Episode 1 – Grace
With over 100 versions, from Jim McCann to Rod Stewart to Kellie Harrington, everyone knows Grace. Based on the tragic love story of Grace Gifford and Joseph Mary Plunkett, Grace is a song that feels firmly rooted in the Irish ballad canon; as if it has been around as long as the tale it tells. Reporter Sinéad Ní Churnáin meets the song’s composers to explore the origins and impact of the song and asks the question: who was Grace?
Series Overview
You’ve heard them sung at parties, across the airwaves, on tv and in film. But do you know the stories behind some of Ireland’s best-loved songs? Aistear an Amhráin returns this June to tell the fascinating stories behind songs we all know and love.
The new series delves into the story of Grace Gifford, the subject of the much loved ballad Grace; the love story behind the Frank and Walters’ iconic 90s anthem After All; the story of the Belfast roadie whose tragic murder inspired Spandau Ballet’s 80s hit Through the Barricades and finally, the mischief and mystery behind Irish-language foot-stomper An Poc Ar Buile.
