Bon Voyage to Richard and Lesley

(Photo: Tim Dobson)

Last week was a farewell to our friends and Dragon Folk Club regulars for fourteen years, Richard and Lesley who as I write this report have now headed up to North Wales. We hope we will see them again at some time in the future but for now we wish them well in their new home and with working in the Welsh language!

We were also joined by Tom, Steve G and John B, and Maggie L with her canine friends Gertie and Freddie.

We heard this week that Terry C's wife has had a stroke. She is still in hospital but is apparently walking around. We wish her a speedy and satisfactory recovery.

Simon, holding the club accouterments for Colin this week, invited Richard to MC but he declined, so Simon took the official pen in hand and set to, calling first on Tom to sing; Tom sang Don McLean's Crossroads.

Steve G was next up with John Smith's There Is A Stone. Simon reprised and improved on his unsuccessful previous week's attempt to sing Ole Man River (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II).

John B sang Mary Dana Shindler's I Am A Pilgrim and Phil gave us Lost John (Roud 11520).

Richard's first song of the evening was Through The Groves (Roud 1046). and Lesley's was The Blacksmith (Roud 816) before teetotaler Derek brought and end to the first circuit of the room with Come Landlord Fill The Flowing Bowl (Roud 1234) to mark 4 August, International Beer Day. Richard was only too happy to continue this theme with Good Ale (Roud 203).

We had a bit of Bob Dylan action going on with Farewell Angelina and Jolene (no not Dolly Parton's song) from Steve G. John B also joined in with Blind Willie McTell.

At the end of the evening Simon asked Richard and Lesley both to finish off proceedings, which they did, Richard singing The Wee Wee Man (Roud 2865, Child 38) and Lesley leaving us with a sing-along Fiddler's Green (John Conolly).

Here's a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 9, of whom 8 performed)