The video for ‘The Dealers’ was made by Myles O’Reilly. The song was directly inspired by singer and songwriter Brian Brannigan’s trips with his mother Peggy to get the groceries from Moore Street’s street traders, which Brannigan calls “a love letter to these warrior women”.
‘The Dealers’ is a deftly lyrical and musical highlight from Dublin band a lazarus soul’s recent album No Flowers Grow in Cement Gardens.
“I was fascinated by these strong working-class inner-city women, who were the breadwinners in a time of high unemployment & eked out a living in all weathers. I loved the vibrancy of it all as they brought Dublin alive with their sales pitches, Apples 5 for a pound.”
The song is a beautifully-realised elegy to Bridie and Tessie, two Dublin characters “out on their feet, selling knocked-off Reebok along cobbled streets.” The song’s orchestration is by Joe Chester and features noted Irish musician Steve Wickham on violin.
Myles O’Reilly’s music video underscores the parallel between the past and present with footage of the diverse and vibrant market now and then, with footage from the market now, and archive clips from Hands: Dublin’s Workhorses and The Humours of Moore Street.
Since the ’90s there has been a perennial threat that Moore Street would be closed down and replaced by a shopping centre, and it’s also the spot where Padraig Pearse surrendered to British forces along with five of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of Independence in 1916.
There is both a Save Moore Street From Demolition campaign.
a lazarus soul Live Dates:
Aug 23rd Coughlan’s, Cork -Sold out
Aug 24th Cleere’s, Kilkenny – Sold out
Aug 25th – Collins Barracks supporting The The
Oct 26th – Vicar Street
