PASSINGS

Ciaran Bourke; Folk Musician

Ciaran Bourke, 48, a balladeer, guitarist and tin-whistle playing founding member of the Dubliners folk group. Founded in 1962 by Bourke and four fellow Irishmen, the group gained fame in Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand and their homeland for their earthy, raucous style and folk songs. Bourke left the group in 1974 after suffering a brain hemorrhage that left him partially paralyzed. Bourke, who became an antiques dealer when his music career ended, played with the group in a special 25th anniversary celebration broadcast on Irish television in 1986. The Dubliners was formed by Bourke, Ronnie Drew, John Sheehan, Barney McKenna and Luke Kelly, the red-haired banjo player and singer who died of cancer in 1984. Their songs include “The Town I Love So Well,” “The Molly Maguires,” “Dirty Old Town” and “Seven Drunken Nights.” Many of their songs are accompanied by banjo, guitar and the tin whistle, a six-holed metal instrument. Bourke translated many of the group’s ballads from the original Gaelic into English. In Dublin on Tuesday after a second brain hemorrhage.