Tributes paid to Nellie Weldon, Ballyfermot singer and wife of Liam Weldon, who has died

Tributes are pouring in from across the Irish traditional music community, following news of the passing of Ballyfermot singer Nellie Weldon – a woman the Irish Traditional Music Archive once described as the "Queen of The Cobblestone".

Nellie was the wife of the late great singer and songwriter Liam Weldon, well-known for songs such as 'Dark Horse On The Wind' and 'The Blue Tar Road'. He passed away in November 1995.

The organisers behind The Night Before Larry Got Stretched – a traditional singing session in The Cobblestone, that takes place on the first Sunday of every month – shared a special tribute to their "dear friend" Nellie Weldon on social media.

"As many will know, for much of Larry’s history Nellie performed the honour of singing the final song of the night, a custom which formed an essential part of our gatherings, and one which was much missed of late, as Nellie’s health kept her housebound in her final years," their tribute reads.

"This tradition was initiated by Sinéad Lynch, one of our founders, who became something of a surrogate granddaughter to Nellie. Each month, Sinéad would collect Nellie from the front bar, accompanying her through the hordes to a seat in the middle of the room. In later years, it became a familiar sight, about thirty minutes before the end of an evening, to see the Red Sea parting to reveal Nellie, shuffling on her walker, flanked on either side by her son Shay and her loyal friends Eamonn Hunt and Colm Keating.

"In time, Nellie became something of a matriarch to young singers in Dublin, offering words of encouragement, her razor sharp humour, and stories of her late husband Liam, who was never far from her thoughts.

"When called upon to sing the final song of the night, it was a rare occasion that Nellie chose not to sing one of Liam’s songs, which, more often than not, was a love song composed in her honour. Only those who witnessed them will recognise how special these moments truly were."

They go on to note that, although there "have been many influential elders" who have passed through the doors of the session over the years, "it is almost impossible to imagine the story of ’Larry without Nellie’s warm and encouraging presence."

The Night Before Larry Got Stretched will arrange a special tribute to the Ballyfermot singer in the coming months.

Back in 2022, to mark the 10th birthday of The Night Larry Got Stretched, a special series of videos were commissioned, "to put visuals to some of our favourite recordings from 'Larry sessions over the years." Here is a video, animated by Branwen Kavanagh, featuring Nellie Weldon singing 'My Love Is A Well' – which was written by her husband – at The Cobblestone in November 2016:

Nellie also features in Myles O'Reilly's documentary on Liam Weldon, Dark Horse On The Wind

"Nellie spoke at length about their great love, and life together," the filmmaker remarked at the time. "Then she sang for us. My job of focusing the camera was never such a challenge, fighting back tears. Such a voice I've never heard before. Such a privilege to have witnessed, and recorded. Every bit as powerful as her husband Liam. What a woman."

See more tributes to Nellie Weldon below: