Luke Kelly – the performer

Eight weeks at n°1 in the DVD sales charts Christmas 2005 – January 2006 (Source: IRMA – Irish Record Music Association)

A return to directing after a decade working on, among other book projects, Robert Redford’s biography. “It was a wonderful fusion,” says Callan, “part biography, part musical. It covered so much of the ground I love, the stuff that inspires me. And Luke was an incredibly gifted man.”

From the DVD sleeve notes: Donovan say him as a poet in the bardic tradition. Ralph McTell was “terrified” by the power of his voice. Mary Black saw him as a cornerstone of the Global Celtic revival. Luke Kelly, the legendary co-founder of the Dubliners, was many things to many people. But he is most cherished as a performer. Here, encapsulated in a deeply insightful and revelatory documentary film, are 19 rare live performances accompanied by commentaries from Luke’s friends, collaborators, famous contemporaries and a newer generation of artists who embrace his legacy.