Maurice Leyden

The Verdant Braes of Screen

“Screen” is thought to refer to Ballinascreen in County Derry, and it is a song of love that doesn’t work out – a not uncommon theme in love songs right across the world. The glorious lines “Oh I will climb a high, high tree and rob a wild bird’s nest/and back I will bring whatever I do find/to the arms that I love best, she cried/to the arms that I love the best” are haunting.

Biography

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Maurice Leyden is a folk-song collector, singer, broadcaster and writer with a passion for Ulster folk-song. He quotes the singing of Len Graham, Eddie Butcher, John Maguire, Joe Holmes, John Kennedy and Paddy Tunney as major influences. 

Originally from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, his first book ‘Belfast, City of Song’ (Brandon) explores the traditional songs of the city which has been his home for many years. His research for the Belfast book revealed a wealth of children’s songs and street lore and Maurice’s second book ‘Boys and Girls Come out to Play presents a rich collection of children’s singing games. Both books are complemented by recordings of selected songs. 

Maurice is much in demand as a lecturer and authority on local folk-song and contributed to ‘The Companion to Irish Traditional Music’ (Editor Fintan Vallely) and ‘Irish People Irish Linen’ by Kathleen Curtis Wilson and has lectured at the Library of Congress in Washington. 

A familiar voice on the airwaves, Maurice presented a weekly folk-music programme ‘Folkal Point’ for 14 years on Downtown Radio. 

He is a regular performer at folk concerts and festivals, collaborating with his wife Jane Cassidy to present shows combining local history and folk-song.