The son of Dubliners founding member Ronnie Drew comes to Belltable this Saturday April 18 for an intimate evening of music and storytelling, celebrating the lives and songs of one of Ireland’s most beloved folk groups.
Remembering Ronnie Drew with Phelim Drew sees the actor and performer pay warm tribute not only to his father but to the full cast of Dubliners legends — Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Ciaran Bourke, and John Sheahan — blending folk classics with the broader musical influences that shaped their distinctive, era-defining sound.
Phelim Drew brings a performer’s instinct and a son’s affection to the material.
A seasoned stage actor whose theatre credits include the Abbey Theatre’s The Risen People and the Landmark/Olympia production of Once, A New Musical, he speaks with quiet candour about the towering presence his father cast — and the modest ambitions it inspired in him as a singer.
“Growing up I was always struck by the electricity generated at a Dubliners concert,” Phelim recalls. “The group was exceptional not only because of the individual strength of the performers but that combined they were a force of nature. That energy and excitement coupled with the unbridled joy of a Dubliners audience made for a night’s entertainment that felt more like a party in full swing.”
In the show, Phelim also reflects on the formative experiences that shaped Ronnie Drew the man.
Born in Glasthule on the southside of Dún Laoghaire, the young Ronnie was sent to live with his maternal grandparents while his family grew around him — a separation Phelim believes planted the seeds of his father’s singular drive. “I’ve always felt that this separateness was what ultimately led him to carve out his own path in life and take risks that few others were taking at the time.”
Since his father’s passing, Phelim has found renewed meaning in revisiting that rich musical legacy. “The wealth of material has reawakened not only a sense of pride but a deep appreciation — not just of the recordings, but of the songs that influenced them and how they in turn have influenced others.”