RTÉ's Paul Russell pays tribute to the late, great guitar player Greg Boland, best known for his work with the band Scullion, who passed away earlier this month.
If a drone had snapped the faces of all the people standing outside the church after Irish musician Greg Boland’s funeral service, it would captured the story of popular Irish music.
That’s because the renowned guitarist who died suddenly last week in Dublin had been there at the birth of rock music in Ireland, and had played with just about everybody who has moved the story of Irish music on into the modern era.
A casual glance across the courtyard in front of the Victorian Church at Dublin's Mt. Jerome Cemetery after the service on Wednesday revealed a rich musical pedigree from the worlds of rock and pop, including members from Stagalee, Horslips and Moving Hearts as well as acts as diverse as Mary Coughlan, Twink and Liam O’Maonlai. Also seen reminiscing were members of Scullion, Philip King and Sonny Condell, who shared the stage with Greg for many years.
Broadcasters, sound engineers and fellow musicians mingled alongside close friends and extended members of the Boland family – a visual reminder for them of Greg’s contribution to so many different genres of contemporary Irish music.
Part of a well known Dublin music family, Greg was considered one of the best guitar players in the country kicking off a lengthy career in the early 70s in the bands Supply, Demand and Curve, Stagalee and Bumper to Bumper, before helping to form Scullion.
He went on to become a highly sought-after session player and music teacher, more recently working live with the Steely Dan covers band Aja.
Other music collaborators who attended the service included Bill Whelan, Niall Toner, Flo McSweeney, Donal Lunny, Mary Stokes & Brian Palm, Stano and fellow guitarist Anto Drennan. The service featured songs from Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell, as well as personal memories from Greg’s younger brother Tim, long-time collaborator Tommy Moore and a poem from Greg’s daughter Laura.
