logo
TV Review: Aistear an Amhráin sifts through Spandau Ballet's syrupy ballad Through the Barricades

TV Review: Aistear an Amhráin sifts through Spandau Ballet's syrupy ballad Through the Barricades

Irish Examiner17-06-2025
Thomas 'Kidso' Reilly was murdered by a British soldier in West Belfast in 1983 as he ran away from an army foot patrol.
Aistear an Amhráin (RTE One and RTE Player) tells the story, explaining how it inspired Spandau Ballet's power ballad Through the Barricades. This is a shame.
Reilly's story is interesting. His brother Jim was the drummer in Belfast band Stiff Little Fingers; Thomas escaped the Troubles and ended up on the London pop scene ( the three members of Bananarama carried wreaths at his funeral ); you get a glimpse of the culture shock that would be familiar to anyone who left 1980s Ireland for a taste of Thatcher's London.
The shame is that we have to listen to a lot of Spandau Ballet songs.
Reilly worked with them for a while – when the song-writer Gary Kemp visited his grave in Belfast he saw the so-called Peace Wall dividing the two communities, giving him a title and theme for a Romeo and Juliet style ballad set in Belfast called Through The Barricades.
Kemp tells the story himself. He's obviously a decent bloke with a good eye for a pop tune, clearly upset by both Reilly's death and a big wall in Belfast. He also tried to elevate the song, borrowing phrases from W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot.
Y ou can decide for yourself if it works.
I think Through the Barricades is a syrupy and formulaic ballad that could be set anywhere, but then I never heard a Spandau Ballet song I didn't hate.
The song feels wedged in to the story here.
Thomas Reilly's death wasn't syrupy, he was shot dead at 4pm after a minor altercation. The 18 year-old soldier who pulled the trigger served 26 months in jail before quietly returning to his regiment.
Meanwhile Reilly's family were left to grapple with the grief and injustice.
We see his parents being interviewed in archive footage, heartbroken that ( as they put it ) they have to visit the graveyard to see their son while his killer is re-integrated into regular life and effectively exonerated.
The real star is the brother Jim Reilly, talking about his time in Stiff Little Fingers and recounting how his brother Thomas was a brilliant dancer.
His band, Stiff Little Fingers, were famously non-sectarian. When asked how he feels towards Ian Thain, the man who shot his brother, Jim Reilly says he forgives him, without missing a beat.
H e had been taught it's better to forgive than to let bitterness consume the rest of your life.
There's a very good song to be written about the life and death of Thomas 'Kidso' Reilly. It isn't Through the Barricades.
Read More
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Portrait of last Battle of Britain pilot handed over at National Museum
Portrait of last Battle of Britain pilot handed over at National Museum

Irish Examiner

time43 minutes ago

  • Irish Examiner

Portrait of last Battle of Britain pilot handed over at National Museum

A portrait of the last Battle of Britain pilot, John "Paddy" Hemingway, was handed over at the National Museum of Ireland on Thursday. Group Captain Hemingway, originally from Dublin, was the final surviving member of "The Few", who took to the skies in 1940 to defend the British against Luftwaffe attacks in what became a pivotal moment of the Second World War. He died in March this year, at the age of 105. His portrait will find a permanent home at the Irish National Gallery. The portrait, unveiled by Mr Hemingway at the British Embassy in Dublin last year marking his 105th birthday, was painted by Welsh artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, 44. He was the last living pilot from the Battle of Britain and would have been 106 on July 17. Mr Llywelyn Hall is known for numerous portraits, such as the British Queen, Shane MacGowan, Amy Winehouse and other public figures. Mr Llywelyn Hall said: "I am pleased for the portrait of the Last of the Few, John Hemingway, to be a legacy for the public in John's native Ireland. "It's especially meaningful this portrait will live in Dublin as it was John's home and held in great affection. "This portrait serves as both a record of remarkable life and a testament to the rich personality beyond the uniform." Brenda Malone, curator of Irish Military History, said: "We are delighted to accept this generous gift from Dan, and are particularly happy to record John Hemingway's story, through his portrait, with us. "The National Museum collects and preserves the history of Irishmen and women's experience of military service around the world, especially in times of conflict. "John's story stands as a representation for the many Irish people who served in the Royal Air Force during WWII. "His portrait and history will form a valuable part of our collections which we hold in trust for the Irish people." Read More AI helps find formula for paint to keep buildings cooler

'90s Dublin pop band reunites for upcoming album
'90s Dublin pop band reunites for upcoming album

