At this time of year, no self-respecting music radio station would neglect to have ‘White Christmas’ – said to be the best-selling record of all time – prominently placed in its music library.

The fact that, in this country of strange weather, a white Easter would probably get similar odds from the bookies as would a white Christmas, is beside the point. “Dreaming” is what the opening line of the song speaks of and everyone likes to dream.

As well as knowing the lyrics of the song by heart, a lot of people know that it was written by Irving Berlin. This, by the way, was his assumed name which, you’ll agree has a more musical lilt to it than has ‘Israel Baline’!

Known also for the songs he wrote for ‘Annie get your Gun’, ‘Easter Parade’, ‘Top Hat’, ‘Call me Madam’ and other shows and films, Berlin was a wealthy Jew who lived to the ripe old age of 101.

What most people don’t know, however, is that for the latter 62 years of his life, the man who wrote ‘White Christmas’ was married to Ellin MacKay, the grand-daughter of Dublin-born John William MacKay.

Having been brought up in dire poverty in the 1830’s and 40’s, MacKay left Dublin for America – no doubt in one of the ‘coffin ships’ – and made his fortune there when, in 1859, silver was discovered in Nevada.

Generously, but quietly, the Dublin man contributed to many worthy causes, one of which was the beautiful Catholic ‘Church of St. Mary of the Mountain’, in Virginia City, Nevada.

His son, Clarence MacKay – the father of Ellin – survives in history as a less affable figure.

On learning of Ellin’s intention to be married to Irving Berlin, Clarence is said to have been appalled at the very notion of becoming the father-in-law of a Jew.

After the wedding, he issued a statement conveying that it had taken place “without my knowledge or consent”.

Clarence wouldn’t even refer to Irving Berlin by name, speaking of him instead as “the person referred to”. It was a bitter anti-semitism that he was to carry with him to his grave in 1938.

Despite this unsavoury backdrop, Irving and Ellin had a lovely, long, quiet life together.

And by the way, in your relentless trek from shop to shop for toys and tinsel, as you are soothed by the mellow strains of ‘White Christmas’, as crooned by Bing Crosby, you may think it a bit unseasonal that in Ireland we tend not to have white Christmases.

If so, take note that such Christmases would have been possible just about every day of the Winter for the nostalgic Irving Berlin – he hailed from Siberia!

Left :Irving Berlin in the 1930’s.
Right: Bing Crosby who sang the song ‘White Christmas’ in the film ‘Holiday Inn’ (1944), pictured in the early 1970’s