Eamonn Flynn brought his Dublinesque music hall event to the Back Room in Berkeley on February 1, St Brigid’s Day. I’ve seen this show a few times in recent years, and it’s always lively, entertaining, and ever-changing. Led by Flynn on piano and vocals, the ensemble includes Darcy Noonan from Oakland on fiddle, Hector Bragado from Balboa on banjo, and Felim Egan from Offaly on accordion.  

As the name suggests, the show focuses on Dublin songs and stories; every song has a story, and vice versa. The show is built around Flynn’s grooving, tuneful Dublin tribute album from 2022, Anywhere But Home. The city has its share of catchy, light-hearted songs: Molly Malone, Dublin Saunter (Dublin Can Be Heaven), Daffodil Mulligan, and Flynn’s own classic, Strollin’ (Baile Atha Cliath).

But there are darker songs, too. Sack ‘Em Ups is a rhythmic riff on the spooky subject of grave robbers in 19th-century Dublin. May Oblong is a tribute to one of Dublin’s most famous Red Light madames. Weela Weela Wayla, a well-known children’s song popularized by The Dubliners, is a gruesome tale wrapped in an infectious tune.  

Another grim story is told in Hunting the Wren, written by Ian Lynch of Lankum. Darcy Noonan set down her fiddle to bravely and boldly take the vocals on this dark, intense song. It commemorates The Wrens of the Curragh, a shameful episode in the history of Irish mistreatment of women. Willie O is a lovely old song that many singers have covered (I recommend Niamh Parson’s version.) Flynn paired it with a Dr John instrumental, Cajun Moon.

He is part of many wide-ranging musical groupings in the Bay Area. He and Egan play with the Black Brothers, who have some Bay Area shows in March. Check his website for upcoming performances in February and March. He has also been part of the Glide Memorial music program for a couple of years and brought some of the Glide Choir as guests for this show.  They provided the highlight of the evening with Dennis Hersey singing Danny Boy. It’s an overused piece, but Hersey sang with it with great heart and reverence.

St Brigid seems to have taken on a new agent in recent times. There were three other musical events in the East Bay on her feast day. The second Bank Holiday created by the Irish government to commemorate her occurs this Monday, February 5. Maybe someday, her life will be as widely celebrated as St Patrick’s. Flynn opened the evening by reading a poem attributed to Brigid known as The Lake of Beer. So, could there be a similar amount of sanctioned drinking on her holiday?