings is in the same vein as denying his wishes to be buried in a blanket or in a cemetery of his choice. Those rights should belong to the family not the Career Cartel.
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