Fontaines D.C. meet family of the late Margaret Keane, who inspired song ‘In ár gCroíthe go deo’
nme.comFontaines D.C. have met the family of the late Margaret Keane who inspired their song ‘In ár gCroíthe go deo’.Back in 2020, the band came across the story of Keane, who died in 2018, in The Irish Post.The family of the former dinner lady, who lived in Coventry for most of her life before passing at age 73, had originally planned to have the Irish epitaph “In ár gCroithe go deo” – which translates as “in our hearts forever” – engraved on her headstone.
However, a court of the Church of England ruled that the Gaelic phrase could be interpreted as “political” or “provocative” if displayed without an English translation.The decision sparked widespread anger among the Irish community and in response, Fontaines D.C., wrote ‘Skinty Fia’’s opener ‘In ár gCroíthe go deo’ (“Gone is the day/ Gone is the night”) in response to the decision.“The story really hit home” Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten told NME after he read about Keane. “I just found it very revealing; it unravelled this cynical distrust in the British perception of Ireland.
It was like, ‘Ah, but you’ve never really trusted us, have you?!’”In February 2021, the decision was overruled after three years of campaigning from Keane’s daughters.
On the same day the news came, the band laid down the vocals for the song. They sent the song to the Keane family via email, who then proceeded to play it for their mother at her grave.“The whole situation was very triggering for me.
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