16 December 1967
The Airchords were a showband formed by members of the Irish Air Corps, and singer Pat Lynch is the first Cork act to have an Irish number one single. This is also one of two records that keep ‘Hello Goodbye’ by The Beatles off the Irish top spot. However, my unexpected main takeaway from ‘Treat Me Daughter Kindly’ is Lynch’s risqué pronunciation of the word “country”, which he renders as some sort of Haus Of Pudenda. Maybe it’s a Cork thing. This won’t be the last of Ireland’s Christmas number one singles to feature spicy language.
Mild titillation aside, ‘Treat Me Daughter Kindly’ is a twee, mildew-covered mash-up of ’50s pop ballad and waltz-time céilí number. Pat is asking a farmer for his daughter’s hand in marriage. So taken is her old man by this that he throws in the house, farm and animals too. And why not? Sure aren’t they all just his possessions, his chattel! This won’t be the last of Ireland’s Christmas number one singles to feature sexism and objectification of women – and it won’t be the last we hear from Cork either.
