The Auld Triangle

The Auld Triangle ( German "The Old Triangle " ) is a ballad written by the Irish writer and songwriter Dominic Behan for the 1954 first performed play The Quare Fellow of his brother Brendan Behan. It is also known by the alternative title The Banks of the Royal Canal or short The Royal Canal.

The song is about the hardships of prison life. Behan hand back on his experiences as a prisoner in Dublin's Mountjoy Prison; the title refers to the large-scale and existing triangle in the center of the prison yard, which was beaten every morning to wake the prisoners. In The Quare Fellow, whose plot also zuträgt in a prison, it forms a kind of thematic prologue to the drama.

Since then it has made in the standard repertoire of Irish treasure of songs and has been interpreted from a variety of musicians, as early as 1967 by Bob Dylan, the best known are probably the versions of The Dubliners and The Pogues. Especially for the Dubliners was the song to one of their signature songs. 1987 about Irish television beamed from a tribute show in honor of the band, it was also the last appearance of Ciarán Bourke before his death; completion sang all the musicians involved ( including Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew and U2) The Auld Triangle together.

Recordings (selection)

• Ian & Sylvia (as The Royal Canal ), on the album Four Strong Winds ( 1963)
• Bob Dylan and The Band, only on bootlegs of the Basement Tapes (1967 )
• The Pogues, on Red Roses for Me (1984 )
• The Dubliners, on several Compilations
• Eric Burdon (as The Royal Canal ), on Rare Masters (1996 )
• Dropkick Murphys at The Warrior 's Code (2005)
• Cat Power (as Ye Auld Triangle ) on the EP Dark End of the Street (2008)
• Glen Hansard and Damien Dempsey, just as a single, (2010)

• Folk song
• Music ( Ireland)
• Song 1954