Cuchulainn's Son - Tom Williams, 1983

This song is about Nickey Rackard, the legendary Wexford hurler, who became an alcoholic, overcame the disease and then devoted his time to helping others with the same affliction, before finally dying of cancer aged just 53. The winner of two All-Ireland medals in 1955 and 1956, in what was the winter of his career, he is fondly remembered as a great sportsman, an exceptional hurler and an inspiring leader. The song has become a well-known Wexford GAA ballad and has been recorded by a succession of artists. These include ‘MacMurrough’, the husband and wife folk duo of Paul and Mary Kavanagh from Ferns; Nickey’s former teammate, Martin Codd, on his ‘Lost Leaders’ album; and Phil Berry, who won the Senior Men’s ballad competition at the 1989 All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil with a sean nós version of the song. The song was also sung at the author’s graveside by well-known Wexford singer, George Lawlor.
The song was written by Irish singer-songwriter, Tom Williams, from Wexford. This performance, by the author, was one of, if not the first, rendition of Cuchulainn's Son in public. For more on Tom Williams, visit www.tomwilliams.ie