EP Review: Seán McKenna – Old Rover E.P.

After leaving The Mary Wallopers earlier this year, Seán McKenna has quietly slipped out a new EP of Irish folk classics.

Dark Streets of London ‘only’ dates back to 1984, but this stripped-down, traditional folk take on the track showcases McKenna’s unique vocal style wonderfully, as it also reveals how extraordinary Shane MacGowan’s songwriting already was back in the early days of The Pogues.

McKenna then tackles another classic, and with Dominic Behan’s Patriot Game brings out a sense of loss, turning what for some is often a celebration of nationalism into what isn’t far off a graveside ode. Rounding off the EP are Old Rover and Arthur McBride, with the latter’s message still relevant after two centuries, as the song’s protagonists refuse to go fight in France.  

All four songs are part of the great Irish songbook and laden with not just history but also definitive renditions by everyone from The Pogues to The Dubliners via Bob Dylan, but it has to be said, Seán McKenna has made each one his own.

Header photo by Johnny Savage