Sad passing of renowned Derry singer-songwriter Roy Arbuckle

Mr. Arbuckle died in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, it was confirmed on Wednesday.

The Silver Strummers & The Dark Haired Drummer, a band formed at the Men’s Shed in Dungiven where Roy lived, announced his death this week.

“Our bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and good friend Roy Arbuckle sadly passed away this morning.

“He was such friendly man, fantastic player, remarkable mentor and a gentle soul.

“Our deepest thoughts and condolences go to Roy's family at this very sad time. He will be sorely missed by so many,” the group said.

Roy was born in Upper Bennet Street on the edge of The Fountain towards the end of WW2 and will be forever associated with the storied estate just outside the Derry Walls.

As a boy he took his first music lessons at the People’s Hall in Barrack Street and enjoyed the social scene offered at both the Presbyterian Working Men’s Institute and St Augustine Youth Club nearby.

Though he moved away from the area and lived for a time at Northland Parade in Rosemount he always maintained a strong attachment to his beloved Fountain.

Roy was an ubiquitous presence on the formidable showband and folk scenes in Derry throughout the 1960s and 1970s performing with groups that included The Woodchoppers, The Flingels, The Signetts and Fiddlers Elbow with the late Gerry O’Neill.

In the early 1990s his Different Drums project used the bodhrán and the Lambeg to unite the nationalist and unionist traditions through music while also introducing African percussion to the mix through the djembe.

The Fountain was a well to which he always returned for inspiration.

His wonderful 2008 LP, ‘Songs of the Fountain’ immortalised his native-estate. The record was produced by none other than Tom Newman, the producer of Mike Oldfield’s legendary ‘Tubular Bells’.

Roy’s presence also informed Italian director Alessandro Negrini’s poignant 2009 portrait of the area ‘Paradiso’.

And in 2015 he wrote and produced The Fountain: A Musical - an across-the-divide love story set against the dance halls of the 1960s and the devastation of the Troubles that followed – with Michael Nangle.

A brilliant songwriter Roy remained an active musical and community presence in the North West up until very lately.

He will perhaps be best remembered for his signature tune, his famous ode to The Factory Girls, who worked in the big shirt-making operations that surrounded his boyhood home back in the 1950s.

‘And oh how I love those factory girls,

‘the shirts they make are worn around the world,

‘in Paris and in London, Amerikay and Spain,

‘so the factory girl goes off to work again.’

Roy is mourned by his wife Martina, children Kerry, Kirstein, John, Robert, Jaye and Emma, children-in-law Ariane and Chris, and grandchildren Lucas and Mason.

A service of Thanksgiving will take place in the Guildhall on Saturday at 12noon after which Roy’s remains will be interred in the City Cemetery. Visitors are welcome to the family home 21 Lackagh Park, Dungiven. Family time between 10pm to 2pm.