Extra.ie​

timean hour ago

  • Extra.ie​

'90s Dublin pop band reunites for upcoming album

Two original members of '90s Dublin pop band SWIM have reunited to record their upcoming album NIGHTSTOCK. After more than three decades apart, vocalist Joe Reilly and composer John McCrea reconnected in 2025 with the intention of creating and releasing new material. According to a statement, Reilly sought freedom to express himself through lyricism while McCrea endeavoured to break from the norm of conventional song structure. NIGHTSTOCK is the product of the duo's new experimental approach to songwriting. The seven tracks on the album were recorded in just a few sessions with Reilly, McCrea and producer Ger McDonnell, whose credits include U2, Dido, Def Leppard and more. 'Tony's House,' the first single from the album, is set to be released this Friday, July 4, with a music video directed by Cork videographer George Hogan. Reilly said the concepts for 'Tony's House' came in a stroke of inspiration while reading an Edward Hopper art book in between recording sessions. 'During the recording sessions for NIGHTSTOCK, the band were experiencing some difficulty with one of the longer pieces on the album and decided to take a break. I was flicking through 'The Paintings of Edward Hopper' and the painting 'Tony's House' in particular caught my imagination,' Reilly said. 'Within half an hour, I had come up with the lyrics for 'Tony's House,' the song. Having shown the lyrics to John, the music was quickly composed, and the accompanying keyboard track was recorded in one take. The vocals were put down in a few passes, and so 'Tony's House' appeared within a matter of hours. Ger then added his usual studio magic, et voilà.' SWIM were first formed in 1988 with their freshman record, Sundrive Road, produced by Steely Dan's Gary Katz. After the release of Sundrive Road, the band toured with the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Cher. They disbanded in 1991 due to band members' reluctance to continue touring. In 2020, Hot Press included SWIM on a list of '90s Irish bands that could have been massive.' The entirety of NIGHTSTOCK will be released August 14 at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. The band currently have no plans to play live.

Wimbledon's ‘most beautiful debutant' worked as model and delivery driver and was left in tears over her bank balance
Wimbledon's ‘most beautiful debutant' worked as model and delivery driver and was left in tears over her bank balance

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Wimbledon's ‘most beautiful debutant' worked as model and delivery driver and was left in tears over her bank balance

WIMBLEDON star Carson Branstine worked as a model and as a delivery driver to fund her tennis career. The Canadian qualified for the tournament and bagged £66,000 in the process. Advertisement 9 Carson Branstine made her debut at Wimbledon this week Credit: Getty 9 It has been a long journey to the All England Club for the Canadian Credit: PA 9 Branstine has juggled multiple jobs alongside her tennis career Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine 9 She has a degree in Society, Ethics and Law Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine 9 The Canadian has worked as a model and as a delivery driver Credit: Instagram Branstine was defeated by world No1 It has been a difficult journey for the 24-year-old to reach the All England Club, with Branstine revealing she was reduced to tears after realising she only had £19 ($26) left in her bank account. She told "I live in Southern Advertisement READ MORE IN WIMBLEDON "I remember one morning, a couple of weeks before I played my first WTA final in Cancun, I looked at my account balance and only had $26. "I thought about how I'm going to finance myself for the tournament now. I cried. I called my friends, I wasn't allowed to call my parents - if they found out, they would be very angry. "I just said to myself, 'Don't think too much. Do it.' And so after training I drove around Los Angeles and delivered dinners to people." Branstine, who has been labelled 'Wimbledon's most beautiful debutant', funded her tennis career by working as a delivery driver. Advertisement Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS She has also worked as a model and boasts a Bachelor's degree in Society, Ethics, and Law with a double minor in Philosophy and Sports Management. The California resident even assisted a lawyer and attended court , working on cases involving family law. Katie Boulter stunned by world No101 in Wimbledon second round as British No2 blown away by 21 year old Argentine But modelling is her favourite work outside of tennis, with Branstine admitting she loves being in front of the camera. Advertisement She said: "I love being in front of the camera during a shoot. "It's fun, I love fashion. It's been one of the reasons I've been able to pay some of my trips. "I didn't want to ask my parents for anything. I wanted everything to come from me and from my tennis. "I wasn't signed by these agencies because of my tennis, it was for my look. "Modelling and tennis are weirdly similar - you are an object a lot, and people sometimes forget you're a person too." 9 Branstine has made just two Grand Slams in her career Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine Advertisement 9 She was once reduced to tears by her bank balance Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine 9 She bagged £66,000 with her Wimbledon appearance Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine 9 The 24-year-old is a California resident Credit: Instagram @carsonbranstine

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store