Sean Wood wrote Zelensky’s Golden Crown, to the tune of traditional Irish song, Star of the County Down, in a bid to highlight the fact that the Ukraine-Russia war is still ongoing.
And not long after uploading the track online he was followed on Facebook by President Zelensky and the Ukraine parliament.
Sean sings and plays the bodhran in the track, while Paul Newland plays the fiddle and Gordon Trunkfield plays the guitar.
The 70-year-old, who moved up to the area last year from Derbyshire, has been a folk musician for over 40 years.
He is well known on the scene, previously being part of Irish band The Curragh Sons.
Sean also writes about wildlife and can occasionally be spotted playing rugby for the Dumfries 2nd XV.
His wildlife writing has previously taken him on trip over to Eastern Europe into Belarus where he ventured into Chernobyl.
Sean said: “I have been over that way before with my work as a long time wildlife writer. I have an affinity with the place, so I thought – what can I do to help?
“Now with what else is going on the attention seems to have gone away from Ukraine.
“The words came to me in about half an hour and I recorded it at Circa 16 Sound Recording studio in Dumfries.
“It was a top class job by owner and engineer Dave. The lads on the song, Gordon Trunkfield and Paul Newland, are both my long time collaborators in The Curragh Sons.
“The lyrics are basically trying to encompass the folk history and the life of people in Ukraine.
“They have got this indomitable spirit.”
Sean had wanted to go over to perform the song in front of troops. But he was advised by a friend not to travel just now due to safety concerns.
- Zelensky’s Golden Crown is available on YouTube at youtube.com/ watch?v=JrjWfdUXjTU
