It’s A Question of Interpretation

      It was once written by a man who thinks himself to be quite an expert on the subject of the Prisoner, no it wasn't me, "That the words of the Londonderry Air, aka “Oh Danny Boy,” contain lyrics about an Irish son departing for America, having been unable to secure work to obtain any appreciation in his particular place of residence. The words "The Summer's gone and all the Roses dying...tis you, tis you must bide and I must go," come out of the screen to haunt the viewer. McGoohan must know his party was over, the sixties were ending and the money had run out.

   Well I suppose the money had indeed run out for McGoohan as far as 'the Prisoner' was concerned, and after the public's response to 'Fall Out,' McGoohan may very well have felt unappreciated.

     I have in front of me a copy of the lyrics of 'Oh Danny Boy,' and as far as I can see there is no suggestion that Danny Boy was going to America. It could so easily have been Canada, New Zealand or Australia. The song has been interpreted by some listeners as a message from a parent to a son going off to war or leaving as part of the Irish Diaspora.

    And so if the so termed "expert" of such an interpretation of the use of the song 'Oh Danny Boy' was suggesting that Patrick Mc,Goohan, an Irish American, was thinking of returning home to America, as he eventually did of course, But at the time of 'The Girl Who Was Death,' the episode in which the lyrics of 'Oh Danny Boy' featured, there was nothing at the time to suggest that McGoohan's intention was to go to America. Unless of course.......it is referring to McGoohan going to America to work on 'Ice station Zebra!'
   Patrick McGoohan had nomintention of going to America, as he had other work here in Britain he wnated to do. But I suppose in the end it was a case of circumstances altering cases!

Be seeing you