They made Irish folk music popular.  With Tommy Makem the Clancy Brothers couldn't be beat, and Liam is the last of the lot.

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead

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So sad to see him go.  True, a lot of younger fellows out there are trying to keep the Irish tradition going, but I hear their music and it just ain't the same as what the Clancys could do.

Here's one I always remember from my dad's Clancy Brothers records, and I like to think Liam is humming it as he signs for his room up at St. Peter's place:

 
Isn't It Grand Boys

Look at the coffin, with golden handles
Isn't it grand, boys, to be bloody-well dead?

Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody-good cry
And always remember: The longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody-well die

Look at the flowers, all bloody withered
Isn't it grand, boys, to be bloody-well dead?

Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody-good cry
And always remember: The longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody-well die

Look at the mourners, bloody-great hypocrites
Isn't it grand, boys, to be bloody-well dead?

Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody-good cry
And always remember: The longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody-well die

Look at the preacher, a bloody-nice fellow
Isn't it grand, boys, to be bloody-well dead?

Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody-good cry
And always remember: The longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody-well die

Look at the widow, bloody-great female
Isn't it grand, boys, to be bloody-well dead?

Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody-good cry
And always remember: The longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody-well die

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