WHILE THERE were many highlights to last weekend’s extraordinary events in New Ross commemorating the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s visit to the town one artist who performed on the main stage was a particular highlight.
While many of those among the thousands of people who thronged onto the quay-front on Saturday were more-than-likely unfamiliar with her name Judy Collins showcased the power of music in exemplary fashion.
Her rendition of the Joni Mitchell classic, ‘Both Sides Now’, seemed perfectly apt given the event, the setting, and the significance of the overall occasion.
The song was recorded on Mitchell’s first album, ‘Clouds’, which was released in 1969. Along with ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and ‘Woodstock’ it is, arguably, one of the Canadian singer’s most celebrated songs.
However, the significance of the song relative to the event taking place in New Ross was huge given the fact that it was inspired by words from Saul Bellow’s book, ‘Henderson the Rain King’.
Collins recorded the song shortly after Mitchell wrote it, in 1967, and it won her a Grammy award for ‘Best Folk Performance’.
Her version reached No.8 in the U.S. pop charts.
As Collins performed the song in New Ross on Saturday it was the perfect musical accompaniment to a fantastic evening in the best town in the south east. It gave the event an almost hippyish feel which was fantastic. The performance also served to highlight the resolute power of music. Here was a solitary singer, albeit an award-winning one, armed with just an acoustic 12-string guitar and a lone pianist, captivating an audience with a voice that was both inspirational and mesmerising.
Collins’ performance gave the event a lovely light ambience and provided an ideal contrast to the more sombre ceremony that took place at the Kennedy Park a couple of hours earlier when it was re-branded the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.
Collin’s second song in New Ross was the legendary ‘Will Ye Go Lassie Go (Wild Mountain Thyme)’, the lyrics of which, were ideal for a lovely summer evening in the south east corner of the Emerald Isle.
In her introduction of Ms. Collins onto the stage, Ann Doyle, in her role as M.C. commented: “What kind of party would it be without great music?”
How right she was and the only downside to Ms. Collins’ performance was that it was way too short. However, while the people of Co. Wexford, and other parts of Ireland, were in New Ross celebrating the life of one American icon they also got to witness another U.S. legend live in concert. It truly was a night to remember.
